Steelheads top Grizzlies in preseason opener, 5-3

(Boise, ID) ? Mark Derlago picked up where he left off, scoring a goal and handing out two assists as the Idaho Steelheads opened ECHL pre-season play with a 5-3 win over the visiting Utah Grizzlies in the Higgins and Rutledge ?Season Ticket Holders Only? game. Derlago, who was first-team All-ECHL last season after tallying 92 points, got Idaho on the board less than five minutes into the game with a tough goal in front of the net, giving Idaho a 1-0 lead. He assisted on Idaho?s second goal, feeding Mick Berge in front of the net who beat Andrew Engelage to give Idaho a 2-0 lead after one period. The crowd of more than 2,700 were treated to a pair of Idaho goals in the second period as well, one from Tomas Sinisalo and the other from Brandon Campos, as the Steelheads took a 4-0 lead six minutes into the second period. Utah didn?t go quietly however, tallying the next three goals to get within one. The score would remain 4-3 until defenseman Jason Fredricks buried an empty-net goal from mid-ice with just over a minute left to play to conclude the scoring. Billy Blas