Sioux Falls, SD — The Sioux Falls Stampede will face the Lincoln Stars in the Western Conference Semifinals. The Stars advanced as the No. 5 seed after a 6-3 win over Des Moines in Game 3 of their first-round series earlier tonight. The Stampede enter the postseason as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and earned a first-round bye after finishing the regular season with a 43-16-3 record.
Sioux Falls posted a 5-1-0 record against Lincoln during the 2025–26 campaign. The last postseason meeting between the two teams came during the 2018 Clark Cup Playoffs, when the Stars defeated the Stampede two games to one in a best-of-three first-round series.
The Western Conference Semifinals is a best-of-five series beginning Friday, April 17 at 7:05 p.m. at the PREMIER Center. Game 2 will be played Sunday at 4:05 p.m. before the series shifts to Lincoln for Game 3 and, if necessary, Game 4. If a deciding Game 5 is needed, it will take place Tuesday, April 28 at the PREMIER Center. The full schedule is listed below.
Tickets for Games 1 and 2 are available now through the KELOLAND Box Office, Ticketmaster, or the Stampede office. The first 1,500 fans at Friday's game will receive a Stampede playoff rally towel, courtesy of Blackburn Foundation Repair and First Dakota National Bank. The first 1,000 fans will also receive a limited-edition Stampede Clark Cup Playoff poster.
At Sunday's game, the first 1,500 fans will receive a playoff towel, while the first 500 fans will take home a Stampede team poster. Pre-game festivities for both games include appearances by Mr. Twister, free face painting, a photo booth, and more.
The winner of the Stampede/Lincoln series will face the winner of the other conference semi-final series between No.2 seed Fargo and No. 3 seed Sioux City.
#1 SIOUX FALLS vs. #5 LINCOLN
Western Conference Semifinals
- Game 1: Friday, April 17 — 7:05 p.m. | Lincoln at Sioux Falls
- Game 2: Sunday, April 19 — 4:05 p.m. | Lincoln at Sioux Falls
- Game 3: Friday, April 24 — 7:05 p.m. | Sioux Falls at Lincoln
- Game 4: Saturday, April 25 — 6:05 p.m. | Sioux Falls at Lincoln*
- Game 5: Tuesday, April 28 — 7:05 p.m. | Lincoln at Sioux Falls*
*If necessary
