Steelheads dash RoadRunners' playoff hopes

Note for Season Ticket Holders: Don?t wait! Renew your season tickets for the 2009-2010 season today. Pay your balance in full prior to April 4, 2009 and receive a 10% discount. Call Will Hoenike at (208) 472-2103 to renew.Interested in becoming a Steelheads season ticket holder? Secure your seat for the 2009-2010 season and get a seat for the remaining 08-09 regular season home games FREE! Call a ticket account executive at 383-0080 for more information. The Idaho Steelheads (42-23-4) and Phoenix RoadRunners (29-34-5) finished the first period with Idaho in front 3-2, and that?s how the game would end; with the loss, Phoenix is eliminated from playoff contention. 3,134 fans took in the game at Qwest Arena. Brandon Svendsen picked up a Bryan McGregor rebound to put the Steelheads in front 48 seconds into the game; Tyler Shelast also assisted on the goal, Svendsen?s fourth. David Rutherford tied the game less than seven minutes later for Phoenix, before Matt Cook put the Steelheads on top for good with his first professional tally. Cook?s goal at 14:22 was assisted by Blake Friesen and Matt McKnight; for Friesen, the assist was his first professional point. Less than three minutes later, McGregor gave the Steelheads some insurance, which proved to be the game-winner. McGregor?s 31st was assisted by Shelast. David Rutherford scored before the first period expired, but it was not enough to pull the RoadRunners back into the game. In the third period, the physical play picked up when Phoenix?s Gino Guyer crashed into Idaho netminder Matt Climie; Climie tackled Guyer in the Idaho crease, and both players were assessed minor penalties. Climie?s record improves to 27-12-1 with the win; he stopped 22 of 24 pucks that headed his way. Kyle Jones suffered the loss for Phoenix; he is now 8-15-2. He turned aside 38 of 41 Steelheads shots. The teams play again tomorrow night. The puck drops at 7:10 PM at Qwest Arena.