Beauchemin Perfect in Shootout, Steelheads Win in Ontario

The Idaho Steelheads (45-15-5) came away with two points in the three-game set in Ontario after tonight?s 6-5 shootout win over the Reign (29-27-10). Idaho bounced back after losing back-to-back games in regulation for the first time all season, and after falling 2-1 on Saturday night; the only time the Steelheads have lost a game in which they surrendered less than three goals all season. Matt McKnight scored the only goal in the first period to give Idaho a 1-0 lead after one period of play. Dustin Friesen fired a point shot from the left side, and Ontario?s Mike Zacharias made the save. The rebound, however, was gathered by McKnight, who did not miss at 15:43. Greg Hogeboom tied the game for Ontario on the power play when he capitalized on a bounce off the end boards, and popped the puck into the Idaho goal at 4:25. The Steelheads answered to regain the lead after going on three consecutive power plays, and the third one proved to be the charm. Marty Flichel unleashed a one-timer from the point after receiving a pass from Dustin Friesen, and the puck soared over the shoulder of Zacharias for the goal; Flichel?s 13th of the season. Mark Derlago also assisted on the goal. Tony Voce tied the game for Ontario at 0:34 of the third period on a back-door pass from Geoff Walker to make the score 2-2. Just over two minutes later at 2:58, Andrew Martens gave Ontario the 3-2 lead with one-timer from the blue line on the power play. At 4:41, Mark Derlago scored after just four seconds of power play time on a rip from the top of the left circle for his 37th of the season. Marty Flichel assisted on the goal. Friesen regained the lead for Idaho at 10:35 of the third period when he moved into the slot and fired home a Derlago pass for his fifth of the season. Evan Barlow also assisted, as Idaho took a 4-3 lead. Twenty-five seconds later, Matt McKnight picked up a Mark McCutcheon rebound and scooped the puck home for his second goal of the game, and 13th of the season. Guillaume Monast also assisted on the power play goal that gave Idaho a 5-3 lead. Ontario came roaring back, as Voce pulled Ontario to within a goal at 12:55 on a one-timer from the right circle, and Geoff Walker walked the puck from end-to-end at 17:42 to beat Idaho?s Rejean Beauchemin with a backhander at 17:42 to force overtime. In overtime, with the game tied 5-5, Idaho was forced to kill a two-minute interference penalty called on Monast, and they were successful. In the shootout, Marty Flichel was the only one of the 10 combined shooters for both teams to score, securing the win and the second point for Idaho. After stopping all five shooters, Beauchemin has turned away 17 of 18 shootout attempts against him this season. Rejean Beauchemin improved to 24-9-2 with the win; he stopped 17 of 22 shots for Idaho. Mike Zacharias stopped 30 of 35 for Ontario; he is 9-5-3 after the loss. The Idaho Steelheads return home to take on the Victoria Salmon Kings Wednesday, March 24th at 7:00 PM.