Ice Advance To Conference Finals, Host Gamblers Sunday
April 30, 2012 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Indiana Ice News Release
STARTING STRONG: Indy swept the Eastern Conference semifinal series against the defending Clark Cup Champion Dubuque Fighting Saints 3-0 with a 3-1 win Wednesday at the Mystique Community Ice Center in Dubuque, IA. Jon Gillies stopped 34 of 35 Dubuque shots while Sean Kuraly recorded two points (G, A) in the contest. Jake Fallon and Robbie Baillargeon also lit the lamp for Indy. Daniil Tarasov led the series in scoring with seven points (3G, 4A) in three games while Gillies posted a 3-0-0 record with a 2.00 GAA and a .940 save percentage.
THAT OLD FAMILIAR FEELING: New teams venture into familiar places as Indy will meet the Green Bay Gamblers in the Eastern Conference finals for the third time in four years. The Ice and Gamblers have met in the playoffs three consecutive years with the winner of the series advancing to the Clark Cup Finals each time. Indy defeated Green Bay in the Eastern Conference finals en route to their 2009 Clark Cup Championship run before the Gamblers did the same to the Ice in 2010. Green Bay bested Indy in the semifinal round last season before falling to Dubuque in the Clark Cup Championship round.
SWEEPING LEAVES STREAKS: Several players on the Indy roster continue to melt the ice as they heat up in the playoffs. Daniil Tarasov continues his record-breaking tear with a point in 16 consecutive games dating back to the regular season, earning 33 points (17G, 16A) in the process. Sean Kuraly is riding an eight-game hot streak, compiling 12 points (5G, 7A) through the wave. Jake Fallon and Robbie Baillargeon round out the ice melters with four-game point streaks and each player also has three goals in their last four games.
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS: Jon Gillies has been a rock in net for Indy, going 6-0-2 in eight regular season and postseason contests during the month of April. The South Portland, ME native has not lost in regulation since March 31 and has a 2.53 GAA and a .923 save percentage while allowing only one goal twice.
PLAYOFF CARDS: Indiana: The Ice has made the playoffs in all eight years of their USHL existence and is 27-22 in postseason play, including the 2009 Clark Cup Championship...Indy is 12-7 under coach Charlie Skjodt in the postseason...The Ice are 8-7 against Green Bay in the postseason since joining the USHL in 2004...Green Bay: The Gamblers are 23-11 in their last four playoff runs, including four consecutive trips to the Eastern Conference finals...Green Bay has won the Anderson Cup and the Clark Cup in the same season twice (09-10, 95-96).
PLAYER WINGS: Indiana: Daniil Tarasov is tied for first in playoff points (7) with three goals and four assists...Tarasov and Sean Kuraly lead the league in playoff plus-minus rating (+7)... Christian Hilbrich (2G, 4A) and Jose Delgadillo (3A) have points in three of their last four games...Indy leads the USHL in postseason power play conversion (25%)...The Ice is second in goals for (4.67) and goals against (2.00) per game... ...The Ice scored first in all three contests against Dubuque...Green Bay: Sam Herr and Alex Broadhurst are riding 11 and ten-game point streaks respectively dating back to the regular season...Broadhurst leads the league in shorthanded goals (3) and is tied for first in points (7) and goals (5) for the playoffs... Green Bay leads the league in goals per game (5.00), shots per game (37.0) and shots against per game (23.5).
FINAL FOUR: Green Bay (#1 seed) will have home-ice advantage against Indiana (#2 seed) as the teams meet in the Eastern Conference Finals for the third time in four years...Western Conference: Lincoln (#1 seed) makes their first appearance in the Western Conference finals since 2009 while Waterloo (#3 seed) defeated second-seeded Omaha to advance to the finals after transferring to the Western Conference at the beginning of the season.
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