Spratt, penalty-kill key season-opening win

(West Valley City, UT) ? Jimmy Spratt turned aside 29 of 30 shots and the Idaho Steelheads successfully killed off 10 of 11 Utah power plays Friday night as the Steelheads knocked off the Utah Grizzlies, 4-1, in the season opener for both teams. Utah's lone power-play tally came in the first period when John Armstrong pushed the puck past Spratt after Nick Tuzzolino's shot was stopped. That score held through one period. Utah started the second period on the power play due to an Adam Huxley roughing penalty at the 20-minute mark of the first period, but that didn't deter Idaho. Chad Klassen fed the puck to Kael Mouillierat who skated the puck up the right side. He threw on the brakes near the top of the circle and unleashed a slap shot that beat Utah netminder Andrew Engelage to tie the game at one. The short-handed tally came at the 54-second mark of the second frame. Idaho would add two more in the second frame. The first came off the stick of veteran Kory Scoran, blasting one home from the blue line off an offensive-zone draw. Michael Neal got the assist on Scoran's first of the season. Then, midway through the second, Idaho got a break when Engelage turned the puck over behind his own net. The puck came out front to Ian Lowe who, with Engelage trapped behind his cage, had an easy tap-in goal to give Idaho a 3-1 lead through two periods. Marty Flichel, the all-time leading scorer in the history of the team, gave Idaho an insurance goal on the power-play early in the third with his signature right-handed slap shot from just inside the blue line. The rip beat Engelage cleanly to make it 4-1 Idaho. The Steelheads had to kill off three Utah power plays in the final frame to protect the lead, but were able to do so. Idaho finished the game 2-7 on the man advantage, Utah was 1-11. The two teams will travel to Boise Friday night before playing again Saturday at CenturyLink Arena in Boise, the home-opener for the Steelheads. COORS OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME - Marty Flichel AQUA FINA "3 STARS" - (1) Marty Flichel (ID) (2) Ian Lowe (ID) (3) John Armstrong (UT)