Steelheads Win in Alaska; Stay Undefeated

The Steelheads (6-0-0) stayed undefeated with a 5-3 win over the Alaska Aces (4-3-0) at the Sullivan Arena tonight. Weston Tardy?s first goal as a Steelhead proved to be the eventual game-winner. The Steelheads struck first against the Aces at 8:18 of the first period when Mathieu Tousignant sent a wrist shot past Alaska netminder Sebastian Dahm; Brandan Kushniruk and Michael Neal assisted on the goal, the first of Tousignant?s professional career. Moments later, the Aces? Moises Gutierrez, playing in his first game of the season, hit the Steelheads? Matt McKnight illegally; Gutierrez received a five-minute major for interference and a game misconduct. On the ensuing power play, the Steelheads? Marty Flichel scored his first of the season on a one-timer from the top of the left wing circle; the goal came at 13:41,with assists going to Brendan Milnamow and Tousignant. Before the first period could come to a close, the Aces would get themselves on the board. On a power play, Matt Stefanishion scored his fourth goal of the season, with assists going to Colin Hemingway and Alexandre Imbeault. Stefanishion would also score the only goal of the second period to send the teams into the locker rooms tied at 2-2 after 40 minutes. Stefanishion redirected a Tyson Marsh point shot for the equalizer at 17:24; Bryan Miller also assisted on the goal. Mark Derlago scored the first goal of the period for the Steelheads, putting Idaho up 3-2. For Derlago, the goal was his fourth of the season, assisted by Tyler Spurgeon and Evan Barlow. The goal came at 2:05 of the third. At 15:09 of the third, Weston Tardy followed a rush into the offensive zone, took a pass from Derlago, and pounded a puck by Dahm for the eventual game-winner. Spurgeon also assisted on Tardy?s goal. With Dahm pulled, Eric Boguniecki scored his first goal in an Aces uniform at 18:42 of the third, but it would be too little, too late for the Aces. Ashton Rome would find the empty net in the waning seconds of the contest to make the score 5-3. Flichel picked up an assist on Rome?s third goal in as many games. Richard Bachman improves to 3-0-0 by winning his third professional start; he stopped 20 of 23 shots. Dahm stopped 28 of 32 shots in a losing efford; he is 3-2-0 for the Aces. The Steelheads and Aces are back in action Saturday night; the puck drops at 9:15 MST. The Steelheads return home to take on the Utah Grizzlies on November 7th.