Ice beat Black Hawks 6-2
March 1, 2014 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Indiana Ice News Release
The Indiana Ice entered the weekend with two statement games. Friday night they faced and defeated the Western Conference co-leader Waterloo Black Hawks 6-2.
Saturday night, the Chicago Steel came calling on "Pack the House for Charity" night. This matchup was the Steel's chance to make an impression on the Ice with a possible first-round meeting for the Clark Cup with the first-seed Indiana and the fourth-seed Chicago.
Indy sent both teams home with decisives losses as they completed the weekend sweep with a 4-1 win over the Windy City opponent.
While Friday's win was more of an overwhelming ground attack, Saturday was more a series of surgical strikes. Denis Smirnov scored the game-winner in the second period and added an insurance goal in the third period.
Brian Pinho, who led the troops Friday with a pair of goals, started the assault Saturday when he received a pin-point backhanded pass from Jacob Pritchard. Aidan Muir also assisted at 9:33 of the first period.
After the visitors tied the contest at 1-1 at 9;39 of the second period, the Russian forward buried his first of the evening in a slick passing combination with Dwyer Tschantz and Patrick Newell.
"Playing tonight in front of over 12,000 fans was a great experience," commented Smirnov after tallying his 14th and 15th goals of the season. "Even though I am smaller than many other skaters, I do not look at their size. I just keep playing my game."
Indiana put the game away in the third period when they scored pair of goals and limited the Steel to three shots. Smirnov's second of the game came after a Tschantz wrap-around shot ended up loos in the paint in front of the Chicago goal. Smirnov buried the rebound at 9:02 of the final stanza.
Muir stick-handled through the visitor defense and potted his 13th goal of the season 34 seconds later to end the scoring at 4-1. Pinho fed the streaking Muir who was behind the Steel defense.
Hayden Stewart was near-perfect in net after coming back from an injury. Stewart stopped 19-of-20 visitor attempts and kept his goals against average under one goal per game in an Indy sweater.
Indiana hits the road for an extended road trip before returning to home ice March 22 against the Youngstown Phantoms from Pan Am Pavilion.
United States Hockey League Stories from March 1, 2014
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- Lancers Fall In Green Bay, 5-2 - Omaha Lancers
- Buccaneers Erase Two-Goal Deficit, Win in Overtime - Youngstown Phantoms
- Ice beat Black Hawks 6-2 - Indiana Ice
- Shootout Winner from Haralds Egle Guns Down Black Hawks - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Saints Score Big Win, Top Team USA U-17 5-3 Saturday - Dubuque Fighting Saints
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