Steelheads Top Victoria with Season's Biggest Offensive Effort

The Idaho Steelheads (24-10-2) exploded for a season-high eight goals in an 8-2 win over the Victoria Salmon Kings (19-15-3) in Victoria tonight. Seven Steelheads had multi-point games, and Richard Bachman outdueled fellow All-Star goalie David Shantz as Idaho earned a split in the weekend two-game set. The Steelheads were also without their captain, Marty Flichel, who was serving the first game of a five-game suspension for a hit on Victoria defenseman Neil Petruic in Friday night?s 5-2 loss. The Steelheads scored on an early five-on-three advantage just 57 seconds into the contest as Mark Derlago fired home a rebound for his 10th of the season; Weston Tardy and John Swanson registered the assists on the goal. At 14:06, Evan Barlow completed a nice tic-tac-toe play with his college teammate Mark McCutcheon as Barlow fired the puck from the bottom of the right circle over the line behind David Shantz. Tardy also assisted on Barlow?s 13th of the season. John Swanson netted one more for the Steelheads before the first period could close as he found the top corner of the far side of the net to make the score 3-0. The goal came with a man-advantage, and was assisted by Derlago and Kevin DeVergilio. Derlago scored his second of the game at 5:45 of the second period when a pass through the crease bounced by Shantz. DeVergilio and Sergei Korostin assisted on the goal, which was Derlago?s 11th of the year, and second power play goal of the game. Olivier Filion and Wes Goldie gave the Salmon Kings life midway through the second period, as each Victoria veteran forward scored to cut the Idaho lead in half. However, Evan Barlow would extend the lead to three goals again when he scored his second of the game and 14th of the season in batting home a rebound that stemmed from a Mark McCutcheon shot. Swanson also assisted on the goal. Just 13 seconds later, Kevin DeVergilio streaked up the left side and fired a wrist shot by Shantz to give the Steelheads a 6-2 lead. The goal was DeVergilio?s eighth, assisted by Weston Tardy. After the sixth goal allowed by Shantz, the National Conference?s starting netminder in the upcoming All-Star Game was pulled by Victoria Coach Mark Morrison in favor of former Stockton Thunder and Las Vegas Wranglers goalie Glenn Fisher. Just 2:19 after Fisher?s entry to the game, Korostin scored his fourth goal in as many games to give the Steelheads a 7-2 lead. DeVergilio and McCutcheon assisted on the final goal of the four-goal second period. At 6:58 of the third, John Swanson added one more insurance tally for Idaho, as he broke through the Victoria defense with great speed, deked Fisher, and slid the puck under the down goaltender to make the score 8-2 with his 11th of the season. Richard Bachman earned the win in net, improving to 11-4-1 for Idaho. Bachman also tied a season-high for saves in a game with 33, a feat he last accomplished in a 5-1 win over Stockton on January 1, 2010. David Shantz lost the battle of National Conference All-Star goaltenders as he stopped 21 of 27 shots in 35 minutes of work. With the loss, Shantz is now 13-4-3. In a relief appearance, Fisher stopped eight of 10 shots. The Steelheads return home to play the Utah Grizzlies at Qwest Arena Wednesday night. The puck drops at 7:10 PM MST.