Plagens Named Broadcaster of the Year

Idaho Steelheads radio and television play-by-play broadcaster Doug Plagens has been named the recipient of the 2010 ECHL Broadcaster of the Year Award as determined in voting by league broadcasters and media relations directors. Plagens received the honor at the ECHL?s annual sales, marketing, and communications meetings in Las Vegas. Plagens completed his second year behind on the mic for the Steelheads in 2009-10; a season that also saw him serve on the national television broadcast of the 2010 ECHL All-Star Game in Ontario, California. Aside from game broadcasts on ESPN Radio KTIK 1350 ?The Ticket?, Plagens is also responsible for hosting the nightly ?Bud Light Sports Talk Show? on KTIK, as well as providing play-by-play for Friday night Steelheads home games on Cable One, and assisting in the team?s media relations and sales efforts. ?Winning an award like this has always been a goal of mine,? Plagens said. ?And the fact that it?s voted on by the other broadcasters makes it extra special, because there are so many talented guys in the ECHL.? The Michigan Native was named as the fifth play-by-play voice in Steelheads history in September of 2008. Prior to arriving in Idaho, he served as a broadcasting assistant with the American Hockey League?s Syracuse Crunch, filling-in on radio and television broadcasts, providing color analysis, and hosting various pre-game, post-game, and intermission segments. The 2008 Master?s graduate of Syracuse University?s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications also filled-in on play-by-play for Syracuse Chiefs triple-A baseball, and previously served as the voice of Lake Forest College (IL) hockey and football while completing his undergraduate degree at the school. Plagens has also served as an intern for Major League Baseball and worked for the Detroit Tigers. The award adds to a plethora of hardware and accolades collected by the Steelheads organization this season. The Steelheads finished the regular season 48-17-7, clinching the Brabham Cup for achieving the top record during the ECHL?s regular season. The team went on to hoist the Taylor Cup as National Conference champions before falling to Cincinnati in the Kelly Cup finals. Derek Laxdal was named the league?s Coach of the Year and Mark Derlago was named first-team All-ECHL. Evan Barlow won the league?s All Star Game MVP award and Marty Flichel became the leading scorer in the organization?s history. Ticket plans for the 2010-2011 season are available right now, starting at just $275 per seat for all 36 home games during the regular season. Partial-season plans are also available. Contact the Steelheads front office at 208.383.0080 or log on to www.idahosteelheads.com for more information.