Steady Steelheads top Wranglers, 5-2

Las Vegas, NV (12/27/13) - Five different players found the back of the net and Pat Nagle turned in a solid night in goal Friday night, leading the Idaho Steelheads to a 5-2 victory over the Las Vegas Wranglers at the Orleans Arena.

Playing its first road game in over a month, Idaho improved to 15-9-4 (34 points) with the solid victory in front of 4,207 fans in Las Vegas.

The Steelheads bolted out to an early 3-0 lead in the first period thanks to goals from three players who came into the game with a combined total of six goals. First, it was defenseman James Isaacs (2) on the power play from the high slot, assisted by Mitchell Good and Anthony Nigro, at 5:48 of the first. Then, at 10:27, Gaelan Patterson (4) stuffed home his own rebound to finish off a nice centering feed from Mitch Wahl, making it 2-0 in favor of the Steelheads. Then, at 15:15 of the first, David deKastrozza (3) won a pair of puck battles along the right-wing side before lifting a backhand shot over Travis Fullerton shoulder for a short-handed goal to stretch Idaho's lead to 3-0.

The Wranglers would respond before the period ended with a pair of goals. Jeff May's shot from the top of the right circle found its way through traffic and inside the left-wing post to cut Idaho's lead to 3-1. Then, Adam Huxley's shot from a similar spot, also through traffic, bounced into the net off of Geoff Paukovich with just nine seconds left in the first period as Idaho took a 3-2 lead into the first intermission.

Idaho would clamp down after that as Nagle denied the final 16 shots he saw over the final two periods, including a pair of tremendous saves in the third period with the outcome still in doubt.

Wahl extended Idaho's lead in the second period when he slammed home a perfect Nigro centering feed from the hash marks at 13:24 mark, his ninth goal of the season. Then, with an extra attacker on the ice for Las Vegas in the final minute, Austin Fyten buried an empty-net goal from the red line to finish the scoring. It was Fyten's fifth goal of the season in just eight games at the ECHL level after opening the season in the American Hockey League.

Wahl (goal, assist) and Nigro (two assists) each had multi-point nights to lead a balanced Idaho attack. Nigro is now tied with Colorado's Trent Daavatilla for second in the ECHL in scoring with 34 points.

Both teams went 1-6 on the power play with Idaho scoring once - the eventual game-winning goal from deKastrozza - short-handed.

The Steelheads and Wranglers tangle again Saturday night at the Orleans Arena before Idaho wraps up the weekend with a Sunday tilt in Bakersfield against the Condors.

The team's next home game is Wednesday, January 15, when the Steelheads host the Utah Grizzlies. Tickets are available by calling the CenturyLink Arena box office at 208-331-8497.

COORS OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME - David deKastrozza (G)

CENTURYLINK THREE STARS:1) Mitch Wahl (ID)2) Geoff Paukovich (LV)3) Anthony Nigro (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.