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Ice Home Saturday at Pan Am Plaza

September 25, 2012 - United States Hockey League (USHL) Indiana Ice

CHANGING OF THE GUARD: The Ice swears in a new head coach this weekend as Ron Gay assumes the reins behind the Indy bench. Gay finished off last season as an Ice assistant coach and has a plethora of experience in hockey from coaching and running youth hockey programs to training NHL players. Joining him on his new staff is associate head coach Matt Curley, who arrives after a two-year stint at the United States National Team Development Program and assistant coach Adam Krug who makes his coaching debut after playing several years professionally.

FIRST SEASON NUMBERS: Indiana concluded a five-game preseason slate with a 3-2-0 record including a 2-1-0 run at last weekend's "Fall Classic." Newly-acquired forward Austin Ortega led the team in the preseason with four goals, while Ortega, Zach Aman, Drew Smolcynski, Robbie Baillargeon, and Joe Fiala were the top point producers with four points apiece. Dalton Izyk was sharp in net with a 2-1-0 record, 1.67 GAA and a .940 SV%, while Aman led all skaters with a (+5) plus/minus.

OPENING LORE: The Ice is an identical 6-2-0 all-time in both regular season and home openers. Indy defeated Cedar Rapids 4-3 in overtime last year in Iowa as forward Daniil Tarasov (Worcester-AHL) scored the game-winner in overtime and defenseman Matt Krug handed out two assists. Tarasov and Sean Kuraly (Miami) combined for two goals and four assists in last year's home opener as the Icemen downed the Team USA U17 squad 4-1.

THEY'RE BAAACK: Eight players return from last year's Eastern Conference runner-up squad which includes forwards Robbie Baillargeon, Woody Hudson, Tyler Pham and Drew Smolcynski, defensemen Joe Fiala, Peter Hand and Matt Krug and goaltender Dalton Izyk. (The complete roster will be posted this week on www.indianaice.com).

COLLEGIATELY SPEAKING: Ten of the Ice's current roster already has earned Division 1 college scholarships for the future. The List- Robbie Baillargeon (Boston University), Joe Fiala (Quinnipiac), Austin Hervey (Western Michigan), Woody Hudson (Cornell), Joshua Jacobs (Michigan State), Matt Krug (Union), Brian Morgan (Maine), Austin Ortega (Nebraska-Omaha), Tyler Pham (Denver), Drew Smolcynski (St. Lawrence).

HOCKEY BITES: Robbie Baillargeon was a 2012 NHL Draft Pick of Ottawa...Assistant coach Adam Krug is the brother of former 2009 Clark Cup Champion Ice defenseman and current Boston Bruins blueliner Torey Krug...Bo and Canon Pieper become the first set of brothers to play for the Ice during the same season...Other USHL veterans on the Ice roster include the Pieper brothers (Chicago), Austin Ortega (Cedar Rapids), Austin Hervey (Lincoln/Des Moines) and Alex Smith (Muskegon).

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United States Hockey League Stories from September 25, 2012


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