Ice Lock down Eastern Conference Championship
March 24, 2014 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Indiana Ice News Release
MEET THE NEW BOSS: A three-game weekend sweep helped the Indiana Ice not only capture first place in the Eastern Conference, but gave the club a two-point lead over the Waterloo Black Hawks for the Anderson Cup with five games remaining in the 2013-14 campaign. Indy started the weekend with a 5-0 blanking of the Muskegon Lumberjacks on Friday at L.C. Walker Arena. Indy rode the wings of multiple-point performances by Scott Conway (G, 3A) and Patrick Newell (G, 2A) while Hayden Stewart pitched his fourth shutout in 11 games in Indy. Brian Pinho stole Saturday's 4-3 show as his natural hat trick propelled the Ice over the visiting Youngstown Phantoms at Pan Am Pavilion. Jacob Pritchard and Aidan Muir added a pair of assists in the effort while Jason Pawloski stopped 22 of 25 Youngstown bullets for his 25th win of the season. Indy's offense continued their impressive onslaught as Pinho potted two more while Conway (G, 2A) and Newell's (3A) helping hands topped playoff-hunting Muskegon 5-2 in front of a Sunday crowd of over 5,000 fans at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
NOT THE SAME AS THE OLD BOSS: With five games remaining in the 2013-14 season, this Indiana Ice squad has set the bar even higher than anyone before it as Sunday's win topped the franchise record for standings points (85) while tying the mark in wins (39). The previous record was held by the 2007-08 squad, featuring John Carlson, Cameron Schilling and Paul Carey, and the 2008-09 Clark Cup Championship team. Friday's win at Muskegon also eclipsed the franchise mark for road wins (19), set by the 2010-11 Eastern Conference Finalist group.
"PIN" BALL WiZARD: Brian Pinho had a busy weekend as the Washington Capitals prospect made a mockery of opposing goaltenders with a six-point (5G, A) showing. The North Andover, MA-native started the weekend quietly with an assist in Friday's 5-0 win over Muskegon before shredding Youngstown with his first natural hat trick in the 4-3 victory. Pinho closed out the weekend on fire, potting a pair against the Lumberjacks in the 5-2 contest. Through 54 matches this season, he sits second on the team in points (50) and goals (27) and is one of the hottest players in the USHL with 21 points (12G, 9A) in his past 16 games.
MY GENERATION: Ice goaltender Hayden Stewart continued his winning ways this weekend, surpassing former Ice netminder Jon Gillies-Providence (HE) with his 11th and 12th consecutive wins of the season against Muskegon on Friday and Sunday. The Rockford, IL-native turned aside all 15 shots on Friday to match fellow netminder Jason Pawloski and Clark Cup Champion Brett Bennett with a franchise record fourth shutout of the season. Stewart then followed up by nabbing 23 saves on 25 shots en route to a 5-2 win over the Lumberjacks on Sunday. In 12 games with Indy, Stewart has compiled a staggering 12-0-0 record with a 0.83 GAA and a .963 save percentage.
PLAYER RELAYS: Scott Conway (2G, 5A, +3) and Patrick Newell (G, 5A, +3) combined for 13 points and a +6 plus-minus rating in three games this weekend...Aidan Muir has five assists in his past five games...Dwyer Tschantz has three goals and four points in his past four games...Austin Kosack (+38) and Joshua Jacobs (+33) are first and second among USHL d-men in plus-mius rating...Jacob Pritchard has six points (3G, 3A) in his past five games...Jason Pawloski is ted for first in the league in wins, third in shutouts (4) and fourth in GAA (2.49)...Hayden Stewart is second in the USHL in shutouts (5) and GAA (1.98).
TEAM BY THE NUMBERS: Indy has converted five of their last 12 (41.6%) power play attempts...The Ice is second in the USHL on the road penalty kill (86.4%) and third at home (87.5%) and overall (86.9%)...Indy is tied for second in the league in goals (210) and has the highest goal differential (+83) of any team in the USHL...The Ice leads the league in shots against per game (24.80) and is third in the USHL in shots per game (33.87)...Indy is second in the league in goals against per game (2.31) and third in goals per game (3.82)...The Ice have scored first in 38 of 55 contests with a 30-4-4 record when doing so.
HOCKEY DANCE: A dozen Ice alumni will be participating in the 2014 NCAA Hockey championship when teams take the ice this weekend. Hobey Baker finalist Nic Dowd of St. Cloud and goaltender Jon Gillies of Providence lead the list of alums which also includes Jake Fallon-Vermont, Nick Mattson-North Dakota, Peter Schneider-Notre Dame, Alex Barron and Joe Fiala-Quinnipiac, Emil Romig-Denver, Dominic Panetta-Ferris State, Jarrod Rabey-St. Cloud, Matt Krug-Union and Dalton Izyk-Robert Morris.
United States Hockey League Stories from March 24, 2014
- Stampede's Franklin & Cecere Named USHL Players of the Week - Sioux Falls Stampede
- NCS Donates $1,500 in 'Dash for Cash' - Tri-City Storm
- Franklin, Pinho, Cecere, and Stewart Earn USHL Weekly Honors - USHL
- Lancers Weekly - Omaha Lancers
- Ice Lock down Eastern Conference Championship - Indiana Ice
- Waterloo Black Hawks Name Players of the Week - Waterloo Black Hawks
- 16 Former Bucs Head to NCAA Tournament - Des Moines Buccaneers
- Black Hawks Feast and Reflect - Waterloo Black Hawks
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