Sioux Falls, S.D. – The Herd delivered a statement performance, defeating I-29 rival Fargo 6-2 in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final. Sioux Falls saw scoring from
Brent Solomon,
JJ Monteiro (2),
Jake Prunty,
Brock Schultz, and
Anthony Bongo, while goaltender
Linards Feldbergs stood tall with 22 saves on 24 shots.
The Herd wasted no time setting the tone in the opening period.
Brent Solomon opened the scoring at 3:57 after
Joey Macrina delivered a perfect pass, allowing Solomon to tuck the puck under the stick of Fargo goaltender Ajay White.
Momentum continued to build as
JJ Monteiro extended the lead at 7:57, picking off a Fargo pass and finishing on a breakaway to make it 2-0. Shortly after,
Jake Prunty capitalized on the power play with a wrist shot through traffic, beating White stick side.
Brock Schultz and
Ryder Betzold were credited with assists on the play.
The Herd remained relentless on special teams. At 11:20, following a Fargo penalty for head contact, Schultz added another power-play goal, deflecting a pass from Betzold to give Sioux Falls a commanding 4-0 lead.
The second period saw a slower pace, with multiple penalties limiting offensive rhythm. Despite several power-play opportunities, Sioux Falls was unable to convert early in the frame. However,
Anthony Bongo found the back of the net at 15:19, firing a shot through traffic to extend the lead to 5-0. Fargo responded late in the period with their first goal of the night, making it 5-1 heading into the third.
The third period featured more physical play and a string of penalties on both sides. Fargo added a shorthanded goal at 7:05, but the Herd quickly answered.
JJ Monteiro tallied his second goal of the night at 12:48, finishing a 3-on-1 opportunity off a feed from
Thomas Zocco to seal the 6-2 victory.
Feldbergs continued his dominant postseason play, improving his record to 4-1-1 with a 2.28 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage.
Game 2 of the Western Conference Final is set for Saturday night at the Denny Sanford Premier Center. Secure your tickets now and be part of the action.
