Fargo Force The Fargo Force is a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team in the West Division of the United States Hockey League ( USHL ) . History . In early 2007 , Fargo was granted a USHL team , intended as an anchor tenant for the then - under - construction Urban Plains Center , which is now called Scheels Arena . Dean Blais , former coach of the North Dakota Fighting Sioux hockey program , was installed as the franchise ' s initial coach and general manager . The team was formed , in conjunction with a name - the - team contest to decide what the team would be called . After the choices were narrowed to Fargo Force , " Fargo Phantoms , " and " Fargo Fire , " the Force name was chosen . Twelve people submitted the Force name ; as a result , they won a dinner with head coach Dean Blais and each received two season tickets to the Force ' s inaugural season . As a result of the Force ' s entry , the area ' s previous hockey team , the Fargo - Moorhead Jets of the North American Hockey League announced they were leaving the area in April 2008 , and folded later that year . Blais coached the team to the USHL ' s Clark Cup Finals in 2008 - 09 , leaving to take the head coaching position at Nebraska - Omaha . His successor , Chad Johnson , a former assistant , again led the Force to the Finals in 2009 - 10 . Assistant Jason Herter took over the team in 2010 when Johnson left to join the Lincoln Stars . Jason Herter left after the 2010 - 11 season to become an assistant coach at the University of Minnesota - Duluth . John Marks became head coach after leaving the same position for the Winkler Flyers in Manitoba , Canada . Marks retired following the 2014 - 15 season and was replaced by former University of North Dakota player / assistant coach Cary Eades , who had just led the Sioux Falls Stampede to the 2014 - 15 Clark Cup Championship . Season - by - season record starting 2008 . United States Hockey League ( 1 ) The Force qualified for the USHL playoffs as the conference ' s third seed and defeated the Omaha Lancers 3 - 1 in a best - of - five series in the opening round of the Western Conference playoffs . This advanced Fargo to the Western Conference Finals , where the Force defeated the Lincoln Stars 3 - 0 in the best - of - five series . The Force then were defeated in the Clark Cup Finals by the Indiana Ice , 3 - 1 . ( 2 ) The Force qualified for the USHL playoffs as the conference ' s second seed and defeated the Sioux Falls Stampede 3 - 0 in a best - of - five series in the opening round of the Western Conference playoffs . This advanced Fargo to the Western Conference Finals , where the Force defeated Omaha 3 - 2 in the best - of - five series . The Force then were defeated in the Clark Cup Finals by the Green Bay Gamblers , 3 - 2 . ( 3 ) As the fourth seed in the Western Conference , the Force qualified for the USHL playoffs and defeated the Lincoln Stars 2 - 0 in a best - of - three series in the qualifying round of the Western Conference playoffs . Fargo went to the quarterfinals where they were subsequently swept by the eventual USHL champions , the Dubuque Fighting Saints , in a best - of - five series . ( 4 ) The Force qualified for the USHL playoffs as the conference ' s fourth seed and defeated the Sioux City Musketeers 2 - 0 in a best - of - three series in the qualifying round of the Western Conference playoffs . Fargo went to the quarterfinals where they met , and were defeated by , the Lincoln Stars in a best - of - five series 3 - 1 . ( 5 ) The Force enjoyed a very successful season which saw them entering the USHL playoffs as the number 2 seed from the Western Conference . Fargo met the Waterloo Black Hawks in the first round of the playoffs and escaped with a 3 - 2 , best - of - five series win . In the semifinals , the Force ran into the number 1 ranked Sioux Falls Stampede , but were able to dispatch them in a best - of - five series 3 - 2 . The Force made it back to the Clark Cup Finals for the 3rd time in their short history , looking to reverse their fortune of several failed Clark Cup appearances . Unfortunately , Fargo ' s season would not end in a championship . The Force were eventually swept by the Dubuque Fighting Saints in a best - of - five series . ( 6 ) The Force failed to qualify for any post season action . ( 7 ) The Force failed to qualify for any post season action . ( 8 ) The Force failed to qualify for any post season action .