Steelheads Score Two Unanswered in Final Period For 2-1 Win over Utah
BOISE, ID – The Idaho Steelheads (55-10-1-2, 113pts) finished the home portion of their regular season schedule (32-4) in Boise defeating the Utah Grizzlies (32-32-4-0, 69pts) by a final score of 2-1 Friday night at the Idaho Central Arena in front of 5,196 fans. It was the 34th sellout in the 36th home game including the 33rdstraight. Idaho travels to Utah tomorrow for a game in West Valley Cit at 7:10 p.m.
Jordan Martel (16th) made it 1-0 for the second straight game about midway through the first period capitalizing on a turnover at the Idaho offensive blueline. Martel went in on a breakaway and from the left circle beat Adam Scheel with a wrist shot upstairs.
Despite outshooting the Grizzlies 15-7 in the middle frame Idaho couldn’t crack the code of Trent Miner who turned aside all 28 shots he faced in the first 40 minutes of work.
Short-handed early stages in the third period A.J. White (20th) picked the pocket of the Utah player below the right circle. White cut to the high slot and wristed a shot over the glove of Trent Miner tying the game at 1-1 at 7:37. Late in the third period White forced a turnover behind the offensive net. Wade Murphy (19th) came in and scooped the puck up and slid it into the cage on a wrap around with just 3:22 remaining giving Idaho a 2-1 victory.
Adam Scheel made 27 saves on 28 shots for the win while Trent Miner turned aside 45 of 47 he faced in the loss.
ICCU THREE STARS
- Wade Murphy (1-0-1, +1, 5 shots)
- A.J. White (1-1-2, +2, 5 shots)
- Adam Scheel (27 saves)
GAME NOTES
- Idaho finished 0-for-3 on the power-play while Utah was 0-for-2.
- Idaho outshot 47-28.
- Idaho is 71-30-13 all-time vs. Utah and 59-34-13 in Boise, ID at the Idaho Central Arena. The Steelheads are 13-4-0-0 against the Grizzlies this year.
- Demetrios Koumontzis (DNP), Zach Walker (DNP), Colton Kehler (IR), Justin Misiak (INJ), and Janis Svanenbergs (IR), did not dress for Idaho.
- With 4 games remaining Idaho needs two wins to set the league record for most wins in a season.
- With 8 available points Idaho needs 4 points to set the most points in a single season in league history.
- Wade Murphy scored his team leading seventh game winning goal of the year. He is tied for second in the league in that category.
- A.J. White scored a goal and added an assist for his 14th multi-point game.
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