Indians sweep Team USA

Call it a case of redemption for the Soo Indians.

Back in October, the US National Development Program Under-17 team swept a two game series from the Soo Indians at the Chi Mukwa Community Recreation Centre.

This weekend, the Indians came ready to play and gave the Under-17 team a taste of their own medicine as they swept the national team by 3-1 and 6-1 scores on Friday and Saturday night.

The US National Team Development Program, or USNTDP, is split up into two teams with one group as the Under-18 team, featuring predominately 17-year-olds playing most of their non-international games against Division 1 colleges in the U.S., while the Under-17 team, made up of 16-year-olds, competes in the North American Hockey League when not competing in international competition.

The Under-17 team, which was in town to face the Indians over the weekend, features some of the best 16-year-olds in the U.S. and among them is Blake Geoffrion, who is the grandson of former Montreal Canadiens great Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion. His great-grandfather is another former Montreal great, Howie Morenz. To say that hockey is in this young man's blood is an understatement.

Geoffrion did not factor into the scoring in either game against the Indians though as Team USA saw their record drop to 16-9-1 on the season while the Indians, who have now won three straight games, improved their record to 12-11-2 as they attempt to climb further up the NAHL's North Division standings.

On Friday night, Team USA opened the scoring as Billy Sweatt scored midway through the opening period but the Indians came out firing in the second period and scored three unanswered goals to earn the win. Matt Jones, Joe Beaudry and Ryan Ward scored for the Indians while Jason Kearney picked up the victory.

Saturday night saw the Indians pick up where they left off on Friday night as they got to Team USA starter Joe Palmer early and often.

Derek Stabile scored his first goal of the season at 2:24 to open the scoring after which Joey Bacon scored at the four minute mark to hep the Indians open up a two goal lead. Nik Sellers then chased Palmer from the game at 5:20 when he one-timed a shot past the US netminder to give the Indians a 3-0 edge.

The Indians weren't done there as Tommi Maata scored with 22 seconds left in the period to pace the Indians to a 4-0 advantage after one period.

It was a little more of the same in the second period as Kellan Chamblee scored in the opening minute and Drew Satterley scored at 11:26 to send the game into the third with the Indians holding a 6-0 advantage.

In the third, the Indians thought they had made the scored 7-0, but a disallowed goal by referee Barry Pochmara, who ruled the net had been knocked off its pegs, changed that in a hurry.

Late in the period, with Team USA on the power play, Michael Carman broke the shutout bid by Kearney but it was too little, too late as the Indians picked up the 6-1 victory.

Indians head coach Joe Shawhan was pleased with his team's effort over the weekend and said that the commitment the players have put in of late is a good sign.

"We're getting better (lately)," Shawhan said. "The guys are really committed considering what we've been through (with the possibility of the team folding at season's end). We're doing the little things right and we're playing much better hockey. The guys that we have here now really deserve to win."

Shawhan also commented on the play of Kearney between the pipes as the veteran netminder has been strong since coming over to the Indians along with Craig Richardson and Matthew Buckley in a trade with the Texarkana Bandits.

"He's a great goalie," Shawhan said. "I'm going to be calling Lake State on Monday to get them to check him out. They've got a great goalie to recruit right in their own backyard."

With the addition of Kearney, the Indians had a logjam in goal as Crag Vardy and Troy Redmann were also in the mix but Vardy recently committed to Lebanon Valley, a Division 3 college and will be starting his college career there which leaves the Indians with a sturdy tandem of Kearney and Redmann.

The Indians next action will be next weekend when the head to Youngstown, Ohio to take on the first-place Phantoms.Then the Indians first action after the Christmas break will be Jan 7 and 8 at Youngstown and on Jan 9 in Toledo.

Next home action for the Indians will be on Jan. 21 and 22 when they face Toledo.