Game 17: Fargo at Ice (11/26)

The Indiana Ice's seven-game homestand continues with a second straight contest against a five-win Western Conference team. The Ice have been strong against the East so far, but Friday's 4-2 loss to Sioux City put them 2-4 against the West. The Ice are 7-1-2 against their own division.

Tonight brings the return of old friend John Marks, the former head coach of the IHL Indianapolis Ice from 1991-93 and a member of the Indianapolis Checkers in 1981-82. Marks was named Fargo's head coach this summer. Marks has also won two Kelly Cup championships as a coach in the ECHL. Another former CHL Ice player, Byron Pool, is on the Fargo coaching staff.

Also notable on the Fargo roster is goaltender Zane Gothberg, who was a Boston Bruins draft pick in 2010. He has pretty good numbers despite a 3-7-2 mark this season. Gothberg got the start against Youngstown on Friday, so it's unknown whether he or Reed Peters will get the start in Indy. The Ice will likely start Jon Gillies, as Dalton Izyk got the call on Friday.

The Sean Kuraly-Daniil Tarasov-Jacob Fallon line accounted for both Ice goals in Friday's loss to Sioux City. The highest-scoring line in the league, it's led by Tarasov's 22 points. Robbie Baillargeon will be trying to start a new point-scoring streak, as his run of seven straight games with a point was snapped on Friday. 


Fargo's offense has struggled recently, as the Force have only scored three goals in their last three games. The Force roster features one double-digit point-getter in 10-goal scorer Austin Farley. Expect a physical battle -- Fargo and Indiana are the second and third-most penalized teams in the USHL.

Tonight's game
Fargo Force (5-10-3)
at
Indiana Ice (9-5-2)
7:05 p.m., Pepsi Coliseum


Broadcast: ushl.fasthockey.com

Season series: First meeting


Tale of the Tape
Ice (9-5-2, 4th USHL East)
Head coach: Kyle Wallack
GF: 59 (2nd). GA: 48 (7th)
PP: 35.1% (1st). PK: 87.0 % (5th) PIM: 337 (14th)
OT record: 2-1 SO record: 1-1
Home record: 3-3-2
Leading scorers: Daniil Tarasov (9-13-22), Jacob Fallon (8-11-19), Robbie Baillargeon (7-8-15), Sean Kuraly (6-8-14).
Leading +/-: Daniil Tarasov (+9), Alex Barron (+7)
Leading PIM: Woody Hudson (51, will not dress), Daniil Tarasov (45), R.J. Boyd (43)
Leading goaltender: Jon Gillies (8-3-2, 2.48 GAA, .914sv%, 1 SHO), Dalton Izyk (1-2-0, 3.85 GAA, .875 sv%)
Last 5: 2-3-0. Last 10: 4-4-2
Last 5
11/25: vs. Sioux City (L 2-4)

11/23: at Green Bay (OTW 4-3)
11/19: at Waterloo (L 2-4)
11/18: at Cedar Rapids (SOW 3-2)
11/12: vs. Muskegon (L 4-5)

Force (5-10-3, 6th USHL West)
Head coach: John Marks 
GF: 43 (12th). GA: 60 (15th)
PP: 19.5% (6th). PK: 81.8% (9th). PIM: 342 (15th)
OT record: 0-2 SO record: 2-1
Road record: 3-4-2
Leading scorers: Austin Farley (10-5-15), Willie Corrin (1-8-9), Bryn Chzyzk (7-1-8) 
Leading +/-: Jordan Nelson (+6), Stanislav Dzakhov (+3)
Leading PIM: Austin Farley (43), Colton Hargrove (33).
Leading goaltender: Zane Gothberg (3-7-2, 2.53, .908 sv%, 1 SHO), Reed Peters (2-3-1, 3.79, .876 sv%)

Last 5: 1-3-1. Last 10: 2-6-2

Ice next 5 games
12/2: vs. Sioux Falls
12/3: vs. Green Bay
12/4: vs. Green Bay
12/10: vs. Dubuque
12/11: vs. Dubuque