Case named 1st-Team All-ECHL

Boise, ID (3/28/13) ? The Idaho Steelheads, in conjunction with the ECHL League Offices, announced Thursday that defenseman Matt Case has been named 1st Team All-ECHL for the 2012-13 season. Case was one of six players ? three forwards, two defensemen, and one goaltender ? selected from a league-wide vote of coaches, broadcasters, media-relations directors and media: 2012-13 All-ECHL First Team G ? Ryan Zapolski, South Carolina Stingrays (39 gp, 26-11-2, 1.66 GAA, .942 save pct.) D ? Matt Case, Idaho Steelheads (59 gp, 6g, 32a, 38 pts., +30) D ? Sacha Guimond, Gwinnett Gladiators (57 gp, 12g, 35a, 47 pts., -4) F ? Michael Forney, Colorado Eagles (68 gp, 34g, 40a, 74 pts., +8) F ? Casey Pierro-Zabotel, Gwinnett Gladiators (65 gp, 21g, 53a, 74 pts., +19) F ? Mathieu Roy, Florida Everblades (66 gp, 35g, 47a, 82 pts., +16) The 27-year-old Case is in his third professional season out of Ferris State. He has established new career highs for goals (6), assists (32), points (38) and plus/minus rating (plus-30) this season along with earning his third call-up to the American Hockey League when he appeared in five games with the Manchester Monarchs. This marks the fourth time an Idaho player has been voted on to the ECHL?s first team since the Steelheads joined the league for the 2003-04 season. Mark Derlago did it twice (?10 and ?11) and Marty Flichel (?07) also received the honor. Case and the Steelheads wrap up the regular season this weekend with games on the road Friday (at San Francisco) and Saturday (at Stockton). The team returns home on Wednesday, April 3, to host Game 1 of an ECHL first-round Western Conference playoff series against an opponent yet to be determined. Playoff time is upon us! Help cheer on the Idaho Steelheads as the team begins another run toward an ECHL Kelly Cup championship by purchasing your tickets to Games 1 and 2 of the best-of-seven, first-round playoff series NOW. The games are Wednesday, April 3, and Thursday, April 4 at CenturyLink Arena in Boise. Tickets are available at www.idahosteelheads.com or by calling the CenturyLink Arena box office at 208.331.8497.