Game 16: Sioux City at Ice

Tonight, the Ice begin a seven-game homestand with the first of three straight games against Western Conference foes. This weekend provides a strong chance for the Ice to put some pressure on first-place Green Bay, as they play two five-win teams at home, starting with tonight's contest against Sioux City. Saturday night, Fargo comes to town in a rematch of the 2009 Clark Cup Finals.

The Musketeers have dropped two straight games, but have been a high-scoring team of late. However, they've also allowed the most goals in the USHL, while the Ice possess some of the league's top snipers. Daniil Tarasov is the league's second-leading scorer and Robbie Baillargeon is in the midst of a seven-game scoring streak.

Sioux City sports one of the league's stronger scorers in David Goodwin, who was acquired in a trade from Green Bay last week. Peeking ahead, when the Ice face Fargo on Saturday night, it will mark the return of former Checker and former IHL Indianapolis Ice coach John Marks to Indianapolis. Marks is now the head coach of the Force.


Tonight's matchup:
Tonight's game
Sioux City Musketeers (5-10-0)
at

Indiana Ice (9-4-2)
7:05 p.m., Pepsi Coliseum


Broadcast: ushl.fasthockey.com

Season series: First meeting


Tale of the Tape
Ice (9-4-2, t3rd USHL East)
Head coach: Kyle Wallack
GF: 57 (2nd). GA: 45 (6th)
PP: 34.6% (1st). PK: 88.0 % (3rd) PIM: 333 (15th)
OT record: 2-1 SO record: 1-1
Home record: 3-2-2
Leading scorers: Daniil Tarasov (9-11-20), Jacob Fallon (8-9-17), Robbie Baillargeon (7-8-15, 7-game scoring streak), Robert Polosello (5-7-12), Sean Kuraly (4-8-12).
Leading +/-: Daniil Tarasov (+8), Alex Barron (+7)
Leading PIM: Woody Hudson (51, will not dress), Daniil Tarasov (43), R.J. Boyd (43)
Leading goaltender: Jon Gillies (8-3-2, 2.48 GAA, .914sv%, 1 SHO), Dalton Izyk (1-1-0, 3.76 GAA, .881 sv%)
Last 5: 2-2-1. Last 10: 4-4-2
Last 5
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)
11/11: vs. Green Bay (OTL 4-5)

Musketeers (5-10-0, 8th USHL West)
Head coach: Brett Larson
GF: 45 (10th). GA: 59 (16th)
PP: 13.2% (10th). PK: 84.9% (6th). PIM: 213 (3rd)
OT record: 0-0 SO record: 0-0
Road record: 2-4-0
Leading scorers: David Goodwin (7-8-15; 3-2-5 in 5 games with SXC); Brad Robbins (8-6-14), Pontus Johannsen (6-4-10)

Leading +/-: Pontus Johannsen (+3), Jordan Boucher-Gould (+3)
Leading PIM: Dane Cooper (32), Josh Erickson (31).
Leading goaltender: Matt Skoff (3-6-0, 3.11, .913 sv%, 1 SHO); Austin Priebe (2-4-0, 4.40 GAA, .846 sv%)

Last 5: 2-3-0. Last 10: 4-6-0

Ice next 5 games
11/26: vs. Fargo 12/2: vs. Sioux Falls
12/3: vs. Green Bay
12/4: vs. Green Bay
12/10: vs. Dubuque