Game 32: Ice at Chicago

The Ice head north to Bensenville, Ill. to face the Chicago Steel tonight to look to continue their recent hot streak. The Ice will have to do much of it on the road -- six of the next seven games will be away from friendly ice, including a game next Saturday (1/28) that had to be moved from Indianapolis to Muskegon due to arena conflicts. The Friday 1/27 game was also moved -- but to Bankers Life Fieldhouse -- and will be the team's last home game before Feb. 10.

The Ice might be the hottest team in the league, but the Steel, coached by old friend Scott McConnell, are looking to gain some traction. They got a big boost this week when Luke Voltin expects to be joining the team from the USNDTP. Chicago is 14th in the league in both goals scored and goals allowed, and that has led to a 9-21-1 record. Meanwhile, the Ice aren't giving up many goals in their six-game winning streak, outscoring teams 21-10 in that six-game stretch. The Ice are now 9-0-2 in their last 11 games, including a 1-0-1 mark against Chicago in that stretch. Chicago has won one of its last seven.

Here's a look at tonight's game

Tonight's game
Indiana Ice (13-7-3)
at 
Chicago Steel (9-21-1)
8:30 p.m., Edge Ice Arena, Bensenville, Ill. 


Broadcast: ushl.fasthockey.com

Season series: Tied 1-1
Dec. 17: Ice 6, Steel 2 (at Chicago): Daniil Tarasov, Robbie Baillargeon G/2A each, Tyler Pham G/A, Woody Hudson, Sean Kuraly, Jacob Fallon G each, Jon Gillies 31sv (Ice); Joel Benson, Michael Villardo G each, Matthias Dahlstrom 24sv, 5GA (Chicago)
Dec. 16: Steel 3, Ice 2, SO (at Chicago): Daniil Tarasov, Christian Hilbrich 1G each, Jon Gillies 30sv (Ice); Michael Fallon G/A, Charlie O'Connor G, Mathias Dahlstrom 28sv (Chicago)


Tale of the Tape
Ice (20-7-4, 2nd USHL East)  
Head coach: Kyle Wallack
GF: 112 (3rd). GA: 82 (3rd)
PP: 30.6% (1st). PK: 86.8 % (2nd) PIM: 541 (10th)
OT record: 3-2 SO record: 1-2
Rpad record: 9-2-3
Leading scorers: Daniil Tarasov (20-22-42), Sean Kuraly (18-14-32), Jacob Fallon (9-20-29), Robbie Baillargeon (11-17-28).
Leading +/-: Daniil Tarasov (+18), Alex Barron (+17), Ryan Obuchowski (+16)
Leading PIM: Woody Hudson (73), Daniil Tarasov (59), R.J. Boyd (53)
Leading goaltender: Jon Gillies (18-5-4, 2.29 GAA, .927sv%, 2 SHO), Dalton Izyk (2-2-0, 3.43 GAA, .888 sv%)
Last 5: 5-0-0. Last 10: 8-0-2
Last 5
1/13: vs. USA U18 (W 4-3)
1/7: vs. Youngstown (W 4-1)
1/6: at Waterloo (W 3-2)
12/31: vs. Youngstown (W 3-0)
12/30: vs. Youngstown (W 5-2)

Steel (9-21-1, 8th USHL East)
Head coach: Scott McConnell
GF: 76 (14th). GA: 119 (t14th)
PP: 15.7% (10th). PK: 80.7% (11th). PIM: 587 (12th)
OT record: 0-1 SO record: 2-0
Home record: 6-10-1
Leading scorers: Michael Fallon (11-15-26), Andrew Miller (10-5-15), Jimmy DeVito (3-10-13)
Leading +/-: Theo DiPauli (-1), Kyle Buffardi (-2)
Leading PIM: Joel Benson (68), Jimmy DeVito (62)
Leading goaltender: Mathias Dahlstrom (9-14-0, 3.35 GAA, .903sv%), Alex Sakellaropoulous (0-5-0, 4.19 GAA, .886 sv%)
Last 5: 1-4-0. Last 10: 2-8-0

Ice next 5 games
1/20: at Chicago
1/21: at Dubuque
1/27: vs. Chicago (at Bankers Life Fieldhouse)
1/28: at Muskegon
1/29: at Green Bay