Series Tied After Steelheads Lose Game Four in Stockton

The National Conference Finals are even at 2-2 after the Idaho Steelheads fell by a 7-2 score in Stockton to the Thunder in game four; the follow-up to Wednesday night?s triple-overtime Stockton win. John Swanson scored both goals for Idaho in the losing effort. The lone goal of the opening period put Stockton on top 1-0; the Thunder was on its first power play of the game when Steve Vanoosten fired a puck along the ice from the center of the blue line, and Matt Robinson tipped the puck over the shoulder of Idaho goalie Richard Bachman at 12:49. John Swanson tied the game for Idaho when he tapped home a rebound for his fifth of the playoffs at 4:55 of the second period; John-Scott Dickson and Brandan Kushniruk assisted on the goal. J.F. Caudron answered for Stockton when he converted on a two-on-one play to give Stockton the 2-1 lead. However, on the goal, a collision resulted in Bachman needing attention on the ice. He did stay in the game, but was scored on by Brett Hemingway before being pulled in favor of Rejean Beauchemin at 10:20 with the score at 3-1. Before the second period could end, Jason Pitton netted one more for the Thunder, who led 4-1 after two periods. The third period saw the Thunder tack on three more to go ahead 7-1 before Swanson scored his second of the game and sixth of the playoffs on a one-timer from the right circle with Idaho on a five-on-three advantage; the goal cut Stockton?s lead to 7-2. Bachman stopped 11 of 14, and suffered his first regulation loss of the playoffs to fall to 6-1-1. He lasted 30:54 before exiting. Rejean Beauchemin stopped 8 of 12 shots, and lasted 29:06. Pitton won for the second consecutive game, as he stopped 29 of 31 Idaho shots. He is now 2-0-0 in the playoffs. Game five of the best-of-seven series is scheduled for Saturday night at 8:30 PM MST.