Weekend Preview: Ice Miners Prepare for Big Divisional Opponents
February 10, 2015 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Keystone Ice Miners News Release
CONNELLSVILLE, PA - After an anti-climatic ending to Saturday night's game against Soo, the Ice Miners are back at it with three games in three days, beginning Thursday. Friday's 1-0 win over the Eagles with the 11th victory in 13 games for Keystone and with 12:42 remaining in the 3rd period of Saturday's game, a pane of glass broke beyond repair, postponing the remainder of the contest to a later date. The Ice Miners will play three games in western PA this weekend - a Thursday morning affair in Johnstown and a big two game home series with the NAHL leading Janesville Jets.
Johnstown is coming off two losses in Michigan, but held onto the fourth and final North Division playoff position, at 43 points, by virtue of gaining a point Friday in an OT loss. Because Soo gained no points on the weekend, it also moved Johnstown into a virtual tie with the Eagles, but two extra wins give Soo the tiebreaker. The Tomahawks had won three straight before being swept in Flint. The Ice Miners have dominated the season series with Johnstown, going 6-1-1 in the first 8 head-to-head battles. Keystone has won the last four meetings - three by way of a shootout. Thursday's name begins at 10:30 AM. The game can be found on FASTHockey.com.
The Ice Miners play their final games at home until mid-March as the first place Janesville Jets come to town Friday and Saturday night. The Jets lead the North division and NAHL as a whole with 73 points. No other team in the league has more than 65. Janesville has won 20 of its last 21 games and has only three losses within the North Division all season. One of those losses came on November 22nd at Janesville Ice Arena - a 3-0 Ice Miners win that saw Nick Kossoff register one of his five shutouts. Jon Hall, Lucas Little, and Niko Coffman all scored that night for Keystone. The Jets have claimed all five of the other meetings, including a sweep at the Ice Mine on November 7th and 8th. Most recently, they swept Keystone at home on December 12th and 13th by 3-0 and 4-3 finals. The Ice Miners had a 3rd period lead in the series finale but a Cullen Munson hat trick led a Janesville comeback. Both games between the Ice Miners and Jets begin at 7:30 PM.
The Ice Miners embark on a nine game roadtrip after the weekend, beginning with a trip to Alaska from February 20th-28th. They'll then travel to Flint for three on March 6th-8th and to Soo on March 13th and 14th where they will also finish Saturday's postponed affair. Fans can now purchase a "Final Four Pack" through the end of February and get two tickets to each of the four March home games for just $40. Tickets to all Ice Miners home games are available at keystoneiceminershockey.com or by calling 724-628-4847.
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