Indiana snaps slide
November 24, 2012 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Indiana Ice News Release
The Indiana Ice snapped a two-game slide as they nearly fall victim to three unanswered goals in a 5-4 shootout win against the Chicago Steel from Edge Ice Arena.
Woody Hudson (2G, A) and Drew Smolcynski (2A) powered the offense with multiple point games while Robbie Baillargeon and Austin Ortega added goals for Indy.
Chicago got on the board first with a Landon Smith lamplighter on the power play, but a pair of goals by Hudson gave the Ice a 2-1 edge going into the first intermission. The opening frame was a slough of special teams play as all three goals were scored either on the power play and shorthanded opportunities. The teams also combined for 34 penalty minutes in the opening frame.
Hudson's first goal of the contest marked the first shorthanded goal of the team captain's career. Peter Hand took a loose puck from the defensive zone and skated into Steel territory. A wrap-around pass from Smolcynski fed the puck to Hudson at the top of the crease where he buried it past Chicago netminder Chris Nell to knot the game at 1-1.
His second tally of the night came on a 4-on-3 power play with just over two minutes left in the period. Hudson gave Indy a 2-1 lead with 32 seconds left in the period. A rebounded shot off Zach Aman made its way into Hudson's stick and back into the twine in the closing seconds of the first stanza.
The tables turned in Chicago as the Steel rattled off three unanswered goals in the second period to take a 4-3 lead going into the second intermission. Indy was also heavily penalized as the Ice racked up an additional 16 penalty minutes on four offenses.
Indy looked to have the game well in hand 21 seconds into the period when Baillargeon hooked up with Hudson off a Chicago turnover in the defensive faceoff circle. Hudson popped a shot off Nell and Baillargeon sank the puck to take a 3-1 advantage early in the second period.
Fortunes turned in the Steel favor as unanswered goals by Jaccob Slavin, Chris Dodero and Tyler Hill gave Chicago a 4-3 lead going into the second intermission.
The Ice picked up the intensity in the third period, but a lone tally by Ortega on the power play knotted the game with just over five minutes left in the contest. A rebounded shot from Tyler Pham at the point was followed by a shot in the low post from Smolcynski before Ortega finished off the play to even the contest at 4-4.
The overtime period flew by with no scoring changes, so the game went into a shootout. Smolcynski buried the first and only attempt in the shootout to claim a 5-4 win for I***.
Hockey returns to the Circle City on Thursday, December 13 from Bankers Life Fieldhouse as Indy hosts the Muskegon Lumberjacks at 7:05 pm.
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- Indiana snaps slide - Indiana Ice
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