Indians, Cain finally come home

One might figure that Kevin Cain will welcome the feel of home ice when he steps behind the Soo Indians' bench on Wednesday night at Big Bear Arena.

Since Cain took over as head coach of the Indians earlier this month, the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League team has been logging the highway miles. In nine games with Cain in command, the Indians have played seven on the road.

Cain should have another reason to feel good about being on home ice when the Indians play host to the Blind River Beavers on Wednesday at 7:00. In the two games the Indians have played at home under Cain's watch, they have a 2-0 record. Overall, the Indians are 5-4 under Cain.

But Blind River presents a huge challenge to the Indians, with just two points standing between the two teams within the hotly-contested NOJHL.

"That's a well-coached team that can score a lot of goals," Cain said of the Beavers. "They have players who the (Lake Superior State University) Lakers are looking at."

The Indians enter play this week in second place with 46 points. Blind River is in fourth place but with 44 points, is just four points out of first.

The Indians dropped a pair of games on the road last weekend despite scoring 10 goals. They lost 8-5 to Abitibi and 6-5 to North Bay.