42 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Valuable lessons can be learned from a loss.\nBut it becomes harder to accept losing as a learning experience when it happens twice in one day. Perhaps the greatest lesson learned in the softball team's 5-2 and 4-3 losses to Evansville Tuesday was a tutorial in "Maggie Ross 101."\nThe ace of the Aces' pitching staff was the Missouri Valley Conference's Pitcher of the Year in 2000, and if any Hoosiers (9-17) didn't know of her abilities before, they know now.\n"We made her into an All-American," coach Diane Stephenson said. "She looked really good. We just couldn't hit her."\nRoss didn't start either of the two games, but was inserted at crucial moments in the Hoosiers' comeback attempts. When the day was done, Ross walked away with two saves, having given up only two hits in 6 2/3 innings.\n"She's really a good pitcher," catcher Brooke Monroe, a junior, said. "We just couldn't capitalize off her today."\nPerhaps it was the pressure of playing in front of the home crowd for the first time this season, but the Hoosiers got down early in the first game and weren't able to recover. The Aces took a 1-0 lead on a controversial play as UE senior Jessica Huff tried to score from second base. Monroe tagged Huff, who had seemingly slid over the plate, but the home plate umpire called Huff safe.\n"I thought I got her," Monroe said after the game. "Plays can go either way. They can either make you or break you. It was a tough call."\nHuff struck again later with a solo home run in the fourth off of IU junior starter Alison Cooke, her fourth of the year. \nThe Hoosiers responded in the bottom of the fourth as a freak play allowed them back into the game. Sophomore Katie Joy nailed a line drive that hit Ace pitcher Lissa Conn in the foot. It apparently stunned Conn, as she overthrew first base on the play, allowing freshman Heather Stillians to move to third base. Conn then loaded the bases by walking IU freshman Crystal Cooke. Consecutive RBI singles by senior Melissa Narewski and freshman Abby Stark gave IU its only two runs of the game. \nWith the bases still loaded, Evansville coach Gwen Lewis turned to Ross, who retired sophomore Stormy Hanson and Monroe to end the inning and any chance IU had at a comeback. The Aces won 5-2.\n"I thought we came out ready to win, but we got down a couple runs; it kind of deflated us," Monroe said. "We didn't really bounce back the way we should." \nTwo positive notes from game one were the play of Stark and senior Jen Smith. Stark, who has struggled at the plate, was the Hoosiers' offensive leader in game one, going 2-for-3 with an RBI. The hits were Stark's first in March. Smith came on in relief of Cooke and pitched three hitless innings.\nGame 2 represented a chance at redemption for the Hoosiers, especially for Cooke as starting pitcher. After taking the loss in Game 1, Stephenson decided to stick with Cooke as the starter in Game 2.\n"In the first game, (Alison) got hit pretty hard, she gave up a lot of hits and I don't think she really came with her A game," Stephenson said. "But I think the second game she definitely threw well enough to win."\nCooke had reason for optimism when the Hoosiers took a 2-0 lead in the third, as Hanson smacked a home run … barely. Aces left fielder Emily Winterscaught the ball, but she dropped the ball over the fence.\n"Yeah, (it was a) real long fly ball," Hanson said. "I was just happy to get a hit."\nThe home run sparked the Hoosiers, who scored again when Stark drove Cook home with an RBI double in the fourth. But once again, it was Ross to the rescue. Ross entered in the fifth and shut out IU during the final three innings.\nThe Hoosiers didn't help themselves in the field either, as two crucial errors in the fourth and fifth innings led to Evansville scores. When all was said and done, the Hoosiers had dropped four runs, the lead and the doubleheader. Cooke (7-10) took the complete-game loss, tossing her 14th complete game of the season.\n"I don't know what happened," Stephenson said. "We play not to lose, and we're losing right now. That's a problem. We need to be more aggressive at the plate and more solid in the field. We have to play to win. That's it"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
(1) New Jersey Devils vs. (8) Carolina Hurricanes\nThis matchup features the deepest lineup in the playoffs against the shallowest. Heading into the playoffs, the defending champion Devils are undoubtedly the most likely candidate to take the East. Having Patrik Elias as white hot as he is (16 goals, 34 points in the last 19 games) only makes the Devils a scarier opponent. \nAn interesting sidenote is that the Hurricanes' No. 1 goalie, Arturs Irbe, and their top defenseman, Sandis Ozolinsh, were No. 8 seeds in 1994 when San Jose pulled the first-round upset of the decade against Detroit. It will take another one of those miracles to beat a team that went 17-2 to close out the season. I hate calling a four game series, but come on….\nDevils in four.\n(2) Ottawa Senators vs. (7) Toronto Maple Leafs\nThe battle of Ontario: youth vs. experience. It's hard to doubt a team that finished as high as Ottawa did, especially when they're facing a team that had below a .500 record in January, February and March. But the Leafs' experience, along with Ottawa's lack thereof, will make this a much more interesting series than their records let on. Late season acquisitions Curtis Leschyshyn and Mike Sillinger have helped the Sens, but expect Toronto veterans such as Gary Roberts and Shayne Corson to step up as well. \nIn the end, this could be a goaltenders duel between Curtis Joseph and Patrick Lalime, which favors the Leafs. Still, Toronto dropped all five regular season matches between the two and that can't be ignored.\nOttawa in six.\n(3) Washington Capitals vs. (6) Pittsburgh Penguins\nHere we go again. These two teams have met in the playoffs six times since 1992, with the Penguins taking five of those series. The third-seed Capitals saw it as no kind of reward when they drew the sixth-seed Penguins in Round 1, and their 9-10 record to close out the season couldn't have done much for their confidence. Penguin goaltending is a definite question mark, but Johan Hedberg and Garth Snow are adequate enough to be carried by their super-skilled teammates. \nThere are a few guarantees in this series. I guarantee the Capitals will win around 75 percent of the faceoffs. I also guarantee this series will feature the most media mudslinging and trash talking of the first round matchups. And I guarantee that the Penguins will walk away winners.\nPenguins in seven ugly, physical games.\n(4) Buffalo Sabres vs. (5) Philadelphia Flyers\nThis series could also get ugly. After spending years as Dominik Hasek's Czechoslovakian shadow, Roman Cechmanek has been catapulted into the spotlight to become what many believe was the top goaltender this season. Nevertheless, his complete lack of NHL playoff experience is a concern no matter how good your regular season numbers are. The Flyers will also be without their No. 1 center and leading goal scorer, Keith Primeau, and it's not known how soon he'll return. Bet they wish they could have the opportunity to trade holdout Eric Lindros again now, huh? \nSabres in seven.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Saturday night, there weren't many smiles bigger than that of Hoosier center Rhys Anderson.\nIt wasn't just that he had picked up a goal and an assist for his first multipoint game of the season. It wasn't just that he had done so against IU's biggest rival, Michigan State. It wasn't just that his efforts helped result in a 4-1 victory for the Hoosiers (6-2).\nIt was a familiar face behind the Spartan goaltending mask that provided the extra incentive for Anderson. Michigan State goaltender Sean Huberty is a former teammate of Anderson's from Culver Military Academy in Culver, Ind., and the sophomore had no intention of keeping quiet about his two-point effort.\n"He's one of my good friends," Anderson said. "It's kind of like our last fling here playing at IU. It's good to see some guys you know, and it's always more fun to come out on top."\nAnderson gave the Hoosiers a 1-0 lead five minutes into the opening frame when he pounced on a setup from sophomore Justin Peck and rifled a wrist shot that trickled through Huberty's pads. Huberty, of course, refused to give his ex-teammate any credit for the play.\n"It just barely trickled in," Huberty joked. "Rhys got lucky."\nHuberty found himself the target of some effective heckling from the rowdy IU crowd that on the previous night appeared to get in the head of Ferris State goaltender Doug Peacock. Peacock was beaten for two soft goals shortly after the opening faceoff. At one point in the first period, the fans behind Huberty were so rambunctious that the game had to be stopped for five minutes to fix a pane of broken glass.\n"It's got to be intimidating to play in front of, when they're making so much noise and banging on the glass like that," sophomore Zach Vietri said.\nAnderson and Vietri combined with senior Matt Voll for two goals and what may have been the Hoosiers' top line Saturday night. \nAfter shuffling around with different combinations on the third and fourth line all season, coach Rich Holdeman appears to have stumbled upon something with the gritty trio. \n"We like to go in there and bang," Vietri said. "We create a lot of room for ourselves and the other lines. We've been playing a lot the last couple games and so far we haven't been scored on yet."\n"I love playing with them. We just go out and hit, bang, give it everything we have," Anderson said.\nAnderson now has four points in seven games this year. The 5'10'', 200-pound center is a veteran of the North American Hockey League, the junior league that has produced such NHL talents as Brian Rolston, Doug Weight and Brian Holzinger. \n"Points were hard to come by against Michigan State," Holdeman said. "Having those guys step up and get some goals was great. We were joking that we didn't think Voll could get a shot on net, let alone rip one in. The guy's penalty killing has been outstanding. He and Vietri have been great." \nFriday night, the quick-skating Ferris State team invaded Bloomington and gave the Hoosiers their toughest home match this season. It was the Hoosiers' first inter-conference game of the year. The Bulldogs fought back from an early deficit before falling short 4-3. Freshman David Ravensberg and senior Bryan Grant each had three points on the night.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Hoosier center Brandon Phillips doesn't scare anyone with his size. At 5-foot-8, 155 pounds, the senior isn't the most imposing player on the ice, and more than a few opponents have watched him during the pre-game skate and anticipated the chance to squash him against the boards.\nBut any opponent who has ever felt the impact of Phillips' check knows better.\n"He's been a real spark plug for us his whole career," said coach Rich Holdeman. "Looking at him, you'd think he was a finesse player, but he's actually a fairly tough player. For a guy who's not too big, he's pretty tough and he hits real well."\nNow in his fourth season with the Hoosiers hockey team, Phillips has become a favorite among fans and teammates with his gritty, in-your-face style of two-way play. Although it's his spectacular offensive abilities that garners the most attention, Phillips is never shy about hurling his small frame at oncoming opponents.\n"I'm obviously a smaller guy," Phillips said. "But I like to play physical and get in the corners."\nPhillips remains the Hoosiers' active leader with 266 career penalty minutes, including two seasons where he led the team for time in the box. Though he's made a conscious effort to keep those numbers down this year, a mere 24 in 14 games, and fifth on the team, his aggressive nature doesn't hide for long.\n"Sometimes I let my emotions get the better of me," Phillips admitted.\n"I use my stick to my advantage and I don't always get away with it. This year, we're playing tougher teams and being a man down is really going to hurt us. But it's still fun to get a few penalties here and there."\nWith 18 points in 14 games, Phillips is on pace to set a career high in points-per-game. He was effective in the Big 10 Classic two weeks ago, tying for the tournament lead with five points and playing a key role in beating ACHA Division I leader, Penn State.\n"I was pretty excited just going into a game against Penn State and knowing how big of a win it would be for our program," Phillips said.\n"As a senior, we really wanted to make a statement for the program by beating a team of that caliber. We wanted to make a point."\nOffensively, Phillips is a player with creativity and a nasty streak, zipping around the ice with enough speed to create room for one of his wingers, or crush a back-checking defenseman behind the goal. He is the perfect complementary player for his linemates, Bryan Grant and Dan Hauck, who are now in their second full season together and playing better.\n"It seems there's great chemistry together," said Holdeman. "Just for a fan of hockey, it's great to watch when guys know where their linemates are going to be without looking."\nThe trio's impeccable chemistry on the ice is aided by the fact that they are good friends away from the rink as well. The three are living together for the second straight year and their matched enthusiasm for the game has drawn them closer together as teammates.\n"We're best friends on and off the ice, so it really works out well," Hauck said. "I've been playing with Brandon for two years now, and each year he's been better than the last. He's a real catalyst on the power play and penalty kill."\nAs Phillips continues to reach for career numbers, there's the matter of a National Championship title to be settled first.\n"I just want to win a national tournament," he said. "We've come close. Sophomore year we finished second. Beating Penn State shows what we can do, and I really think we can do it."\nSaturday night, Phillips and his teammates will face the Indiana University Heroes of the Hockey Alumni team. Admission is free.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Adam Federman doesn't score very many goals. In fact, before this weekend, the senior defenseman was still looking for his first of the year.\nBut on the rare occasion that he does dent the twine, the senior defenseman usually makes it one to remember.\nIn the Great Midwestern Hockey League tournament championship Saturday, Federman's fluttering wrist shot in overtime barely trickled past Miami goaltender Ben Winkler and found the back of the net, instantaneously becoming one of the most memorable goals in franchise history. \nYou'll have to excuse the hero if he's a little hazy on the details.\n"Where do I start? It's a blur," Federman said after the 4-3 victory over Miami University (Ohio). "There were bodies flying all over the place, and I was just thinking 'Get that thing on net.' I wound up, let it go. Everybody started cheering, but I had no idea what happened.\nShocking, maybe, but captain Tim McMahon wasn't shocked about the way Federman scored.\n"It was kind of a typical Federman shot, a butterfly that just happened to find its way in," McMahon joked. "It felt great, especially against Miami. I'm happy for Adam."\nBad karma surrounded the Hoosiers as they went into overtime facing Winkler, the same goaltender who beat them in overtime last year to take home the league championship. \n"Early in the game, he's stopping all of those incredible chances and I'm thinking, 'Oh man, are we really going to go through this again?'" coach Rich Holdeman said. "We said it in the locker room, it's going to be something ugly that's going to be the difference. The way Winkler was playing, we weren't going to get anything easy."\nThe victory gave the Hoosiers the first championship in the GMHL's history. But the overtime goal itself was the culmination of a nerve-wracking day for Holdeman. Following a first-round bye, the Hoosiers were paired against the one GMHL team that they hadn't beaten this season, a Michigan University squad that was coming off an impressive first-round victory over Ferris State. In an attempt to spark some offense, Holdeman moved first-line mainstay Dan Hauck to the third unit with Ed Karasek and David Dassell, with Rhys Anderson filling in for Hauck with the highly-offensive Bryan Grant and Brandon Phillips on the first line.\nSenior Gordy Haggard had one of his best games and fueled the Hoosier offense with a pair of power-play goals.\nCharlie Pulley's 41 saves fueled the victory, as well, bailing the Hoosiers out of a possible second-round defeat.\nPulley's strong play continued into the championship game, where he received a little more help from the Hoosier offense.\nHoldeman's line tinkering paid off in the second period as his top unit finally got on the scoreboard in the form of Grant's wraparound goal to tie the score at 2-2. Hauck's line scored next when Karasek gave the Hoosiers a 3-2 lead early in the third.\nMiami's Matt Mole tied the game late, leading to a goaltender's duel between Pulley and Winkler. This year, it was Pulley's turn to shine.\n"It really hasn't sunk in yet," Pulley said. "It was overwhelming at first; we've had such a history of losing to this team in particular. It's kind of a relief to get rid of that jinx and go on to the national tournament."\nPulley's reaction to Federman's miracle shot was somewhat different from his teammates.\n"I knew it was going in. I just had a feeling," he said. "It always seems that in overtime, it's a garbage goal. As soon as I saw the puck start to flutter, I knew it had a good chance."\nAnd a chance for a little payback.\n"We felt like we owed these guys," said Karasek, a senior. "They've been beating us in big games for my entire career, three years here. We gave them what they deserved"
(03/04/02 7:25am)
It was supposed to be the IU hockey team's year.\nThis year's Hoosiers had everything: speed, depth, goaltending and special teams. And they had experience in the form of nine seniors. If any group had the chance to win an American Collegiate Hockey Association National Championship, this was the one.\nInstead, IU suffered a 7-6 loss to Life University in the semifinals of the 2002 ACHA Division II National Championships in New York City. \n"We had a great season. But we had one goal all year: to win the national championship," said leading scorer Bryan Grant, who picked up two goals in the season-ending defeat. "It's disappointing that it didn't happen. We played one of our better games all year, but I guess the better team won.\n"They must have been the better team, because we played as well as we could."\nThe Hoosiers had a close call last Friday as Michigan State nearly eliminated them from the tournament. After the Spartans' surprising 14-7 loss to Colorado State Thursday, the Hoosiers needed to limit Michigan State to less than 10 goals to advance to the semifinals. \nIU accomplished that feat but lost 8-3. Hoosier goaltenders Charlie Pulley and Chad Whitlock each gave up four goals.\n"How you give up eight goals on 20 shots, I'm not sure," Holdeman said. "But we did what we had to do, so I'm not making too big a deal out of that game."\nSaturday was a different story as the Hoosiers faced defending-champion Life University. IU led the Running Eagles 4-3 heading into the third period on a pair of goals by Grant.\nBut a defensive breakdown led to two Life goals in the first three minute of the period, summarizing a weekend of defensive gaffes for the inconsistent Hoosier backliners.\n"We go from allowing two-and-a-half goals a game in the regular season to five-and-a-quarter in the tournament," assistant coach Alex Kyrias said. "Our penalty killing goes from 80 percent to 57 percent. That's just not going to get it done. We didn't get much help from all aspects of our defense. That's ultimately what lost it for us."\nThe Hoosiers battled back and tied the game when sophomore David Dassell capitalized on a setup by teammate Ed Karasek. The goal appeared to revive the Hoosiers, but Life took the lead with just less than two minutes left in the game.\nIn an attempt for a tie, Holdeman tried to pull his goaltender, Pulley, in exchange for an extra attacker, but a bad giveaway during the change gave the Running Eagles an empty-net goal.\nLife went on to beat Michigan 5-2 for their fifth ACHA title in six years.\nThe Hoosiers tied the team record with 24 victories on the season and won the first-ever Great Midwest Hockey League Championship two weeks ago. \n"I'm happy because we had a great year, tying the win record and winning the conference," Grant said. "But we came up short, and we're pretty disappointed right now"
(02/25/02 6:17am)
The Frank Southern Center isn't known as one of the more luxurious facilities in the American Collegiate Hockey Association. Because of its smaller ice surface, low ceiling and, until recent renovations, inadequate lighting, "The Frank" was often jokingly referred to as "the cave" by opponents.\nBut to the veterans of the Hoosier hockey team, "The Frank" is known as home. This was all the more apparent Saturday night, as the Robert Morris College Gold Eagles came to town for the Hoosiers' designated "Senior Night." It could have been anyone on the receiving end of the 6-1 domination the Hoosiers delivered.\nSaturday was all about saying goodbye.\n"It's a little sad, being the last game," senior center Brandon Phillips said. "As dumpy as this place is, I'll miss it."\nThe evening began with a 15-minute ceremony honoring the nine seniors. Each player was joined on the ice by his parents while general manager Alex Kyrias honored their individual achievements with IU.\n"When we were doing the senior night presentations, giving flowers to our parents, I felt it," goaltender Chad Whitlock said. "Once the game started, you don't think about that; you just think about the next shot. While you're playing you're not thinking about it, but when it's over and you start reflecting, it's been awesome.\n"It was an awesome way to finish out."\nWhitlock was given the start Saturday, just his third victory of the year after dropping to third on the Hoosier depth chart. But the 6-1 victory, which followed an 8-3 win over the same opponent Friday, extended his team-record win total to 38, and he stopped 27 of 28 shots, flashing the kind of ability he showed when he led the Hoosiers to the 2000 ACHA National Championship game.\nMore Hoosier nostalgia included the reunion of one of the most proficient offensive lines in IU history. Seniors Bryan Grant, Dan Hauck and Brandon Phillips, who have spent the better part of two years together, hadn't played on the same line the past few weeks. \n"I think coach just did it for nostalgic purposes, having the three seniors together," Hauck said. "It was an emotional night. I've grown up a lot with these guys a lot the last four years. It felt good."\nPhillips and Hauck have combined to score 285 points over the last four years (ranked fourth and 10th all-time, respectively), and their willingness to get involved physically have made them fan favorites as well. But the most difficult goodbye might have been that of left wing Grant, who recently moved into second on the Hoosiers all-time list with 206 career points. What makes that number even more impressive is that he did it in just three seasons here.\n"It's always nice to have personal accolades, but when you're on a team sport, there's only one important thing and that's to win," Grant said. "The points are just playing on good teams with good players."\nGrant's feelings seemed to be echoed by his fellow graduating seniors, all of whom have been to several national championships and come within one win of the title. \n"I've been playing hockey for 18 years," Phillips said. "To know there's only one week left, it's kind of rough. But it will be a lot sweeter if we can take the national championship.\n"That'd be a good way to go out."\nAlso playing in his final home game was senior co-captain Tim McMahon, the Hoosiers' best two-way defenseman known for his bone-crunching open ice checks. Gordy Haggard has been an integral part of the Hoosier offense for four years, culminating last weekend with two huge goals to catapult IU into the Great Midwest Hockey League championship game. His performance was capped off by defenseman Adam Federman, who pulled off the greatest highlight of his career with the game-winning goal in overtime of the championship game. Wingers Matt Voll and Ed Karasek scored 10 points this year after setting career highs offensively last year. But their main value to the Hoosiers was in penalty killing, leadership and non-stop work ethic.\n"It was very emotional out there," said Karasek, who picked up a goal Saturday. "I think it's not going to kick in until next September, when training camp usually starts.\n"I think then, I'll realize it's finally over"
(02/15/02 5:32am)
Last weekend, the Hoosiers (18-4-2, 6-2-2 GMHL) lost the GMHL regular season championship with a 5-4 loss to Miami University (Ohio). \nBut a 6-1 comeback performance the next night against the Clubhawks had the IU men's hockey team convinced that the title for best team in the division was theirs to lose.\nThey'll get the chance to prove it this weekend, when all six teams head to the Forum at Fishers, Ind., for the 2002 GMHL Championships.\n"We're going in with a lot of confidence," senior Brandon Phillips said. "We've had a great season all year. Last Friday hurt a little bit; we really wanted that one. We know we're a better team than they are. We know we can beat them."\nThe action begins today as No. 5 Oakland meets No. 4 Michigan State and No. 3 Michigan meets No. 6 Ferris State in the tournament's opening round. \nAs the league's No.1 and 2 seeds, Miami and IU will face the winners tomorrow morning, with the Hoosiers taking on the higher-ranked opponent. The championship will be decided tomorrow night at 7:30.\nAlthough vengeance against Miami might be foremost in the Hoosiers' minds, they can't underestimate their first opponent. \nOakland was the one GMHL team other than Miami to beat the Hoosiers this season, but a pair of games against Michigan yielded no clear-cut advantage -- both ended in ties.\n"There's really four teams that could win it, maybe even five," Coach Rich Holdeman said. "If Michigan, Michigan State, Miami or our team is playing their best, any one of them can win."\nMiami coach Jason Szynkowski was ecstatic after his team's victory last Friday and consequent securing of the No. 1 seed. After the game, he was fairly decided on who poses the most threat to take that title away from them.\n"Definitely IU," Szynkowski said. "IU's a tough program. I've been around a long time, and consistently they've always been very disciplined, very skilled and very well-coached."\nNonetheless, Szynkowski is confident enough in his team's chances to win, as evidenced by his detailed prediction for this weekend's finale.\n"I predict Miami/IU in the finals," he said. "Miami winning 5-3 with an empty-net goal in the end."\nHoldeman has slightly different ideas for this weekend and, despite the second seed, does not intend on approaching the tournament as the underdogs.\n"I still think that our team playing well is the best in the league," Holdeman said. "If we get everybody playing hard like we did last Saturday, where we totally dominated them from start to finish, there's no reason we shouldn't win.\n"I'm telling our guys it's their tournament to lose"
(02/08/02 6:14am)
It can't be a coincidence that the Hoosiers (17-3-2, 5-1-2) and Miami of Ohio (12-1-2, 6-1-1) will meet in the final series of the regular season. \nOver the last 10 years, the Hoosiers and the RedHawks have developed one of the more intense rivalries in all of ACHA hockey. More often then not, the Hoosiers have found themselves on the losing side of the feud. \nThe last time these two teams met was in the 2001 MCHL Championships. The result was a 2-1 overtime victory for Miami. It marked the second straight year they beat the Hoosiers for a league title game.\nThis weekend will provide the Hoosiers with an opportunity for revenge. IU sits one seed behind the first-ranked RedHawks in the GMHL rankings. If the Hoosiers can squeeze out a win and a tie, they will be the league's No. 1 seed going into next week's playoffs.\n"We definitely have to settle the score with these guys," defenseman Joe Rogers said. "They've knocked us out of some key games, and I think everybody that's been on the team before remembers that."\nThe Hoosiers head to Oxford in an attempt to gain a win or pull out a tie at Goggins Ice Arena. A win would mark the first time in history that IU has won on the road against Miami.\n"This year's team has accomplished a lot of firsts this year," Coach Rich Holdeman said. "This is another one we'd like to have."\nHoldeman reiterated the intense history between the two squads.\n"I told the guys before practice, of all the teams we play, Miami is the team I most want to beat every time we play them," he said. "Over the years, they've given us our most disappointing losses, losses that were tough to swallow. We've never beaten them at their barn."\nAs if facing a team that has only lost once all season (a one goal loss at Michigan State) wasn't tough enough, the Hoosiers will have to find a way to beat a goaltender that has been their nemesis. RedHawk senior Ben Winkler was in the net when Miami defeated IU in the championship game last year. He was also the culprit behind both Miami victories in the MCHL and ACHA national championship tournaments two years ago.\n"They have a goaltender that always seems to play well against us," Assistant Coach Alex Kyrias said. "For some reason against Indiana, he just shines. I'm sure we'll be seeing him this weekend."\nThe RedHawks are notorious for playing a conservative, stand-up defensive style, which could work against the smaller Hoosier offense. Along with their smothering defense, Miami has the ability to create offense out of nowhere. The team also has the kind of talent to capitalize on the opportunities their defense forces. \nMiami sophomore Jeff Lorenz and juniors Matt Brandt and Scott McKone have combined for 61 points this season.\n"It's the best rivalry we have as far as competitive rivalry," Kyrias said. "They're our nemesis. That's the team we'll probably have to go through for a title. We're going to need guys that don't normally step up to step up."\nSaturday night's showdown will be at the Frank Southern Center Ice Arena on South Henderson. Scheduled face-off time is 7:30 p.m.
(02/07/02 5:51am)
Chad Whitlock has never been one to brag.\nNow in his fifth year, the Hoosier goaltender has faced just about every challenge that the American Collegiate Hockey Association has to offer, and he's done so with the kind of quiet modesty that commands respect from both teammates and coaches alike. Personal accolades mean little to Whitlock.\nThree weeks ago, Whitlock made 10 saves in a 17-1 victory over Purdue. It was the 38th win of his Hoosier career, surpassing Justin Wojtowicz and making him the winningest goaltender in school history. Whitlock didn't say a thing.\n"Nothing was really mentioned to him about it. He doesn't talk about it. He didn't brag," Assistant coach Chris Quimby said. "He just kept coming to practice and doing the kind of things he always did."\nA few losses, but not many. Whitlock's laundry list of individual accolades will keep him fresh in the minds of Hoosier fans, not to mention record books, for years to come. He holds the team's all-time mark for wins in a season with 14. He's also got the second highest single season save percentage (.918 in 2000), and sits at third all time for single season goals against average (2.24 in 2000), career goals against average (2.93) and career save percentage (.900). \nAmong the many names of goaltenders that Whitlock surpassed in attaining the all time victory mark is Alex Kyrias, who's also had the opportunity to coach Whitlock over the last five years.\n"He's a big part of the reason this team over the last five years has been successful," Kyrias, whose 30 career wins from 1992-96 are third in team history, said. "No matter what role you put him in, he's going to do his best. It's been a joy to coach him for five years. I can't say enough about his attitude."\nFollowing a career as the starting goalie at Carmel High School, Whitlock came to the Hoosiers in 1997 to find a backstock of goalies ahead of him on the depth chart. But Whitlock made the most of his rare opportunities, earning the confidence of head coach Rich Holdeman following his 8-2 freshman year. One of those two losses was a one-goal defeat of Life University in the national championship game.\nBut it was in the 1999-2000 season that Whitlock really came into his own. After spending his sophomore year splitting the starting duties with Wojtowicz, Whitlock was on fire for his junior year, going 15 games before suffering his first and only loss - another one goal squeaker in the national championships. \n"The kind of year he had going 14-1-1, you just don't see years like that anymore," Kyrias said.\nOnce again, Whitlock refused to give himself credit.\n"It was just one of those years where everything was going great for me," Whitlock said. "I have to give most of the credit to the defensemen."\nBut this season has presented a new challenge for Whitlock. With the emergence of junior Charlie Pulley and sophomore Josh Block in the net, Whitlock has been relegated to the role of No. 3 goaltender. His record-setting victory was only his third game this season. It hasn't been an easy adjustment, especially for a fifth-year senior with an uncanny career record of 38-8-2.\n"It's been kind of disappointing for me," Whitlock said. "I'm really not playing much, and it's frustrating, but Charlie's been playing great. The team is winning, so I'm happy."\nAn economics major and member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity, Whitlock graduates this summer with no idea where his hockey career will take him. Only one thing is for sure, he will be missed by this Hoosier organization.\n"Right from the beginning, he's been a mainstay for our program," Holdeman said. "He's always here and he's always working hard"
(01/28/02 5:27am)
The IU men's club hockey team came into this weekend knowing their opponents had been two of the few teams this season to keep them out of the "W" column. \nDespite walking away with a win and a tie, there were glum faces in the Hoosier locker room after Saturday night's 2-2 tie against the Michigan Wolverines.\n"We were really hoping for two wins," coach Rich Holdeman said. "If you had asked me with three minutes left in the third period tonight, I would have been ecstatic to walk away with a tie. The way we played tonight, we should feel fortunate to get a tie."\nMichigan went at the Hoosiers (15-3-2, 3-1-2), and kept the prolific IU offense off the board for the first two periods before Tim McMahon pounced on a Justin Peck rebound and dented the net behind Wolverine goaltender Tom Best to tie the game at one apiece.\nBut Michigan, who tied the Hoosiers earlier this season in Ann Arbor, came right back and tied the game just 46 seconds later. Michigan's Nick Wayne was left wide open in front and fooled IU's Charlie Pulley to pull ahead, 2-1.\nCenter David Dassell got a shot on net right after the faceoff to tie the score.\n"The goal we got to tie it was just incredible," Holdeman said. "We needed something like that because we weren't making it on our own."\nThe Hoosiers had a chance to win the game when leading scorer Bryan Grant walked in on Best with two seconds remaining. \nBut their hopes were shot down as Grant's shot rang off the cross bar and the final buzzer sounded. \nFriday night was a different story, as the Hoosiers were ready to face an Oakland University team that embarrassed them in an 8-5 loss earlier this season. \nWith Grant and his linemates, Brandon Phillips and Dan Hauck struggling with the flu, IU's "navy line" of David Ravensberg, Clint Heiber and Gordy Haggard combined for nine points in a 5-3 victory.\n"Our line came to play on Friday night," said Haggard, who picked up two goals and an assist in the win. "It was a good effort by the navy line."\nAfter jumping out to a quick 1-0 lead, the Golden Grizzlies quieted the IU crowd when Sean Trueblood beat IU goaltender Josh Block to tie the game. But a shorthanded giveaway by Oakland popped off Ravensberg's stick and into the Golden Grizzly goal to give the Hoosiers a lead that they would not relinquish.\nThe "navy line" extended the lead to 3-1 when Heiber beat an Oakland defender and put a shot on net. Haggard was there for the rebound, which he shot into an open net.\nHaggard scored again in the third in on a shorthanded effort.\nThe senior winger intercepted a pass at the Golden Grizzly blue line and fooled Zeldes low to give the Hoosiers a 7-4 lead.\n"The guy tried to cut across, I just poked it off his stick," Haggard said. "It was me and the goalie and I beat him blocker side with a pretty good wrist shot."\nDespite illnesses, the Hoosiers are confident in the remainder of the season.\n"We're not going to panic yet," said Hauck, who was too ill to finish the game Saturday and was replaced on the top line by Rhys Anderson. "With the remaining games on our schedule, we're going to need to step up if we're gonna win. We'll just have to see what happens"
(01/22/02 5:43am)
Coach Rich Holdeman recalls exactly what went through his mind with 45 seconds left in overtime against the University of Illinois Saturday,the score knotted up at four.\n"I said to the guys, we don't need four players down low. We were playing like we were down by a goal and not tied," he said. "We were throwing everything and the kitchen sink at them and not thinking defense."\nOne second later, sophomore center David Dassell sent a perfect pass right onto the tape of defenseman Tim McMahon's stick. Standing all alone, McMahon rifled a wrist shot past the outstretched hand of Illinois goaltender Gregg Cooper. \n"When the puck ended up on Tim's stick," Holdeman said. "I said to myself, 'OK, I'll let that one go.' He did a great job of finishing the play."\nFollowing a third period breakdown during which the Hoosiers (14-3-1, 2-1-1) spent 10 minutes in the penalty box and allowed two goals in the final three minutes of play, McMahon was able to right the sinking ship.\n"Everybody's eyes on the bench just lit up," senior defenseman Adam Federman said. "I was the first one over the boards. I almost jumped onto the ice before he scored it. Good thing he put it in."\nThe 5-4 victory concluded a weekend of some of exciting hockey. The Division 1 University of Illinois brought their fast-paced brand of hockey to the Frank Southern Center and pushed the Hoosiers to the limit before leaving town with a pair of 5-4 losses.\nSaturday night's win held particular significance for Federman, an Illinois native who was coming off arguably his worst game of the season. Friday night, Federman was guilty of a pair of ill-advised and costly penalties, followed by a third period fluke giveaway in his own zone that Fighting Illini winger Luke Carlson had no trouble putting behind IU goaltender Charlie Pulley.\n"I was just trying to play physical and it ended up backfiring," Federman said. "In the third, the puck got caught in my skates and just like that they scored."\nHoldeman sat Federman down after the game Friday to talk to him about what happened. \n"Adam had a rough game Friday night," Holdeman said. "He was maybe a little too pumped up going in because it is his hometown team and he knows some of the guys over there. He made some pretty bad mistakes. I talked to him after the game and told him that you're going to have games like that, the important thing is how you come back and play the next night."\nFederman redeemed himself in a huge way with several bone-crunching checks Saturday, while providing steady veteran defense for inexperienced freshmen Jamie Dillon and Todd Lorenger.\n"He was all over the ice just crunching guys," Holdeman said. "He really stepped up and redeemed himself."\nThe best news for the Hoosiers this weekend was the play of their goaltenders, Pulley and sophomore Josh Block, both of whom held the Fighting Illini to four goals despite being outshot on both nights.\nThe win brings IU's record to 3-0 against ACHA Division 1 competition this season, and question's the teams ability to play tougher competition.\n"I've been trying to push coach to at least think about it," general manager Alex Kyrias said. "The question is whether or not we can take it on the road."\nHoldeman pointed out that one of the drawbacks of moving up is the lack of teams in Division 1, not to mention the heated rivalries that have developed particularly against Great Midwestern Hockey League counterparts. One option would be for the entire GMHL to move up, a task that would likely take a great deal of time and work before there were any results.\n"We are losing ten seniors this year, so we can't assume that we're going to be this good next year," Kyrias said. "But the team we have right now is definitely good enough to compete with anybody. People are starting to take notice. They know we're not a fluke"
(01/16/02 5:23am)
The men's hockey team learned some disappointing news over the winter break. The announcement was that defenseman Andy Bauermeister and forward Trent Washburn had left the team for personal reasons. \nAlthough the two appeared only sporadically in the first half of the season, they were relied on to provide experience and depth. \nTheir absence will give coach Rich Holdeman the chance to see what his younger players can do as the Hoosiers enter their toughest stretch of the schedule.\nLosing Bauermeister was the biggest surprise. He had seen action in only five games this season, but his last game was the 51st of his 3-year career. He established himself as a regular among the team's top six defensemen last year, supplying a tough brand of defense and playing the third most games of all Hoosier defenders.\n"It's unfortunate that he had to leave the team," freshman Todd Lorenger said. "He's a good player and a good guy. But it definitely opens up a spot for me to get some more ice time."\nLorenger is IU's newest defenseman. He made his debut Nov. 16 against Oakland but admits that he was "still getting his lungs back" at the time. \nLorenger got a chance to play against Purdue this weekend and excited the IU crowd with several hard hits.\n"I liked what I saw of him on Saturday night," Holdeman said. "He's a big, physical player. He made some big hits out there. He's a big guy and a big, physical presence. He's definitely going to be seeing some more ice."\nAt 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, the Grosse Pointe, Mich. native would be a welcome addition to a Hoosier defense that features only two other defensemen taller than 6 feet. He is one of three freshmen defensemen on the team but has taken a back seat to the speedy Jamie Dillon and the 6-3, 200-pound Justin Peck.\n"I'm definitely going to bring a physical element to the lineup," Lorenger said.\nWashburn, the second member to leave the team, was by far the smallest player at 5-5, 155 pounds. He saw action in four games this season.\nHis absence will allow players Matt Ritz and Adam Trussell to see more ice time. \n"Trent was a very nifty stickhandler, but I like some of the freshmen that we're going to get a chance to see," Holdeman said. "Guys like Matt Ritz, who played Saturday. I like him a lot. He works very hard, plays the body pretty well. He's also a great penalty killer. \nRitz has seen action in seven games this year, picking up three assists and registering a +4 rating. Playing on the Hoosiers' third and fourth lines, the 5-11, 170-pound forward knows what's expected of him.\n"I do the dirty work," Ritz said. "I hit. I grind. I dig the puck out and get it to the guys that can score. When I'm playing with guys like (Matt) Voll or (Zach) Vietri, I just get the puck out to them and let them put it in the net."\nJunior Brad Parks, who has two goals in two games this season after appearing in a career-high 15 games last year, will also add to the team's depth. Freshman and 2000 New York state champion Logan Levy, who picked up one assist and 12 penalty minutes in two games, should see more playing time.\nTrussell, who caught the coach's eye with a goal in his first career game this weekend at Purdue, will also get a chance to play.\n"He's playing really well," Ritz said. "I know the coach liked what he saw of him. He's a big man, and it's hard for a defenseman to knock him off the puck since he's such a good puck handler."\nWith 11 spots on the forward lines nearly written in stone, there's expected to be much competition for the 12th spot.\n"Our team is really so deep that you have to go all out every chance you get," Ritz said. "You have to, because you don't know if you're going to be in the lineup the next game"
(01/14/02 6:51am)
Performing in front of their largest home crowd of the season, the men's club hockey team were faced with the difficult task of trying to outdo their previous night's 14-0 thrashing of Purdue. Luckily for the 700-plus in attendance at the Frank Southern Ice Arena Saturday night, the Hoosiers (12-3-1, 2-1-1) still had a few tricks left up their sleeve, thoroughly dominating the Boilermakers en route to a 17-1 victory.\nThe win was undoubtedly their most lopsided of the year, nearly doubling their previous season high of nine goals. It eclipsed last year's effort against the Boilermakers, during which IU managed \n24 goals in the two games combined. It also further extended IU's winning streak over Purdue to 17 games, dating back to 1992. \n"Coming out and beating up on a team like this is pretty fun. It's always exciting to beat Purdue," said senior Chad Whitlock, who made 10 saves on 11 shots Saturday for his second victory of the season. "From here on out, it just gets harder, so it's good to come out and get a confidence boost to start the second half of the season."\nIU's second line of Clint Heiber, David Ravensberg and Gordy Haggard put on a particularly good show for the home crowd, as the trio combined for 20 points, with hat tricks going to the latter two. They earned their coach's highest regards and will be relied on heavily as the Hoosiers enter their toughest portion of the schedule.\n"Ravensberg and Heiber really played great today," coach Rich Holdeman said. "I really like the way they're moving the puck; they're passing and skating very well. I hope it carries into next weekend."\nSenior Bryan Grant, now leading the team with 35 points in 13 games, scored five in each of the two games. Also showing up on the scoresheet this weekend were freshmen forward Adam Trussell and defenseman Jamie Dillon, both of whom scored their first career goals. For Trussell, Friday night was also his first career action at the collegiate level. Dillon had the best game of his young career Saturday, jumping into the play frequently and intelligently while adding four assists to his goal off a Bryan Grant rebound.\n"I thought Grant was going to put it in himself," Dillon said. "When I saw that puck laying there in the crease, my eyes lit up. I thought 'You know, if I don't score this one I'm never gonna score this year.' It was an easy goal."\nHoldeman was impressed with his play after watching Dillon struggle while recovering from a broken hand during the first half of the season.\n"It was good to see him finally get a goal," he said. "He's really a great skater. The hand really limited his playing time, and toward the end of the semester, he was just getting back and had lost a step. He looks more fit after the break. He's played a semester now, and he's got more confidence. I'm very happy with the way he's played."\nSaturday night's match-up lacked the mauling and brawling that had become a trademark of the IU-Purdue hockey rivalry. There were a few scuffles, but for the most part, IU was able to resist deviating from its finesse game, which explains why the Hoosiers were able to outshoot the Boilermakers 154-34 during the weekend.\n"We got through the weekend, nobody got hurt and nobody got disqualified," said Holdeman. "So it was a good first weekend"
(01/11/02 6:09am)
Superficially, there isn't much significance behind the IU-Purdue hockey matchup this weekend. Since the Hoosiers (10-3-1, 2-1-1 Great Midwest Hockey League) moved from the Midwest Collegiate Hockey League to the more competitive GMHL, the two aren't even in the same league anymore, making the results of this weekend's home game without much consequence in terms of postseason positioning. \nBut this is no ordinary non-conference match-up, and this is no ordinary rivalry. \n"I don't care if you're playing ice hockey or football or checkers, IU-Purdue is a big deal," coach Rich Holdeman said. "They'll play their best game no matter what."\nHoldeman and his troops will play their first competitive game since Dec. 1 when they travel to Fishers, Ind., for the first game of the two-game series. The second game will be in Bloomington at the Franklin Southern Ice Center on South Henderson in front of what expects to be the biggest home crowd of the season.\n"It's a huge rivalry," Hoosiers' general manager Alex Kyrias said. "The fans come out in droves, whether it's here or Indianapolis."\nThe Boilermakers will match the Hoosiers in toughness and intensity, if not talent. Despite IU's thorough domination of scoring (outscored Purdue 24-2 total), last season's series climaxed with a Saturday night brawl that resulted in the ejection and suspension of four players.\n"There's sure to be some kind of tussle and a lot of roughhousing," Kyrias said.\nHoldeman echoed that thought. \n"We know it's going to be a tough challenge," he said. "Usually, the game is pretty scrappy and pretty physical. If we get drawn into a lot of scrappiness, it could get real ugly out there."\nAfter winning their first six games this year, the Boilermakers find themselves on a six-game losing streak, having been pummeled by both Butler and Ohio State in early December. \nFor the Hoosiers, tonight will be their first game this season without the services of defenseman Andy Bauermeister and winger Trent Washburn, who both left the team over the break for personal reasons. The two combined to play nine games this season. \nIn Washburn's place, the Hoosiers have added center Tom Orr, a graduate student formerly of the University of North Dakota. A veteran of the United States Hockey League, the 5-foot-11, 205-lb center could add an element of size and toughness to a finesse-laden Hoosier lineup. \nBut getting back into game shape is critical for Orr, who hasn't played competitive hockey in three years.\n"I think he's got some real potential," Holdeman said. "He's a very tough player; he's played at a very high level. He seems to be good at getting a shot off in traffic. He's very physically strong.\n"We'll give him some time to get his legs back, and I think he can contribute this season. We need a bigger physical presence, and he might be able to help us out in that regard."\nAfter a rigorous first week of practice, Orr estimated that it should take two to three weeks before he's back in game shape. Having skated with the UND hockey squad briefly during the 1997 season, Orr knows a thing or two about elite-level hockey and is impressed with what he's seen of his teammates.\n"I was surprised by the level of play," he said. "You don't hear much about Indiana hockey out in Minnesota or in Canada, but I was really impressed with the guys. There's a lot of talent on this team"
(01/08/02 4:36am)
Hoosier center Brandon Phillips doesn't scare anyone with his size.\nAt 5-foot-8, 155 pounds, the senior isn't the most imposing player on the ice, and more than a few opponents have watched him during the pre-game skate and anticipated the chance to squash him against the boards.\nBut any opponent who has ever felt the impact of Phillips' check knows better.\n"He's been a real spark plug for us his whole career," said coach Rich Holdeman. "Looking at him, you'd think he was a finesse player, but he's actually a fairly tough player. For a guy who's not too big, he's pretty tough and he hits real well."\nNow in his fourth season with the Hoosiers hockey team, Phillips has become a favorite among fans and teammates with his gritty, in-your-face style of two-way play. Although it's his spectacular offensive abilities that garners the most attention, Phillips is never shy about hurling his small frame at oncoming opponents.\n"I'm obviously a smaller guy," Phillips said. "But I like to play physical and get in the corners."\nPhillips remains the Hoosiers' active leader with 266 career penalty minutes, including two seasons where he led the team for time in the box. Though he's made a conscious effort to keep those numbers down this year, a mere 24 in 14 games, and fifth on the team, his aggressive nature doesn't hide for long.\n"Sometimes I let my emotions get the better of me," Phillips admitted. "I use my stick to my advantage and I don't always get away with it. This year, we're playing tougher teams and being a man down is really going to hurt us. But it's still fun to get a few penalties here and there."\nWith 18 points in 14 games, Phillips is on pace to set a career high in points-per-game. He was effective in the Big 10 Classic two weeks ago, tying for the tournament lead with five points and playing a key role in beating ACHA Division I leader, Penn State.\n"I was pretty excited just going into a game against Penn State and knowing how big of a win it would be for our program," Phillips said. "As a senior, we really wanted to make a statement for the program by beating a team of that caliber. We wanted to make a point."\nOffensively, Phillips is a player with creativity and a nasty streak, zipping around the ice with enough speed to create room for one of his wingers, or crush a back-checking defenseman behind the goal. \nHe is the perfect complementary player for his linemates, Bryan Grant and Dan Hauck, who are now in their second full season together and playing better.\n"It seems there's great chemistry together," said Holdeman. "Just for a fan of hockey, it's great to watch when guys know where their linemates are going to be without looking."\n The trio's impeccable chemistry on the ice is aided by the fact that they are good friends away from the rink as well. The three are living together for the second straight year and their matched enthusiasm for the game has drawn them closer together as teammates.\n "We're best friends on and off the ice, so it really works out well," Hauck said. "I've been playing with Brandon for two years now, and each year he's been better than the last. He's a real catalyst on the power play and penalty kill."\nAs Phillips continues to reach for career numbers, there's the matter of a National Championship title to be settled first.\n"I just want to win a national tournament," he said. "We've come close. Sophomore year we finished second. Beating Penn State shows what we can do, and I really think we can do it"
(11/30/01 5:00am)
When defenseman Brad Lutsch ended his college hockey career last season, many thought IU's lethal power play would soon follow. As the Hoosiers' all time leader in goals, assists and points, Lutsch was a four-year stalwart on the power play and effectively fulfilled the role of the team's strongest defenseman. But after a rocky start, the Hoosiers are up to their old tricks with the man advantage, most recently displayed last week when they went 3-for-5 against top competition in the Big Ten Classic. \nMuch of the credit for the turnaround belongs to senior defenseman Tim McMahon, team captain and heir to Lutsch's title as the squad's leading defenseman.\n"Tim's seeing a lot more time on the power play this year," coach Rich Holdeman said. "When Brad was here, he had the puck all the time, and it worked well, obviously. This year, we've had to find different ways to create offense and Tim's been a big part of that."\nAlthough not the sniper from the point that Lutsch was, McMahon has nevertheless taken well to his expanded role. \n"Brad always came out with the big shot and he was always a presence on the ice," McMahon said "We'd force the puck to him last year so he could get the shot on net. This year, I think my role is really just setting things up. I'm not shooting as much as I'd like to be. My responsibility is just to find the open man down low. Last weekend things were great."\nComing off of his best offensive season (31 points in 29 games), McMahon is off to another hot start with two goals and nine assists in the first 12 games. The swift skating defenseman has an exceptional eye for finding that open forward speeding through the neutral zone and quickly getting the puck up to him for an offensive break. \nBut McMahon is no run-of-the-mill, soft offensive defenseman. As a young Chicago Blackhawks fan growing up in South Bend, McMahon idolized future Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Chelios. The comparison is fitting as the 6-foot-2 195 lb. defenseman is, essentially, a collegiate Chelios; just as likely to crush an opponent with one of his signature thunderous open ice checks as he is to weave through a maze of defenders for an end to end rush.\n "I like to hit quite a bit," he said. "I grew up playing football, and I always had an older brother picking on me so I had to hold my own. I've always enjoyed the hitting aspect of the game, it just translated from football over to the ice."\nA former All-State linebacker at St. Joseph's High School in South Bend, McMahon brings a level of excitement to the Hoosier lineup with his willingness to step up in the neutral zone for those big, highlight reel hits. But he's earned even more respect for being able to play so aggressively without hurting his team by taking unnecessary penalties.\n"He has a good eye for being able to line people up and play the body," said Holdeman. "But he's really a clean player, he doesn't take that many penalties. I don't think discipline was every really a problem for him."\nAs impressive as he's been on the power play, McMahon's most impressive contributions this season might have come in the locker room. This is his first season as team captain, having been voted by his teammates along with fellow-senior Dan Hauck. So far, the ex-linebacker has gotten nothing but kudos for his team leadership.\n"He speaks when he needs to speak. He leads by example on the ice and is one of the better captains we've had," said Assistant coach Chris Quimby. "He's not necessarily just a leader on the ice, he does it on the bench and in the locker room as well. He's a great role model for our younger players."\nMcMahon said he will be looking to continue his outstanding season tonight as the Hoosiers play their final two games of the semester against former MCHL rival University of Dayton. Face-off is 7:30 p.m. today and tomorrow and the Frank Southern Center Ice Arena on South Henderson.
(11/27/01 5:51am)
Saturday night the Hoosiers (8-3-1,2-1-1) began what they hope will be a new Thanksgiving tradition by winning the first ever Big Ten Thanksgiving Classic Championship. IU upset American Collegiate Hockey Association Division I leader Penn State 6-4 en route to a Great Midwestern Hockey League showdown against Michigan State for the title.\n"I don't think it was our biggest game, but I think it was our biggest win ever," general manager Alex Kyrias said. "Penn State doesn't lose."\nBefore the upset, the Icers hadn't lost in 16 games, a fact that was clearly weighing in the minds of a temporarily awestruck Hoosier team. Penn State jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first 10 minutes of the game.\n"I think we were a little nervous because of Penn State's aura and everything," senior Bryan Grant said. Grant tied for the team lead with five points during the tournament. "They're supposed to be the best team right now, and I think we let that get to us at the beginning of the game."\nDespite being outshot 39-21, the Hoosiers were able to hold off the Penn State offense primarily thanks to the heroics of sophomore goaltender Charlie Pulley. Pulley stopped 67 of 72 shots over the weekend.\n"Charlie Pulley played amazing this weekend," Kyrias said. "He was phenomenal."\nIU tied the game at three before the first intermission as seniors Brandon Phillips, Bryan Grant and freshman David Ravensberg all beat Icers' goalie Geoff Beauparlant. Grant and Phillips each scored again to beat Penn State.\n"The impact of this could be felt down the road," said Kyrias. "This gets us a lot of recognition from alumni, from possible recruits. Years down the road, a kid could be looking at Penn State and IU and decide Indiana can play at the level of Penn State."\nA 4-1 win over the Spartans on Saturday sealed the tournament championship for the Hoosiers, who received big plays from some unlikely sources. Sophomore David Dassell, whose hard-nosed agitating style of play doesn't usually allow for many offensive numbers, got in on the scoring with two goals against the Spartans -- his second and third of the year. \n"It's always good to get goals from guys that play on the 3rd and 4th line," Grant said. With his weekend performances, Grant overtook Ravensberg to reclaim the top spot on Hoosier scoring chart. \n"Those guys go out there every night to play physical and intimidate. When they score it's a plus. That whole line of Dassell, Mat Howard and Ed Karasek played incredibly well Saturday night."\nThe Hoosiers won't have much time to celebrate their victory as they prepare for their final two games of the first semester against former conference rival, Dayton.
(11/09/01 5:41am)
It might not be the best team the Hoosiers have faced this year, and when the 2001-02 hockey season is said and done with, it certainly wouldn't have been the most important game the Hoosiers played this year. But rest assured, there are more than a few IU players who have Saturday night's match against Michigan State at the Frank Southern Center circled on their calendar. \n"If you can't get up for this one, you need to have your head examined," said assistant coach and general manager Alex Kyrias.\nIU and the Spartans have met in the ACHA National Championships each of the last five years, and the result has become a heated rivalry between the two teams that should be in full effect tomorrow night.\n"There's a lot of bad blood there," said senior Adam Federman. "There's eight of us seniors that have really been affected by Michigan State. We're looking forward to taking them out."\nThe last time these teams met was in the 2001 National Championships, where the squads finished in an intense 1-1 tie. But the Hoosiers needed a win to advance to the next round, and the Spartans were able to move on despite the deadlocked score.\n"We've got a long history with Michigan State," said coach Rich Holdeman. "They really took it to us last year."\nAlthough Saturday night's matchup holds particular significance for most of the white and red, they can't be looking too far ahead as they may have an even more difficult task Friday night. Ferris State comes into town after splitting last weekend with the Spartans.\nThis will be the first game between IU and an inter-conference opponent as the Great Midwestern Hockey League opens its inaugural season. The Hoosiers are looking to bounce back from a rough weekend in which they got swept by national champions Life University. Ferris State took Life to overtime in the national semifinals last year.\n"If we're still feeling sorry for ourselves about last weekend we will get buried this weekend," said Holdeman. "I'm hoping we'll be able to refocus and realize we have a job to do."\nThe good news for the Hoosiers is the recent use of their power play, which finally seems to have developed chemistry and accounted for all four Hoosier goals last Friday night. \n"We changed a few things around. It's looking good. We were moving the puck around well. We finally have a group out there that knows where everyone else is going to be," said senior and power play forward Bryan Grant. "We might not have scored Saturday night but we're getting chances out there."\nThe bad news remains the Hoosier injury troubles. Freshman defenseman Jamie Dillon is doubtful after possibly fracturing his hand against Life, while sophomore grinder David Dassell also could miss action with a pulled muscle in his back. \nThe puck will be dropped at the Frank on South Henderson against Ferris State 7:30 p.m. today and again at the same time against the Spartans tomorrow.
(11/07/01 5:03am)
The hockey team is still trying to figure out what happened this weekend.\nFifty-four minutes into Friday night's game, the Hoosiers were comfortably holding on to a 4-2 lead over the defending American Collegiate Hockey Association Division II champions, Life University. Sophomore goalie Charlie Pulley was a force in the net, robbing the Running Eagles on several opportunities. The Hoosier offense was on, as the previously struggling power play unit converted for all four IU goals. But as the seconds on the clock ticked away in the third period, the Hoosiers began to unravel. \nIU took two consecutive penalties that led to Life goals, and suddenly the Hoosiers' thus far dominating game had been nullified in a tie. With just three minutes remaining, a Life defender flipped a puck that was apparently headed over top of the Hoosier net.\n"I don't know what the ref was looking at," senior defenseman Adam Federman said. "It just knocked everybody down with a minute and a half to go. It deflates the whole team."\nSuddenly down 5-4, the Hoosiers pulled their goalie in a desperate attempt to spark some offense. But the damage had already been done, as Life scored on the open net to close the scoring at 6-4.\n"When you're winning the whole game, it's hard to play catch-up for a minute and a half," Federman said. "That was a heartbreaker."\nThat one goal not only gave the Hoosiers their first defeat, it completely wiped out their confidence. They came out for Saturday night's game looking flat and found themselves down 3-0 at the end of the first.\n"I really feel like we lost Saturday night's game in the last five minutes on Friday," coach Rich Holdeman said. "The guys were pretty devastated. They didn't really play with the kind of intensity we needed. We could have salvaged the weekend, but we were still kind of licking our wounds from the night before."\nThe Hoosiers began to vent their frustration in the third period, when Federman, senior forward Bryan Grant and junior defenseman Andy Bauermeister were all ejected for an altercation. Life University freshman Lance Haines took a cheap shot at sophomore goaltender Josh Block, and a fight ensured.\n"He hit our goalie; that's a no-no in hockey," Federman said. "Andy went up and got in his face, then I came in. I turned around and there's a guy flying in at me, so I just took a swing, and his helmet ended up flying off."\nThe Hoosiers received even more bad news as junior defenseman Tim McMahon and freshman defenseman Jamie Dillon were hobbled by hip and hand injuries respectively. The Hoosiers went on to lose 7-0. For the second consecutive season, IU was swept by the Running Eagles.\n"Friday, we played 55 minutes of really good hockey and five minutes of terrible hockey. In a 60 minute game, you're gonna lose like that," said Grant. "I don't even know what to say about Saturday, it was ugly."\nGrant contributed one of the few positive notes of the weekend, although he didn't figure in on much of the Hoosier offense, he seemed unphased by a shoulder injury that left him questionable for both games.\n"It's still a little sore, but I made it through the weekend," he said.\nThe Hoosiers begin Great Midwest Hockey League action against Ferris State and Michigan State.