Series shifts to Circle City this weekend
March 22, 2004 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Indianapolis Ice News Release
SERIES REWIND: The first round best-of-five playoff series between the Indianapolis Ice and Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs shifts to Indianapolis this weekend when the two teams meet at 7:00 p.m. Saturday night from the Pepsi Coliseum. The Mudbugs lead the series 2-0 after a pair of one-goal wins over the weekend in Louisiana. The Ice and Mudbugs met eight times in the regular season with the Ice sporting a 3-4-1 mark against Bossier-Shreveport. Indy was 2-2-0 at home and 1-2-1 at the CenturyTel Center. Bossier-Shreveport was 3-1-0 at home and 2-2-0 in Indianapolis. This is their first meeting ever in the playoffs.
This is Indy's second consecutive trip to the CHL Playoffs and the team has made the playoffs in four of its five years in the CHL. Indianapolis was the 2000 CHL Champions and the Northern Conference Runner-ups last season. Overall, the team is now 13-15 all-time in the playoffs. The Mudbugs are in the playoffs for the sixth time in their seven years (CHL/WPHL) of existence with their only absence being last season. The Mudbugs won three consecutive WPHL (former Western Professional Hockey League) championships from 1998-2001 and own an all-time playoff record of 45-16.
Ice Regular Season Record: 37-23-4 (78 points)
Mudbugs Regular Season Record: 42-16-6 (90 points)
Game One Recap: The Mudbugs held back a late third period flurry from the Ice to earn a 3-2 victory. Special teams was the strong suit for the "Bugs" as the team capitalized for two power play goals and kept the Ice scoreless on all five of its power play attempts. Dan Wildfong led the Mudbugs with a pair of goals, while Chris Brassard had the other lamplighter. Indy got goals in the contest from Nate Elliott and Philippe Choiniere. In net, Ken Carroll took the victory with a 23-save effort, while Jeff Sanger suffered the loss for Indianapolis with 19 saves.
Game Two Recap: A goal by Chris Brassard just :50 seconds into overtime gave the Mudbugs a 4-3 win in a tightly-contested contest. The Ice and "Bugs" combined for 94 shots in a game that saw three ties, three lead changes, several breakaways and several posts (shots hitting the post) including the biggest coming from Indy's Jason Baird with just 1:40 left in regulation with the score knotted at three apiece. The Ice had a lot more jump in game two as Jared Dumba (2G, 1A) and Bernie John (3A) led the attack, while Baird chipped in with a goal and an assist. Chad Spurr led the "Bugs" with three points (G, 2A) of his own. Both goaltenders withstood a barrage of shots and both had 40-plus save nights. Ken Carroll was one save better for Bossier-Shreveport with 42 saves in the win, while Brent Zelenewich made his pro debut a solid one with 45 saves for Indianapolis.
PLAYER NOISE: With four assists in the first two games, Bernie John leads all CHL d-men in playoff scoring and is just two points back of Chris MacKenzie for top playoff scorer in Ice CHL history...Jared Dumba's multiple goal game on Saturday places him in a tie for second among CHL players in playoff goals...Nate Elliott and Philippe Choiniere had their first pro playoff goals in Friday's game....Jason Baird's goal just :22 seconds into the third period of Saturday's game was an Ice CHL playoff best for fastest goal at the start of a period...Dan Wildfong and Chris Brassard of the Mudbugs have combined for four goals, two power play goals and two game-winning goals in the series so far.
TEAM NOTES: The 94 combined shots between the Ice and "Bugs" in game two was an Ice CHL playoff record...The power play has hurt the Ice so far in the series as the team is 0-8 with the man advantage....Three of Indy's five goals in the series have come in the third period...The Mudbugs scored the first goal of the game in both wins on the weekend.
ICE IN THE PLAYOFFS: Bernie John and Ken Boone were members of the Ice's 2000 CHL Championship Team, while Jared Dumba (2001 CHL Championship-Oklahoma City), Dave Gilmore (2001 WPHL Championship-Shreveport) and Mario Doyon (Three European Championships) have also tasted victory....Bernie John (72), Mario Doyon (50) and Ryan Aikia (44) have played the most playoff games, while John is the top all-time playoff scorer of this year's bunch with 62 points (13G, 49A)...John is also second all-time in CHL Ice playoff history with 25 points (6G, 19A).
MUDBUGS IN THE PLAYOFFS: Six Mudbugs' players were members of at least one of their championship teams from 1998-2001. Veteran forward Trevor Buchanan and veteran defenseman Jim Sprott took home three rings, while Jason Campbell (2), Forbes MacPherson (2), Dan Wildfong (2) and Ken Carroll (1) were also winners...Buchanan is the dean of the Mudbugs in playoff games (94) and is their top playoff scorer with 77 points (32G, 45A)...Campbell has averaged over a point a game in the playoffs with 45 points (21G, 24A) in 41 games.
2003-2004 INDIANAPOLIS ICE PLAYOFF STATISTICS
Record: 0-2 Home: 0-0 Road: 0-2
PLAYOFF SCHEDULE PLAYOFF RECORD: 0-2
Friday, Mar. 19 Bossier-Shreveport (3) ICE (2) CenturyTel Center
Saturday, Mar. 20 Bossier-Shreveport (4) ICE (3) OT CenturyTel Center
Saturday, Mar. 27 BOSSIER-SHREVEPORT 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, Mar. 28 * BOSSIER-SHREVEPORT 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Mar. 30 * at Bossier-Shreveport 8:05 p.m.
*If necessary
ALL HOME GAMES AT PEPSI COLISEUM UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED
SATURDAY'S GAME CAN BE HEARD ON WWW.SPORTSJUICE.COM STARTING AT 6:45 P.M.
SUNDAY'S GAME IF NECESSARY CAN BE HEARD ON ESPN 950 AND WWW.ESPN950.COM
STARTING AT 4:45 P.M.
PRACTICE SCHEDULE: The Ice practices Tuesday-Friday from 10-11 a.m. at the Pepsi Coliseum.
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Central Hockey League Stories from March 22, 2004
- Mudbugs Week in Review - Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
- Series shifts to Circle City this weekend - Indianapolis Ice
- Bucks & Law Out & About - Laredo Bucks
- Gorillas sweep first two games - Amarillo Gorillas
- Thunder continue third period magic - Wichita Thunder
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