Steelheads Get Back on Winning Track, Stop Utah

The Idaho Steelheads (8-1-1) skated to a 7-2 victory over the Utah Grizzlies (4-3-0) tonight as seven different players tallied goals for the Steelheads. Tonight also marked the season debut for Ketchum, Idaho?s Cody Lampl, as well as Steelheads netminder Kevin Nastiuk. Less than three minutes into the contest, Marty Flichel scored his second power play goal in as many games to open the scoring. Flichel took a pass from John Swanson in the high slot, and fired a one-timer past Utah goalie Parker Van Buskirk. Utah answered at 3:31 of the first period when Ryan Kinasewich took a Dylan Hunter pass and beat Steelheads goalie Kevin Nastiuk, who was seeing his first action of the season. Nastiuk was signed when Rejean Beauchemin was loaned to Manitoba of the AHL. The Steelheads regained the lead when Flichel deposited another one-timer by Van Buskirk; his second goal, and third in two games on the power play, came with a two-man advantage as Utah?s A.J. Perry and Ryan Kinasewich were both serving minor penalties. The second period was all Idaho, as the Steelheads mustered three goals, including two more on the power play. At 12:55, Mike Stuart scored his first goal of the season on a shot from the blue line; Stuart?s goal was unassisted. Less than four minutes later, Kevin DeVergilio scored on the power play, picking the high-glove corner behind Parker Van Buskirk. Flichel and Tyler Spurgeon had the assists on DeVergilio?s tally. It only took another 23 seconds for the Steelheads to find the back of the net again; Ashton Rome picked up a Mathieu Tousignant rebound, making the score 5-1. The goal also prompted Utah Coach Kevin Colley to pull Van Buskirk in favor of Mitch O?Keefe. Before the period could end, Ryan Kinasewich scored his second of the game and 11th of the season to cut Idaho?s lead to three. In the second period, Ashton Rome was ejected for being the third man involved in an altercation between Utah?s Jake Gannon and Idaho?s John Swanson. The Steelheads tacked on the only two goals in the third period. The first came less than 30 seconds into the period, as Tyler Spurgeon netted one from point-blank for his third of the season. Barlow and Milnamow assisted on Spurgeon?s goal. Brandon Kushniruk added insult to injury with his second of the year, assisted by Mike Neal and Tousignant, at 11:47 of the third to give the Steelheads a 7-2 lead. Nastiuk earned the win, and improves to 1-0-0. He stopped 25 Utah shots. Parker Van Buskirk falls to 4-2 with the loss; he stopped 18 of 23 shots. O?Keefe stopped nine of 11 shots in relief. The Steelheads and Grizzlies are back in action at Qwest Arena Saturday night.