Ontario edges Idaho in OT, 5-4

Ontario, CA (12/9/12) ? Mario Lamoreaux's snap shot from the left-hand circle beat Josh Robinson with 1:10 left in overtime Sunday afternoon as the Ontario Reign outlasted the Idaho Steelheads, 5-4, at the Citizen's Business Bank Arena. The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for Idaho (16-5-3), but the Steelheads still gain one point in the standings by taking the game to overtime. The Steelheads (35) trail only the Alaska Aces (38) in the ECHL's Western Conference in the points column. Idaho struck first at the 9:16 point of the first period when a Gord Baldwin point shot ricocheted off an Ontario player and past Jean-Francois Berube on the power play to put Idaho up, 1-0. Ontario would tie it up with less than four minutes to play in the second on a Derek Couture shot from the left circle, but Idaho would take the lead back before the period ended when David deKastrozza found Sam Carrick streaking down the inside of the left circle for a one-timer at 19:46, giving Idaho a 2-1 lead after one. A Tristan King double-minor penalty early in the second period changed the complexion of the game as Ontario cashed in with two power-play goals in a span of fifteen seconds, at 3:19 and 3:34, to turn a one-goal deficit into a 3-2 Reign lead. From that point on, the Steelheads were in catch-up mode. The Steelheads caught Ontario at the 8:27 mark when Austin Smith turned an Adrian Foster faceoff win into a goal, ripping a one-timer from the inside of the right circle over Berube's shoulder to even the score at 3-3. Ontario would take the lead back on the power playless than two minutes later on Dan DaSilva's second goal of the evening, Ontario's third on the power play, at 10:16 to make it 4-3. Idaho seemed destined to a loss in regulation in the final minute when head coach Brad Ralph pulled his netminder in favor of a sixth attacker. The Steelheads gained control of the puck in neutral territory with less than 25 seconds to go. Tristan King left the puck along the right-hand wall for Justin Dowling who feathered a perfect back-door pass to Austin Smith at the far post and Smith tapped home the game-tying goal with 18 seconds left in regulation to make it 4-4. In the overtime session, Matt Case narrowly missed with 1:30 left in OT. Ontario brought the puck back the other way and Mario Lamoreaux snapped a shot from the left circle - a near-carbon copy of the Couture goal in the first period - past Robinson at 3:50 of overtime to win the game for the Reign. Dowling had two assists and has now handed out helpers in seven consecutive games. Smith's two goals give him 14 in 15 ECHL games and he now has points in nine consecutive games. Robinson falls to 10-0-2 in net for Idaho while Berube picks up the win, making 23 saves. Ontario's power play was key in the win, converting on three of four chances. Idaho's power play went 1-6. The Steelheads return home on Wednesday, December 12, to host the Alaska Aces. Tickets are available by calling the CenturyLink Arena box office at 208.331.8497 or by going online at www.idahosteelheads.com COORS OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME - Justin Dowling CENTURYLINK THREE STARS: 1) Mario Lamoreaux (ONT) 2) Dan DaSilva (ONT) 3) Austin Smith (ID) Group outings at a Steelheads game are a great way to gather friends, colleagues, or co-workers for a fun night out in downtown Boise. Ticket prices are discounted and you can get a Pepsi, Double-R Ranch Hot Dog, and bag of Tim?s Cascade Chips with each ticket. Contact the Steelheads front office at 208.383.0080 or log on to www.idahosteelheads.com for more information.