The Ice added another college commit as defenseman Alexander Kuqali
has committed to play collegiately at the Rochester Institute of
Technology -- a team that competes in the Div. I Atlantic Hockey
conference.
Kuqali has a goal, four assists and is a +5 for the Ice so far in 12 games this season.
Ice teammate Woody Hudson has also committed to RIT.
That brings the total of current Ice players committed to colleges to 11:
Boston University: Robbie Baillargeon, Robert Polosello
Denver: Tyler Pham
Michigan State: R.J. Boyd
Northeastern: Jon Gillies
Miami (Ohio): Sean Kuraly
RIT: Woody Hudson, Alexander Kuqali
St. Lawrence: Drew Smolcynski
Vermont: Ian Spencer
Yale: Ryan Obuchowski
Thursday, November 17, 2011
3 with Ice ties on CSS watch list
Three players with Ice ties are on the NHL Central Scouting Service preliminary watch list, which was released Thursday.
The watch list rates the top 25 players and top goaltenders in each major North American junior league, as well as top players from overseas nations. College players are given "A" "B" or "C" rankings.
Most notably, Ice goaltender Jon Gillies is listed as the top draft-eligible goaltender in the USHL. Gillies is 6-2-2 on the year with a 2.27 GAA -- currently placing him fifth in the league in GAA. He was the Americans' netminder at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial U18 tournament this year. At 6-foot-5, Gillies' size is very attractive to scouts, but he has also been a strong netminder for the Ice since he arrived last season and gradually took on a greater and greater role.
First-year Ice forward Robbie Baillargeon was ranked 11th among North American skaters. He has six goals and five assists in 11 games, including a four-game scoring streak in which he has tallied six points. The Massachusetts native played for Cushing Academy last year and has committed to Boston University.
In addition, Ice alum Jarrod Rabey -- now a defenseman for St. Cloud State -- was ranked a "C" prospect and was one of three WCHA players ranked by the CSS. As a freshman, Rabey has two goals and three assists in 10 games.
The full CSS watch list
The watch list rates the top 25 players and top goaltenders in each major North American junior league, as well as top players from overseas nations. College players are given "A" "B" or "C" rankings.
Most notably, Ice goaltender Jon Gillies is listed as the top draft-eligible goaltender in the USHL. Gillies is 6-2-2 on the year with a 2.27 GAA -- currently placing him fifth in the league in GAA. He was the Americans' netminder at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial U18 tournament this year. At 6-foot-5, Gillies' size is very attractive to scouts, but he has also been a strong netminder for the Ice since he arrived last season and gradually took on a greater and greater role.
First-year Ice forward Robbie Baillargeon was ranked 11th among North American skaters. He has six goals and five assists in 11 games, including a four-game scoring streak in which he has tallied six points. The Massachusetts native played for Cushing Academy last year and has committed to Boston University.
In addition, Ice alum Jarrod Rabey -- now a defenseman for St. Cloud State -- was ranked a "C" prospect and was one of three WCHA players ranked by the CSS. As a freshman, Rabey has two goals and three assists in 10 games.
The full CSS watch list
Sunday, November 13, 2011
USA wins bronze in Junior A Challenge
The United States won the bronze medal in the World Junior A Challenge Saturday night, beating Sweden 3-0 in Langley, B.C.
The Ice's Sean Kuraly -- who came into the night tied for the tournament scoring lead -- assisted on Mario Lucia's first-period goal that turned out to be the game-winner.
Kuraly finished the five tournament games with three goals and two assists. Austin Cangelosi and Tony Camaranesi also scored for the United States, a team made up of USHL players. Canada East and Canada West will play for the gold Sunday.
These players will return to their USHL teams next week after wearing the red, white and blue of their country.
The Ice's Sean Kuraly -- who came into the night tied for the tournament scoring lead -- assisted on Mario Lucia's first-period goal that turned out to be the game-winner.
Kuraly finished the five tournament games with three goals and two assists. Austin Cangelosi and Tony Camaranesi also scored for the United States, a team made up of USHL players. Canada East and Canada West will play for the gold Sunday.
These players will return to their USHL teams next week after wearing the red, white and blue of their country.
Ice rally against Muskegon, but fall 5-4
Friday night, the Ice saw the opponent rally from a two-goal deficit and steal a couple of points from the Pepsi Coliseum. Saturday night, the shoe was on the Ice's foot, as they rallied from a two-goal deficit in the third to tie the game. But just like Friday, the result wasn't a happy one, as Muskegon's Joseph Cox scored a tiekbreaking goal just 64 seconds after the Ice evened the score and the Lumberjacks skated away from Indianapolis with a 5-4 victory.
Robbie Baillargeon and Woody Hudson each scored twice for the Ice in the loss.
Muskegon won two one-goal games on the road on the weekend to put itself in the thick of a wild USHL East race. The Ice dropped two games at home -- both by 5-4 scores -- and had just one point to show for their weekend efforts.
The game was a penalty-filled one, as the Ice committed 54 penalty minutes and gave Muskegon 11 power plays. Muskegon -- the USHL's most-penalized team -- was whistled for 21 penalty minutes and gave the Ice four power plays -- killing them all. Muskegon's two power play goals were the first two scored by a visiting team on Coliseum ice this season.
The Ice are now 7-3-2 on the year. They are 1-2-2 in their last five games after a hot start.
Trailing 3-1, the Ice rallied in the third to tie the game. Moments after Alex Smith stepped out of the box, Hudson scored his fourth goal of the year to cut the Jacks' lead to one at 5:09 of the period, but the Lumberjacks answered three minutes later to push the lead back to 4-2.
Right off the draw after that goal, things quickly didn't look good for the Ice's chances to rally when a melee broke out at the 8:08 mark that saw four players being given delay of game penalties, but the Ice's Drew Smolczynski was also issued a five-minute major -- and later, a game misconduct -- putting the Ice shorthanded for an extended period of time. Robbie Baillargeon scored his second goal of the game just 13 seconds after the penalties were issued.
Hudson -- moving up to the top line while leading scorer Daniil Tarasov served a misconduct penalty for the final 9:50 -- scored the game-tying goal on a feed from Robert Polosello with 5:08 left in the game, and it appaered the Ice had rallied.
But with 4:04 left -- and just five seconds after matching minors were handed out to both teams -- Cox scored on an assist from Jordan Masters.
Muskegon's top line was rolling in the first two periods. Max Shuart scored on the power play just 2:09 into the game on John Padulo's assist. After the Ice's Baillargeon tied the game in the final minute of the first -- continuing his hot streak with five points in the last four games -- Padulo fed Nick Seeler for a power play goal and then scored one himself off Shuart's assist just 48 seconds apart to give the Jacks a 3-1 lead going into the third.
The game began to get chippy in the second, as Hudson fought Muskegon's Carter Foguth right off the second-period draw, and the Ice then gave Muskegon four power plays in the period.
Jon Gillies played just 11:34, but took the loss in net as he was in goal for the game-winner. Dalton Izyk started the game for the Ice and made 25 saves, but was pulled at the 48:08 mark shortly after Muskegon took a 4-2 lead. Gillies stopped five of the six shots he saw.
Veteran Paul Berrafato stopped 29 of 33 Ice shots to get the victory in net.
In addition to Hudson and Baillargeon scoring twice, Christian Hilbrich assisted on both Baillargeon goals.
3 stars
1. Nick Seeler, MUS (goal, 2 assists, +3)
2. Woody Hudson, Ice (2 goals, +2, 4 shots)
3. Robbie Baillargeon, Ice (2 goals, +1, 3 shots)
Next up for the Ice is a two-game trip to Cedar Rapids and Waterloo next weekend and another trip to Green Bay the night before Thanksgiving. They return home Thanksgiving weekend to face Sioux City (Nov. 25) and Fargo (Nov. 26), beginning a run of seven consecutive home games for the Ice.
Robbie Baillargeon and Woody Hudson each scored twice for the Ice in the loss.
Muskegon won two one-goal games on the road on the weekend to put itself in the thick of a wild USHL East race. The Ice dropped two games at home -- both by 5-4 scores -- and had just one point to show for their weekend efforts.
The game was a penalty-filled one, as the Ice committed 54 penalty minutes and gave Muskegon 11 power plays. Muskegon -- the USHL's most-penalized team -- was whistled for 21 penalty minutes and gave the Ice four power plays -- killing them all. Muskegon's two power play goals were the first two scored by a visiting team on Coliseum ice this season.
The Ice are now 7-3-2 on the year. They are 1-2-2 in their last five games after a hot start.
Trailing 3-1, the Ice rallied in the third to tie the game. Moments after Alex Smith stepped out of the box, Hudson scored his fourth goal of the year to cut the Jacks' lead to one at 5:09 of the period, but the Lumberjacks answered three minutes later to push the lead back to 4-2.
Right off the draw after that goal, things quickly didn't look good for the Ice's chances to rally when a melee broke out at the 8:08 mark that saw four players being given delay of game penalties, but the Ice's Drew Smolczynski was also issued a five-minute major -- and later, a game misconduct -- putting the Ice shorthanded for an extended period of time. Robbie Baillargeon scored his second goal of the game just 13 seconds after the penalties were issued.
Hudson -- moving up to the top line while leading scorer Daniil Tarasov served a misconduct penalty for the final 9:50 -- scored the game-tying goal on a feed from Robert Polosello with 5:08 left in the game, and it appaered the Ice had rallied.
But with 4:04 left -- and just five seconds after matching minors were handed out to both teams -- Cox scored on an assist from Jordan Masters.
Muskegon's top line was rolling in the first two periods. Max Shuart scored on the power play just 2:09 into the game on John Padulo's assist. After the Ice's Baillargeon tied the game in the final minute of the first -- continuing his hot streak with five points in the last four games -- Padulo fed Nick Seeler for a power play goal and then scored one himself off Shuart's assist just 48 seconds apart to give the Jacks a 3-1 lead going into the third.
The game began to get chippy in the second, as Hudson fought Muskegon's Carter Foguth right off the second-period draw, and the Ice then gave Muskegon four power plays in the period.
Jon Gillies played just 11:34, but took the loss in net as he was in goal for the game-winner. Dalton Izyk started the game for the Ice and made 25 saves, but was pulled at the 48:08 mark shortly after Muskegon took a 4-2 lead. Gillies stopped five of the six shots he saw.
Veteran Paul Berrafato stopped 29 of 33 Ice shots to get the victory in net.
In addition to Hudson and Baillargeon scoring twice, Christian Hilbrich assisted on both Baillargeon goals.
3 stars
1. Nick Seeler, MUS (goal, 2 assists, +3)
2. Woody Hudson, Ice (2 goals, +2, 4 shots)
3. Robbie Baillargeon, Ice (2 goals, +1, 3 shots)
Next up for the Ice is a two-game trip to Cedar Rapids and Waterloo next weekend and another trip to Green Bay the night before Thanksgiving. They return home Thanksgiving weekend to face Sioux City (Nov. 25) and Fargo (Nov. 26), beginning a run of seven consecutive home games for the Ice.
Today in history: November 13
November 13 in Indianapolis hockey history
1942: Due to wartime travel problems, the Capitals arrive one hour after the
scheduled puck drop in Hershey. The game starts at 10 p.m., the Caps lose 2-1.
1981: Steve Stoyanovich scores two goals 11 seconds apart as the Chex beat Fort Worth
5-3 at the Coliseum.
Birthdays
Bob Sicinski: "Sinker" was a Racers center from 1974-77, where he played 207 games. He had 40 goals and 92 assists as a Racer, and was an integral part of the team making the playoffs in 1976 and 1977. He had three assists in the 1977 playoffs, which included a sweep of the Cincinnati Stingers. He played professionally from 1967-78, playing 353 WHA games. He also played two seasons for the Chicago Cougars before joining the Racers. A native of Brampton, Ont., he is 65.
Nate Elliott: Ice defenseman from 2002-04, where he played 126 games. He had 10 goals, 14 assists and 152 PIMs in that time. Those were the only two pro seasons for the SUNY-Oswego grad. He helped the Ice win a division title in 2003. A native of Oswego, N.Y., he is 33.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
11/12: Ice vs. Muskegon
The good part about two-game weekends is that a team has the chance
to ride the wave of a big victory by playing again 24 hours later ... or
bounce back quickly from a tough defeat.
The Ice will be looking to do the latter as they welcome the Muskegon Lumberjacks to the Pepsi Coliseum for a 7 p.m. faceoff Saturday night. The Ice are fresh off a 5-4 overtime loss to the Green Bay Gamblers in which GB rallied from a two-goal deficit in the third period to take the game. The Ice are in the midst of their first losing streak of the year -- if you can call it that -- as they've dropped back-to-back games, but both were in overtime. The Ice are now 1-1-2 in their last four after a blistering 6-1-0 start.
Every game in the East is key, as virtually every top USHL team is there and the top of the standings is naturally crowded. The Clark Cup finalists from last year, Green Bay (18 points) and Dubuque (17 points) are 1-2, but the Ice and Cedar Rapids both lurk one game back with 16 points. With 14 points, Youngstown is in fifth. Muskegon, right now, is in sixth with 10.
Muskegon is much-improved from last year's expansion squad and is fresh off a 2-1 Friday-night road victory at Youngstown. Ryan Lomborg (4th) and Joseph Cox (1st) scored the goals while netminder John Keeney made 25 saves for his first victory of the year.
This is the first matchup between the Ice and 'Jacks this year.
Tonight's game (Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011)
Muskegon Lumberjacks (5-6-0, T5th, USHL East)
at
Indiana Ice (7-2-2, T3rd, USHL East)
7:05 p.m., Pepsi Coliseum, Indianapolis, IN
Broadcast: ushl.fasthockey.com
Season series: First meeting
Tale of the Tape
Ice (7-2-2, t3rd USHL East)
Head coach: Kyle Wallack
GF: 44 (1st). GA: 30 (t3rd)
PP: 35.9% (1st). PK: 89.7 % (4th) PIM: 197 (11th)
Home record: 3-1-1
Leading scorers: Daniil Tarasov (8-11-19), Jacob Fallon (7-7-14), Alex Barron (1-10-11), Sean Kuraly (4-7-11, will not dress), Robbie Baillargeon (4-5-9, 4 points last 3 games)
Leading +/-: Daniil Tarasov (+10), Alex Barron (+9)
Leading PIM: Daniil Tarasov (27), R.J. Boyd (26)
Leading goaltender: Jon Gillies (6-1-2, 2.20 GAA, .921sv%, 1 SHO), Dalton Izyk (1-1-0, 4.20 GAA, .873 sv%)
Last 5: 2-1-2 Last 10: 6-2-2
Last 5
11/12: vs. Green Bay (OTL 4-5)
11/5: at Youngstown (SOL 3-4)
11/4: vs. Cedar Rapids (W 5-1)
10/29: vs. Waterloo (L 3-4)
10/28: vs. Waterloo (W 2-0)
Lumberjacks (5-7-0, t6th USHL East)
Head coach: Kevin Patrick
GF: 32 (11th). GA: 41 (14th)
PP: 14.2% (8th). PK: 82.5% (9th) PIM: 292 (16th)
Road record: 2-4-0
Leading scorers: Dakota Kletcha (7-2-9), Matt DeBlouw (3-5-8), John Padulo (2-6-8)
Leading +/-: Joshua Henke (+7), Dakota Kletcha (+6)
Leading PIM: Marc Yanis (50), Joshua Henke (33)
Leading goaltender: Paul Berrafato (4-2-0, 2.52 GAA, .910sv%)
Last 5: 4-1-0 Last 10: 5-5-0
Last 5
11/12 at Youngstown (W 2-1)
11/5 vs. Cedar Rapids (L 1-2)
11/4 vs. Youngstown (W 4-1)
10/30 vs. Waterloo (W 4-2)
10/29 vs. Chicago (W 5-1)
Ice next 5 games
11/18: at Cedar Rapids11/19: at Waterloo
11/23: at Green Bay
11/25: vs. Sioux City
11/26: vs. Fargo
The Ice will be looking to do the latter as they welcome the Muskegon Lumberjacks to the Pepsi Coliseum for a 7 p.m. faceoff Saturday night. The Ice are fresh off a 5-4 overtime loss to the Green Bay Gamblers in which GB rallied from a two-goal deficit in the third period to take the game. The Ice are in the midst of their first losing streak of the year -- if you can call it that -- as they've dropped back-to-back games, but both were in overtime. The Ice are now 1-1-2 in their last four after a blistering 6-1-0 start.
Every game in the East is key, as virtually every top USHL team is there and the top of the standings is naturally crowded. The Clark Cup finalists from last year, Green Bay (18 points) and Dubuque (17 points) are 1-2, but the Ice and Cedar Rapids both lurk one game back with 16 points. With 14 points, Youngstown is in fifth. Muskegon, right now, is in sixth with 10.
Muskegon is much-improved from last year's expansion squad and is fresh off a 2-1 Friday-night road victory at Youngstown. Ryan Lomborg (4th) and Joseph Cox (1st) scored the goals while netminder John Keeney made 25 saves for his first victory of the year.
This is the first matchup between the Ice and 'Jacks this year.
Tonight's game (Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011)
Muskegon Lumberjacks (5-6-0, T5th, USHL East)
at
Indiana Ice (7-2-2, T3rd, USHL East)
7:05 p.m., Pepsi Coliseum, Indianapolis, IN
Broadcast: ushl.fasthockey.com
Season series: First meeting
Tale of the Tape
Ice (7-2-2, t3rd USHL East)
Head coach: Kyle Wallack
GF: 44 (1st). GA: 30 (t3rd)
PP: 35.9% (1st). PK: 89.7 % (4th) PIM: 197 (11th)
Home record: 3-1-1
Leading scorers: Daniil Tarasov (8-11-19), Jacob Fallon (7-7-14), Alex Barron (1-10-11), Sean Kuraly (4-7-11, will not dress), Robbie Baillargeon (4-5-9, 4 points last 3 games)
Leading +/-: Daniil Tarasov (+10), Alex Barron (+9)
Leading PIM: Daniil Tarasov (27), R.J. Boyd (26)
Leading goaltender: Jon Gillies (6-1-2, 2.20 GAA, .921sv%, 1 SHO), Dalton Izyk (1-1-0, 4.20 GAA, .873 sv%)
Last 5: 2-1-2 Last 10: 6-2-2
Last 5
11/12: vs. Green Bay (OTL 4-5)
11/5: at Youngstown (SOL 3-4)
11/4: vs. Cedar Rapids (W 5-1)
10/29: vs. Waterloo (L 3-4)
10/28: vs. Waterloo (W 2-0)
Lumberjacks (5-7-0, t6th USHL East)
Head coach: Kevin Patrick
GF: 32 (11th). GA: 41 (14th)
PP: 14.2% (8th). PK: 82.5% (9th) PIM: 292 (16th)
Road record: 2-4-0
Leading scorers: Dakota Kletcha (7-2-9), Matt DeBlouw (3-5-8), John Padulo (2-6-8)
Leading +/-: Joshua Henke (+7), Dakota Kletcha (+6)
Leading PIM: Marc Yanis (50), Joshua Henke (33)
Leading goaltender: Paul Berrafato (4-2-0, 2.52 GAA, .910sv%)
Last 5: 4-1-0 Last 10: 5-5-0
Last 5
11/12 at Youngstown (W 2-1)
11/5 vs. Cedar Rapids (L 1-2)
11/4 vs. Youngstown (W 4-1)
10/30 vs. Waterloo (W 4-2)
10/29 vs. Chicago (W 5-1)
Ice next 5 games
11/18: at Cedar Rapids11/19: at Waterloo
11/23: at Green Bay
11/25: vs. Sioux City
11/26: vs. Fargo
Today in history: November 12
1944: The Capitals score five goals in the final 12 minutes to beat Hershey 5-1,
including two from Pete Leswick.
Birthday
Brian Gifford: The Indiana Ice's first draft pick as a USHL team, and also a third-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the same 2004 year, Gifford played 111 games for the Ice from 2004-06. He had 25 goals and 24 assists in those two years, and three playoff points in eight games. He went on from the Ice to a four-year career at the University of Denver, where the forward had 37 points in 155 games. A native of Moorhead, Minn., he is 26.
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