Indiana Ice Fall Classic Part II

In 2008-09, Indiana Ice center Mike Cichy proved he was certainly draft-worthy by obliterating the USHL competition with 24 goals and 23 assists in 30 regular-season games after being traded from the Tri-City Storm in early January. Cichy's USHL playoff-leading 25 points in 13 games didn't hurt his standing for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, either, nor did leading World Junior A Challenge in scoring and being named the Tournament MVP. The only reason it was a surprise that the Montreal Canadiens came calling in the seventh round of the 2009 NHL Draft was that it was so late.

In 2009-10, the Ice have a number of prospects hoping to follow in Cichy's footsteps and prove themselves worthy of selection in the NHL Entry Draft after going unselected in their first year of draft eligibility. In addition, teammate Nic Dowd was selected in his second year of draft eligibility by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2009 Draft after skating in Tier II junior A with the Wenatchee Wild of the North American Hockey League in the 2009 Draft. So, Indiana prospects like Sean Logue, Cab Morris, and Justin Agosta have reason for hope with strong performances in 2009-10.

McKeen's correspondent Kevin Wey had the opportunity to catch the Indiana Ice in action at the 2009 USHL Fall Classic and in Part II of the Indiana report, Wey enters notes on Nic Dowd, Sean Logue, Cab Morris, and Justin Agosta, as well as a gigantic defenseman making the transition from forward.

Nic Dowd (LA), C, Indiana

Good all-around hockey player .. plays a fairly physical game .. able to really thrust up into his hits and can do so in open ice .. also lays out some big hits along the boards .. good effort on the forecheck .. helps his defensemen down low and willing the engage physically to get the puck and start the breakout .. maintains poise in stick battles .. possesses a decent set of hands and is able to draw the puck in well to maintain possession in a crowd or establish possession .. also able to execute some nifty lateral stickhandling moves, including out wide .. has a hard slapshot that he can get off with little wind-up .. also has a nice one-timer .. demonstrates good two-way hockey sense in making reads when to help teammates out around the puck and when to go to a hole to become an option .. makes crisp, accurate passes and is a threat off the half boards .. looks likely to be Indiana's number one center and will be able to play in all scenarios .. committed to St. Cloud State .. played for the Wenatchee Wild of the NAHL in 2008-09 and scored 16 goals and 33 assists in 43 games, as well as adding 71 penalty minutes .. scored 1 goal in 3 games at the 2009 USHL Fall Classic .. scored 1 goal in 4 games for the entire preseason.

Sean Logue (2010), RW, Indiana

One of the most impressive physical forwards at the 2009 USHL Fall Classic .. played a confident, aggressive game and absolutely leveled a number of opponents .. finishes his checks on the forecheck and also at the point in the defensive zone .. also puts in a nice effort on the penalty kill .. not just a banger, has some skill .. quite quick off the half boards and will drive the net .. quick laterally, too .. able to get off a quick shot .. uses his body and reach well to shield the puck and to establish position for the puck early in puck battles .. does a good job of taking a look when skating into the corner for loose pucks .. can make some nice stickhandling moves and make opposing defensemen bite .. listed at 6-foot-0, 192 pounds, but you'd swear he was even bigger .. ranked by CSS as the 141st overall amongst North American skaters entering the 2009 NHL Entry Draft but went unselected .. a strong season in the USHL and continued physical impact could certainly make Logue a strong candidate to go in the 2010 Draft .. committed St. Lawrence .. played for South Shore Kings of the EJHL in 2008-09 and scored 16 goals and 18 assists in 42 games, as well as adding 104 penalty minutes .. scored 1 goal in 2 games at the 2009 USHL Fall Classic .. scored 1 goal in 3 games for the entire preseason.

Adam Phillips (2010), D, Indiana

Towering 6-foot-6 forward converting to defense .. a tad slow and a bit upright, but a fairly smooth skater .. pivots from backward to forward are a bit slow, but smooth .. flashes a powerful stride and some top speed at times, though .. one of the better-skating big men at the Fall Classic .. makes crisp, accurate breakout passes .. able to execute some quick, hard first passes and some high saucer passes .. makes crisp, quick point-to-point passes .. does a good job of keeping his head on a swivel and tracking the opposition .. looks like he's always played defense and has potential as a fairly-skilled gigantic defenseman .. listed at 184 pounds, but didn't look that lanky .. third year of draft eligibility, and the discerning eye will pay attention to Phillips .. no college commitment of yet .. played for the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League in 2008-09 and scored 20 goals and 29 assists in 37 games as a forward .. went without a point in 2 games at the 2009 USHL Fall Classic .. went without a point in 4 games for the entire preseason.

Cab Morris (2010), G, Indiana

Inconsistent showings .. 6-foot-3, 196-pound goalie maintains a very compact butterfly .. showed some quickness to his posts, but at other times was a bit slow laterally and got beaten because of it .. can be quick down and up .. rebound control was inconsistent .. at times, he did a good job allowing no rebounds, and at others had rebounds ending up all over the place .. was really on his angles in second viewing despite what the score ended up .. ranked 12th overall amongst North American goaltenders by CSS for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft but went undrafted .. did show some potential, just hope to see consistently strong showing for a full 60 minutes .. no college commitment of yet .. played prep hockey for Hotchkiss in 2008-09 and compiled a 2.12 G.AA and a .922 save percentage in 881 minutes over 17 games .. played 93:12 over 2 games at the 2009 USHL Fall Classic and went 0-1-0 with a 3.86 G.AA, and a .860 save percentage .. played 149:27 over 3 games for the entire preseason and went 0-2-0 with a 3.21 G.AA, and a .877 save percentage.

Justin Agosta (2010), D, Indiana

More of an offensive defenseman, but needs to improve his skating stride .. doesn't have much knee bend in his stride and needs to lengthen his stride .. could use more explosiveness and top speed .. has a decent offensive presence .. makes crisp, hard, accurate passes .. able to execute some long-distance bullet passes .. maintains calm with the puck despite his lack of speed and has the offensive vision to spot open teammates .. has good patience at the point with the puck .. also has a hard wristshot from the point .. snapshot is hard and crisp .. 6-foot-1, 200-pound defenseman plays with some physicality and will step up to make some hits .. has a lot of the offensive tools and is decent defensively, mainly needs to work on his stride .. in his second year of eligibility and has a chance of being selected, particularly if he can improve his stride during the season .. committed to New Hampshire .. played prep hockey for Berkshire in 2008-09 and scored 10 goals and 28 assists in 32 games .. had 1 assist in 3 games at the 2009 USHL Fall Classic and 2 assists in 4 games for the entire preseason.

On the Radar

Although McKeen's did not take a lot of notes on him at the Fall Classic, big defenseman Alexander Kuqali is on the radar. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound blueliner played for the Alpena Ice Diggers of the NAHL in 2008-09 and scored a modest 2 goals and 6 assists in 42 games. His size alone garners some interest, but he showed a penchant for some physical play to stand up opponents in the neutral zone, or at least near the blueline. Kuqali had an assist in 2 games the Fall Classic and 1 assist in 4 games for the entire preseason.