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Ice Tops Depleted Steel

December 21, 2012 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Indiana Ice News Release


Santa Claus and the spirit of Christmas arrived early for the Indiana Ice in the form of the severely-shorthanded and down-trodden Chicago Steel. From the opening faceoff, the Ice controlled the majority of the game and managed to hang on and grab an elusive home-ice victory, in overtime, 4-3.

Despite a scoreless first period and an almost even 13-11 difference in shots, the Ice dominated play in the Steel defensive zone. Chicago goalie Alex Sakellaropoulos was tested early and often and was also aided by the goalie's best friend - the goal pipe, as Indy rang two shots off the pipe in the first period and added a third in the third period.

Indiana got on the board first in the middle frame as Canon Pieper scored his 5th goal of the season. Vince Pedrie earned the lone assist on the play. Chicago answered less than three minutes later when their leading goal-scorer, Christian Heil got one by Dalton Izyk, following what appeared to be a botched line-change by the Ice. The end result was a 2-on-0 break-away and the Steel's first goal. A second Chicago goal only 53 seconds later appeared to catch Izyk unprepared. The two teams went to the second intermission with the Steel nursing a one goal lead.

Chicago started the third period with visions of victory plums dancing in their heads as they hoped to snap their four-game losing streak. Tyler Pham dashed those hopes with a beautiful goal from right in front of Sakellaropoulos as the newly-acquired Jason Salvaggio and Drew Newmeyer assisted on Pham's second goal of the year.

A little over three minutes later, Drew Smolcynski posted his 14th goal of the season, and it looked as though Indy had Chicago on the ropes. Salvaggio assisted on the play along with Indy's leading scorer, Austin Ortega.

However, two minutes and 27 seconds later, the Steel squeezed in a goal passed Izyk that sent the game to overtime, tied at 3-3. As the third period concluded, Chicago forward Ray Pigozzi was assessed a 2 minute penalty for roughing. This penalty would prove very critical.

The league's 4th rated power-play would get their chance in the 5-minute extra frame to send Chicago back to the windy city with their tails between their legs. With only 10 seconds left on the man-advantage, Brian Morgan poked home a beautiful pass from Mikhail Plotnikov for the victory.

The Ice return to Banker's Life Fieldhouse tonight for a 7:05 p.m. face-off against the Green Bay Gamblers.

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United States Hockey League Stories from December 21, 2012


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