Q&A With Indiana Ice Forward Blake Coleman

Blake Coleman is a rugged forward who's looking to help the Indiana Ice bring home the USHL Clark Cup Championship for the 2nd straight year. The forward who's from the Dallas Area of Suburb of Plano is having a pretty strong season as he started the season with the Tri-City Storm as he was mostly used as a set up man and was an important part of the PP where 7 of his 12 points with the Storm came on the PP.

Then back in December, he got traded from the Tri-City Storm to the Indiana Ice where he's starting to get more goal scoring chances and starting to improve his defense as well.

He has 27 points in 56 games played this season and will be looking to help bring the Ice their 2nd Straight Clark Cup and he also signed with Miami of Ohio University this season as he looks to bring a strong end to his junior career with a strong playoff run this spring.

In the Q&A I asked him about being traded, playing Cedar Rapids in the playoffs and why he choose the Miami of Ohio to play College Hockey.


Blake Coleman Player Profile: http://ushl.stats.pointstreak.com/playerpage.html?playerid=3200319&seasonid=4429


Here's the Q&A

1. What the biggest adjustment you have had to make when you got traded from the Tri-City Storm to the Indiana Ice back in December.

Earning my spot on the team and respect of my teammates.

2. Even though you weren't their for the USHL Clark Cup Championship last year, what has the coaching staff been saying about winning a championship as an underdog with the Ice being the #3 seed in the East Division playoffs?

As you win the little battles and pay attention to small details you will win.

3. What part of your game needs to improve the most with the playoffs about to start and with you going to Miami of Ohio after your junior hockey career is over?

Making sure I'm solid defensively and stopping all the pucks.

4. What made you decide on going to Miami of Ohio for your hockey career? What is it the coaching staff, style of play, something you wanted to study, stuff behind the scenes?

It's a nice town, respectable programs, good coaches, and the girls didn't hurt either.

5. Is your team excited or not in your opinion that the Ice are going to play the Cedar Rapids Roughriders in the opening round of the playoffs for the 2nd straight year?

Very Excited, because it's a team we will match up well with.

6. Best & Worst Part about living and playing in Indianapolis?

Best: Teamates and the Housing Worst: Gas used from so much driving.

7. Your favorite and most dreaded road trips in the USHL?

Best: Chicago Steel Worst: Lincoln Stars

8. Best way to get hyped up for a game?

Music

Jacob Fallon lands with the Indiana Ice

After leaving the USNTDP without much explanation a few weeks ago up in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It was reveled last week that he will play the rest of the season with the defending USHL Clark Cup Champion Indiana Ice. The Southlake native who will turn 18 next month haven't seen much ice time this season where he played just 6 games with the USNTDP where he scored just 2 points in a game back on 12/19 against the Youngstown Phantoms just before the League's Winter Break.

While some thought that he was leaving for the Seattle Thunderbirds where his Major Junior Rights are, he is also committed to play his college hockey with the Michigan Wolverines after this season. To get to the point where he can impress both the Thunderbirds and the Michigan program's, he will need to pick up the pace the rest of the season with the Ice where in 8 total games has just 2 points and hasn't shown very much in the way of being a scoring threat, being physcial away from the puck or hasn't been great on defense.

He's hoping to make a fresh start after a less then successful time with the USNTDP. He's hoping to put that time behind him and focus on helping the Ice move up in the East Division, and be in a position to challenge the Omaha Lancers, Fargo Force and Green Bay Gamblers as they are the main contenders for the USHL Clark Cup Championship this season.

Hopefully, just the fact that's he done with the USNTDP situation and getting a chance to make a fresh start at this point in his hockey career will hopefully help out the team and Fallon getting more valuable playing time on the ice. As for the team record, the Ice are in 3rd place in the East Division with a 19-14-2 record (40 points), the Ice trail the Cedar Rapids Roughriders by 4 points and 1st round home ice, while they lead the Waterloo Blackhawks and Chicago Steel by 4 and 5 points as the 2 teams battle for the final playoff spot in the East.

He made his Indiana debut last weekend in a weekend series against the Tri-City Storm where he didn't register a point and getting used to his new surroundings. This weekend coming up as the Ice will have 3 games, starting with a Friday and Saturday weekend tilt with the Chicago Steel, then it's a return to Ann Arbor to take on the USNTDP on Sunday afternoon.

USHL Website: www.ushl.com

Indiana Ice Team Website: www.indianaice.com

Jacob Fallon Team Profile: www.pointstreak.com/prostats/playerpage.html?playerid=3213748&seasonid=4429

Upcoming Indiana Ice Schedule All times are CST

1/29: VS. Chicago Steel 6:05 PM

1/30: VS. Chicago Steel 6:05 PM

1/31: @ USNTDP 2:05 PM

2/3: @ Youngstown Phantoms 9:00 AM

2/8: VS. Waterloo Blackhawks 11:05 AM