Derlago Sets New Single-Season Goal Mark, Bachman Perfect in Win Over Aces

Mark Derlago set a new Steelheads record for goals in an ECHL season, and Richard Bachman picked up his fourth shutout of his rookie season as the Idaho Steelheads (48-16-5) blanked the Alaska Aces (33-28-8) 2-0 in Anchorage tonight. The Steelheads and Aces battled to a scoreless tie after one period of play; Richard Bachman made seven saves for Idaho, and Billy Sauer was perfect making 12 saves on 12 shots in the net for Alaska. Evan Barlow broke the scoreless tie with his 32nd goal of the season at 0:34 of the second period when he trailed a two-on-one into the Aces? end; Mark Derlago and John Swanson were moving into the offensive zone, and Derlago found Barlow open for the one-timer from the high slot to beat Sauer for the game?s first tally. Idaho killed off an Aces power play in the final four minutes of regulation as Alaska was trying to net the tying goal with Idaho up by a single tally, but a bench minor penalty for too many men on the ice with 1:23 to go foiled the Aces? comeback. With Idaho on a power play and Sauer pulled from the Alaska net, Mark Derlago skated alone on the empty net and scored his 40th of the season at 19:17. The goal, assisted by Brendan Milnamow and Barlow, was Derlago?s 40th of the season, which sets a new record for most goals in a season by a Steelhead in the ECHL era. Derlago surpasses the 39-goal mark, which was previously reached by D?Arcy McConvey in the 2005-06 season, and Marty Flichel in the 2006-07 season. Richard Bachman stopped 25 of 25 shots in the Idaho net for his fourth shutout of the season. He is now 22-7-3. Sauer stopped 29 of 30; he falls to 5-3-1 with the loss. Idaho and Alaska will wrap-up this two-game set Wednesday night in Anchorage. The puck drops at 9:15 MST.