Steelheads Win in Vegas as Derlago Moves Point Streak to 11 Games

The Idaho Steelheads (31-11-3) and Las Vegas Wranglers (19-22-5) went to a shootout for the second night in a row, but this time the Steelheads prevailed by a 3-2 final score. Mark Derlago earned a goal and an assist in the game; his point streak now sits at 11 games. During the stretch, Derlago has 28 points on nine goals and 19 assists. The Steelheads got on the board first when Tyler Spurgeon scored his fourth goal in the last two games on the power play; Spurgeon tapped home the rebound from a Mark Derlago shot. With the assist, Derlago extended his point streak to 11 games. The second period was a duel between the netminders, as Idaho?s Rejean Beauchemin stopped all seven shots that traveled his way, and the Wranglers? Michael Ouzas made nine saves in the middle frame, which sent the game to the third period with the Steelheads maintaining their 1-0 lead. Just 1:38 into the third period, Ned Lukacevic put the Wranglers on the board, but Mark Derlago would regain the lead for the Steelheads less than three minutes later at 4:30 of the final frame. Derlago deked Ouzas after cutting to the goal from the right circle. Marty Flichel and Kevin DeVergilio tallied the assists on Derlago?s 18th of the season. At 8:18, Lukacevic tipped home an Alex Bourret point shot to tie the game for the Wranglers, and eventually force overtime, and later, a shootout for the second night in a row. In the shootout, Rejean Beauchemin was perfect in the Steelheads? net as he stopped all five Wranglers shooters. Tyler Spurgeon scored in the fourth round of the shootout for Idaho, which proved to be all the Steelheads would need to earn the victory and the second point from tonight?s game. Beauchemin stopped 13 of 15 shots in the game; his record improves to 17-6-1 with the win. Ouzas suffers the loss, and is now 16-17-4 after stopping 24 of 26 shots for the Wranglers. The teams will conclude the three-game set tomorrow at Orleans Arena. The action gets underway at 8:05 PM MST.