Steelheads Now Face Elimination After 3-2 Double Overtime Loss To Aces

Aces? defenseman Derick Martin netted the game-winning goal 2:34 into double overtime, lifting the home team to a 3-2 win over the Steelheads in Game Three of the National Conference Quarter Finals in front of 5,843 fans at Sullivan Arena on Saturday night.Martin?s second of the playoffs, a shot from the left wing boards that found its way through traffic and over the left shoulder of Steelheads? goaltender Matt Zaba (33 saves), saw the assists go to Michael Lambert and Bo Cheesman.The Steelheads (0-3) are now on the brink of elimination in the best-of-seven series, needing to win four consecutive games against the Aces (3-0) if they are going to advance out of the first round.At 12:04 of the opening period the Aces collected the game?s first goal for the third straight match, converting at the end of a power play. On the play, Lambert earned his first tally of the postseason, skating out from behind the Steelheads? net and eventually wristing a shot behind Zaba. Olivier Filion and Cam Keith grabbed the assists.Through one period of play the shots favored the Steelheads 9-8, but they trailed heading into the dressing room for the fourth straight intermission in the series.Early in the second period Lance Galbraith slapped a shot from the left wing wall that trickled through the legs of Marek Schwarz (32 saves) to pull the Steelheads even at one. Rookie defenseman Michael Beynon and John Lammers registered the assists on Galbraith?s first of the series, with Beynon?s helper marking his first professional point.Less than a minute later the Aces answered when Olivier Filion rolled a shot from the bottom of the right circle that squirted through the legs of Zaba to make it 2-1.Then, at the 12:32 mark of the second period, Taggart Demet buried his team-leading fourth of the series, ripping Andrew Martin?s centering feed just inside the far post for an even-strength tally. Lammers also drew an assist.Through two periods the shots favored the Aces 17-16 and the game was tied 2-2.After a scoreless third period, in which the Aces gained 10 shots and the Steelheads picked up nine, the game headed to the first sudden death overtime. After regulation the shots favored the Aces 27-25. A stalemate in the first extra session ensued, and it was on to double overtime. In the 2007 Kelly Cup Playoffs, the Steelheads were 4-0 in overtime and 2-0 in double overtime. The final shots ended even at 34 apiece. The Steelheads went zero-for-four on the power play, while the Aces finished one-for-three. The game lasted 82:34, and dropped the Steelheads to 18-9 on the road in their Kelly Cup Playoffs history.The 2008 Kelly Cup Playoffs, presented by RC Willey, continue as the Steelheads and Aces hook up again, with Game Four of the National Conference Quarter Finals coming on Sunday, April 13. The puck drops from Sullivan Arena in Anchorage at 9:15 p.m. MST. All of the Steelheads? postseason action can be heard live on 1350 AM, KTIK ?The Ticket? or via the B2 Networks. Don?t forget, Steelheads? single-game playoff 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.