Ice Speeds past Muskegon, into Anderson Cup Lead
March 23, 2014 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Indiana Ice News Release
The Indiana Ice came into Sunday's matinee matchup versus the Muskegom Lumberjacks tied with the Waterloo Black Hawks for the overall league lead with 83 points and one game in hand. They exited the game and Banker's Life Fieldhouse with a 5-2 victory and a 2-point lead over Waterloo for the Anderson Cup with only five games left in the campaign.
Following his natural hat trick Saturday night, Brian Pinho started the scoring at the 15:20 mark of the opening period. Aidan Muir was the benefactor of a Muskegon turnover and his behind-the-back drop pass found Pinho who wristed his 24th past Lumberjacks' goaltender Eric Schierhorn.
The Ice made it 2-0 with 50 seconds left in period 1 with one of the prettiest goals of the season. Following a face-off win in Muskegon's defensive zone, Josh Jacobs moved the puck across to his blue-line partner, Austin Kosack, who put a shot toward the Muskegon goal. Parked in front of the net, with his back toward Kosack was Alex Talcott who re-directed the shot past Schierhorn.
Ice netminder Hayden Stewart made nine saves in the opening stanza and aided by the goalie's best friend, the goal post, twice.
Period two started with Pinho trying to solidify his Player-of-the-week candidacy with his second of the game and fifth in two games. On the man-advantage, Patrick Newell received a pass from Scott Conway behind the Lumberjack net. He spotted a wide-open Pinho in the right face-off circle who buried his 25th of the season at the 3:05 mark.
Just over 2 minutes later, also on the power-play, Muskegon finally got on the board as Trevor Morbeck had just enough mustard on his shot to get past Stewart and crawl over the goal-line. Speedway, IN-native Mason Jobst assisted on the tally.
Second period scoring concluded at the 15:30 mark with Scott Conway scoring on a bang-bang-bang play from Dwyer Schantz and Newell. The goal was Conway's team-leading 27th of the season, and gave the Ice a 4-1 advantage as the teams broke for the second intermission.
Muskegon cut the Ice lead in half at the 5:04 mark of the final frame as they again took advantage of the man-advantage with Matt Iacopelli scoring his league-leading 39th goal of the season on a wild carom off the end boards, behind Stewart.
Dwyer Tschantz closed out the game's scoring with his 22nd of the season with only 2:16 left in the game. Newell and Conway earned the assists on Indy's second power-play goal of the contest.
The win was Stewart's 12th consecutive win with the Ice.
Indy returns to action for a two-game road set with the Dubuque Fighting Saints on Friday and Saturday before returning home to Pan Am Pavilion for "College Night" on Wednesday, April 2 against Dubuque, presented by Howl at the Moon. Students with a valid college ID are eligible for special $5 ticket and $1 beer prices.
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United States Hockey League Stories from March 23, 2014
- Stampede Blank Stars for Fifth Straight Win - Sioux Falls Stampede
- McHugh's Tally Helps Saints Clinch Playoff Spot Sunday - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Three-Goal First Not Enough as Team USA Edges Phantoms - Youngstown Phantoms
- Ice Speeds past Muskegon, into Anderson Cup Lead - Indiana Ice
- Early Start from Indiana Trips Muskegon in Special Teams Duel - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- 18 Former Stampede Players to Skate in NCAA Tournament - Sioux Falls Stampede
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