Sinclair's Late Goal Lifts Steelheads To Dramatic 3-2 Win Over Thunder

Steelheads? rookie forward Colin Sinclair scored with 23 seconds left in the third period to push the Steelheads to a 3-2 win over the Thunder in front of 4,843 fans at Qwest Arena on Friday night.With time winding down in regulation, Sinclair took Kory Scoran?s pass and moved down the left wing wall where he rolled a backhander towards the short side post, which was fought off by Thunder goaltender Tim Boron (34 saves). The rebound however was grabbed by Sinclair and from the goal line he deked Boron and slipped the puck five-hole for his first tally since December 29, 2007, a span of 29 games. John Lammers added the second assist on Sinclair?s second game-winner and his fifth overall on the season.The Steelheads (36-22-9) have now won the first two games of this series to improve to 4-3-0 against the Thunder (25-36-3) this season and 20-6-7 on home ice.Midway through the first period Marty Flichel put the Steelheads in front 1-0 with his 18th goal of the year, as he collected a rebound off Lammers? backhander and beat Boron. The Thunder evened the score less than four minutes later on a blast from inside the left point by defenseman Tim O?Connell. Tim Verbeek and Frederik Johansson set up the power play goal, O?Connell?s third of the year.Lammers then potted a man advantage marker with 1:53 left in the frame, grabbing a bouncing puck off Lance Galbraith?s shot and stuffing it past Boron for his 27th of the campaign. Taggart Desmet also factored into the scoring.After one period the Steelheads led 2-1, while out-shooting the Thunder 16-9.At 13:02 of the second period he Thunder tied the game at two when Johansson shot the puck off the offensive draw through the legs of Steelheads? goaltender Kellen Briggs (23 saves) for his 11th of the season, a shorthanded tally. From the Steelheads? vantage point there was some controversy surrounding the marker, as Briggs wasn?t set when the puck was dropped to his right, but center Aaron Gagnon did have his stick on the ice.Sinclair?s marker was the only tally for either side in the third period. The final shots favored the Steelheads 37-25. The home team went one-for-six on the power play and the Thunder one-for-seven. Briggs earned his second straight victory and his 17th overall while Boron dropped to 11-15-2 on the year.The Steelheads wrap up their ?Pink In The Rink? home series with the Thunder on Saturday, March 22. The puck drops at 7:10 p.m. MST. All the action can be heard live on 1350 AM, KTIK ?The Ticket? or via the B2 Networks. Don?t forget, Steelheads? single-game tickets can be purchased via www.idahosteelheads.com (using the print-at-home feature), by calling 331-TIXS or from the Qwest Arena box office.