Clark Cup series thoughts

There will be more time for a greater look at what has been an amazing run for the Indiana Ice, but after having 48 hours to collect thoughts (and sleep off that LONG happy bus ride from Waterloo), a few loose ends from the Clark Cup series.

CHAMPS! Ice rally to win Clark Cup

The Ice hoist the Clark Cup after their 3-2 win in Waterloo.

The Indiana Ice produced a perfect ending to a perfect season.

Down a goal going into the third, the Ice rallied with two third-period tallies, vaulting themselves to a Clark Cup championship.

Brian Pinho scored from the right-wing circle on a drop pass from Aidan Muir with 2:15 left in the third period, breaking a tie and giving the Ice a 3-2 victory and the franchise's second Clark Cup.

Pinho's goal came off the rush, with Muir carrying the puck up the right wing, dropping the puck and going in to screen goalie Cal Petersen. Pinho fired and beat Peterson under his right pad, just inside the post. Jason Pawloski made a pair of big saves in goalmouth scrambles from there, and Muir dove to clear Waterloo's last-ditch effort with 12 seconds left.

Earlier in the third, Alex Talcott tied the game, burying a rebound that came from Joe Sullivan's stick. The Talcott-Sullivan-Tyler Pham line was one of the team's best in the series, and carried the play again.

The Ice trailed 2-1 going into the third despite carrying the play for much of the first two periods. Waterloo scored the first goal of the game -- for the first time in the series -- just 3:40 in when Patrick Russell scored on a rebound. Mitch Hults tied it up with his fourth goal in as many games at 11:21 of the first, batting a rebound of Pinho's shot out of the air and in.

The 2014 Clark Cup champions

Waterloo led 2-1 when Jake Horton intercepted a clearing pass at the blueline, and immediately fed Zach Sanford in front of the net for a tip-in goal. It was Sanford's third goal in the last two games.

Ice goaltender Jason Pawloski made 33 saves in the victory. The Ice outshot Waterloo 44-35.

Pawloski was also named Clark Cup Playoffs MVP for his efforts. 

It was the Ice's second Clark Cup title -- joining one won in 2009. It was the ninth champinoship for an Indianapolis hockey team -- joining the 1942 & 1950 Capitals (AHL), 1958 Chiefs (IHL), 1982 & 1983 Checkers (CHL), 1990 Ice (IHL) and 2000 Ice (CHL).

We'll have more looking at the game and the season after returning from Waterloo!

Box score
IndianaIce.com
Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier 
USHL.com (with YouTube links to several interviews)

Game 5 pregame

An hour before faceoff in Waterloo, Iowa. The Indiana Ice & Waterloo Black Hawks have one game to decide the title.

It's the fourth winner-take-all championship game played by an Indianapolis-based hockey team, joining the 1942 Capitals (beat Hershey 8-3 in Game 5 of AHL Final), 1958 Chiefs (beat Louisville 3-2 in Game 7 of IHL Final) and 2000 Ice (beat Columbus 3-0 in Game 7 of CHL Final). All but the 1942 game were played on the road.

Lineups & more below the jump.

Broadcast: FastHockey.com (PPV video), IndianaTalks.com (free audio) with Jim Mirabello and Andrew Smith

Game 4 recap: Headed back to Waterloo

One game. 60 minutes (at least) between the two best teams in the USHL with a Clark Cup championship on the line. It's somehow fitting that's how the 2013-14 USHL season will come to a conclusion.

That one game will be Tuesday night in Waterloo's Young Arena, as the Black Hawks thwarted the Indiana Ice's opportunity to win the title on home ice by a 7-2 score Saturday night.

Leading the best-of-5 series 2-1, the Ice had an opportunity to close things out at home, and looked like a team chasing a title in the first 20 minutes -- they completely carried the play and spent the evening buzzing the Waterloo net. But a quick push by Waterloo in the second period and a fortunate bounce in the third gave the Black Hawks an insurmountable lead, and eventually, a 7-2 victory in a game that was much closer than the final score.

Box score
IndianaIce.com
Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
USHL

Ice release: Clark Cup championship hits Pan Am

CLARK CUP BATTLE HITS PAN AM FRIDAY, SATURDAY FOR TWO-GAME BOUT
CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES TIED AFTER ICE, HAWKS SPLIT PAIR IN WATERLOO
INDIANAPOLIS—The Indiana Ice will make their homestand in the battle for the 2014 Clark Cup Championship this Friday (5/16) and Saturday (5/17) as the team hosts the Waterloo Black Hawks from Pan Am Pavilion.  Both contests are set to begin at 7:05 pm.

Indy relieved Waterloo of their home-ice advantage over the weekend, splitting a pair of contests with the Western Conference Champions at Young Arena.

Ice official release: Home-ice advantage for Game 3, 4

ICE EVEN SERIES IN DOUBLE-OVERTIME THRILLER, TIE SERIES AT ONE GAME APIECE

CLARK CUP CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE                                                                                      

SERIES TIED 1-1

Friday, May 9: at Waterloo (L 2-4)
Saturday, May 10: at Waterloo (W 3-2, 2OT)
Friday, May 16: vs. Waterloo (at Pan Am Pavilion), 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, May 17: vs. Waterloo (at Pan Am Pavilion), 7:05 p.m.
Tuesday, May 20: at Waterloo, 8:05 p.m.

GAMES WILL BE AIRED ON FASTHOCKEY.COM, INDIANATALKS.COM and WOOT-FM 

Clark Cup Game 2 postgame links

Postgame links & news about the Ice's Game 2 win over Waterloo.

IndianaIce.com: For whom the cowbell tolls
Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier: Indiana outlasts Black Hawks 3-2 in 2OTs
Indy hockey blog: Sullivan's shot squares series in 2OT
USHL YouTube interviews with Jeff Brown, PK O'Handley, Josh Jacobs, and a hard-hat wearing Joe Sullivan

The series returns to Indy for Games 3 and 4 this Friday and Saturday at Pan Am Pavilion. Puck drops at 7:05 p.m. each night.

Sullivan's shot squares series in 2OT

Joe Sullivan has played a number of critical roles for the Indiana Ice -- checker, penalty killer, alternate captain -- fitting well into coach Jeff Brown's disciplined style. He hasn't needed to be a big scorer because of the team's tremendous depth at forward.

But, as often happens as playoff games drag close to the midnight hour, it's often precisely that player who ends up making the big play, and bringing about a sudden celebration.

On the Indiana Ice's 62nd shot of the night, after 86 minutes and 49 seconds of largely-even hockey, Sullivan corralled the puck behind the Waterloo net, skated in front and buried a shot past Black Hawks' goalie Cal Petersen's glove and into the net, giving the Ice a 3-2 2OT victory and squaring the Clark Cup Final series at a game apiece. The best-of-5 series shifts to Pan Am Pavilion for Games 3 and 4 next weekend, May 16-17.

Game 1 links

Media links from Game 1 of the Ice-Waterloo series:

IndianaIce.com
Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
KWWL (with highlights)
USHL (YouTube highlights) 

Tonight's game: 8:05 p.m. EDT at Young Arena, Waterloo. Broadcast at FastHockey.com (video, pay). Audio broadcast will definitely be available at 1650 The Fan Waterloo. Jim Mirabello's Ice broadcast should be available at IndianaTalks.com or at WOOT-FM.

Games 3 & 4 will be May 16-17 at Pan Am Pavilion.

Ice drop Game 1 by 4-2 count

The Indiana Ice had a perfect start, but a couple of second-period bounces allowed the Waterloo Black Hawks to rally and tie the game, and eventually beat the Ice 4-2 Friday night in Game 1 of the Clark Cup Final.

Scott Conway and Josh Jacobs scored early to give the Ice a 2-0 lead, but Waterloo tied the game in the second and Blake Winiecki scored the game-winning goal off a rebound with 6:11 left.



Game 2 of the best-of-5 series is at 8:05 p.m. Saturday in Waterloo.

Clark Cup Final preview: Ice vs. Waterloo

As the USHL season went along, it became apparent the Indiana Ice and Waterloo Black Hawks were the class of the field. Both teams pulled away to division titles, and battled tooth and nail for the Anderson Cup before Waterloo edged out the Ice 93 points to 91 for the USHL's regular season title.

The formalities are past. Both teams dominated their conferences in the playoffs as they did during the regular season -- going 6-1 against their neighbors. Now, it's time for the USHL's two best teams to square off over five games for the championship.

Dubuque and Green Bay have had a stranglehold on the title for the last four years, so there will be a new champion. For the second time in their 10-year history, the Indiana Ice are in the Clark Cup Final. They'll be seeking their second championship in five years. Meanwhile, Waterloo will also be seeking its second title in history, having won in 2004.

The schedule is as follows -- as has been the norm, stacked with weekend games (all times EDT):
Friday, May 9: at Young Arena, Waterloo, 8:05 p.m.
Saturday, May 10: at Young Arena, Waterloo, 8:05 p.m.
Friday, May 16: at Pan Am Pavilion, Indianapolis, 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, May 17: at Pan Am Pavilion, Indianapolis, 7:05 p.m. (if necessary)
Tuesday, May 20: at Young Arena, Waterloo, 8:05 p.m. (if necessary)

Series preview follows after the jump.

This day in Indianapolis hockey history: May 8

The Ice win the Clark Cup, and we wish happy birthdays to the late Cully Simon and former Chief Pierre Brillant, the most prolific goal scorer in Indianapolis hockey history.

Ice release: Clark Cup Final preview

 The official weekly release from the Indiana Ice previewing the Clark Cup Final.

Ice official release: Clark Cup Final preview

The official release from the Indiana Ice previewing the Clark Cup Final vs. the Waterloo Black Hawks.

 

Clark Cup Finals Playoff Schedule (all times EDT)

ICE at Waterloo                     Friday, May 9                    8:05pm- Young Arena

ICE at Waterloo                     Saturday, May 10              8:05pm- Young Arena

Waterloo at ICE                     Friday, May 16                  7:05pm- Pan Am Pavilion

Waterloo at ICE*                   Saturday, May 17              7:05pm- Pan Am Pavilion

ICE at Waterloo*                   Tuesday, May 20               8:05pm- Young Arena

*-if necessary

Ice to face Waterloo in Clark Cup Final

The Indiana Ice now know the opponent for the USHL Clark Cup Final - the Waterloo Black Hawks.

The series sets up a matchup of the league's top two teams this season. The Black Hawks won the Anderson Cup as the league's regular-season champion by two points over the Ice, but the two teams ran away with their division titles, and each went 6-1 en route to clinching a Clark Cup Final berth.

Ice on to the Clark Cup Final

The Indiana Ice are headed back to the Clark Cup Final for the first time since 2009, after beating the Dubuque Fighting Saints 3-2 Friday night to sweep the series three games to none.

The Ice are now 6-1 in the postseason and will begin play in the Clark Cup Final next weekend against either the Waterloo Black Hawks or the Sioux City Musketeers.

Ice continue series at Dubuque

Game 3 of the Indiana Ice-Dubuque Fighting Saints series is tonight, with the Ice holding a 2-0 edge in the series. Puck drops at 8:35 p.m. EDT. If necessary, Game 4 will be at 8:05 p.m. EDT Saturday, with both games at the Mystique Ice Arena in Dubuque.

Preview & links
Time: 8:35 p.m. EDT
Broadcast: FastHockey (video), KIYX (audio, click for online link)
Preview the game
Official Ice preview
Game 1 recap
Game 2 recap

Ice official release: Ice one win from Clark Cup Finals

Official weekly press release from the Indiana Ice staff, previewing the remainder of the USHL Eastern Conference Final between the Ice and Dubuque Fighting Saints.

Late lineup addition helps lead Ice to 2-0 series lead

Sam Kurker made the most of an opportunity Saturday night in Game 2 of the USHL Eastern Conference Final. Originally listed as a scratch, Kurker was a game-time addition to the lineup. It paid off for the Indiana Ice, as the St. Louis Blues prospect potted two goals -- including the third-period game-winner -- in a 3-2 victory over the Dubuque Fighting Saints.

Ice, Saints open 2nd round series tonight

The Indiana Ice & Dubuque Fighting Saints open their USHL Eastern Conference Final series tonight. The best-of-5 series will feature games at Pan Am Pavilion on Friday and Saturday, with the puck dropping at 7:05 p.m. The series shifts to Dubuque next weekend for Friday and Saturday games. If necessary, Game 5 will be at Pan Am Pavilion on May 6.

Official Ice team preview
Indy Hockey series preview
USHL conference finals preview

NOTE: Parking is EXTREMELY LIMITED for both of this weekend's games due to the National Rifle Association convention going on across the street at the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium, which is expected to have attendances numbering 70,000. The $5 parking vouchers will be available for the Pan Am Garage, but access to the garage is NOT GUARANTEED due to the heavy volume of guests and the Pan Am garage's proximity to the convention site. There are other parking options in the area, but it is likely that they will be charging high event rates. Arrive early. Parking map.