Linsmayer, Molin Lead Steelheads over Grizzlies

Boise, ID (10/09/15) – Rob Linsmayer and newcomer Emil Molin led the way for the Steelheads on Friday night, as Idaho cruised to a 7-4 win over the Utah Grizzlies in their preseason opener in front of 3,802 season-ticket holders at CenturyLink Arena.

The line of Linsmayer, Molin, and center Taylor Peters combined for four goals and four assists on the night as their straight-ahead brand of hockey created numerous chances throughout the game. Molin, preparing for his first professional season in North America, had no problems finding the open ice on the more narrow ice sheet, scoring each of the Steelheads’ first two goals.

Molin opened the scoring at 7:02 of the first period when he slipped behind the Utah defense in front of the net and laid his stick out in the crease to redirect a sharp set-up from Linsmayer on the half-boards. After Utah’s Barry Almeida scored the first of his two goals on the night to draw the Grizzlies even, it was Molin again answering with a power play tally of his own, this time rifling a wrister over goaltender Bryan Hogan’s shoulder at 13:07 of the first.

Defenseman Phil Pietroniro tied the score with 40 seconds left in the first period, but Idaho answered right back with an Andre Bouvet-Morrissette deflection with seven seconds left to regain the lead.

The second period featured more scoring chances with each team firing ten shots on net, but no scoring until Rob Linsmayer took advantage of a bouncing puck at his own blue line. On a Grizzlies’ power play, Utah defenseman Mike MacIntyre had trouble handling the puck at the point and then lost a foot-race with Linsmayer as he powered to the net to bury a short-handed goal with just three seconds remaining in the middle frame.

After Almeida opened the third period with his second tally of the game, the Steelheads tacked on three more goals, a 5-on-3 power play goal for Brandon Magee, an empty-netter for Bouvet-Morrissette’s second of the game, and then a breakaway goal for Peters with 5 seconds remaining in the game. It was Idaho’s third goal of the night within the final seven seconds of a period.

The teams played a 3-on-3 overtime session at the end of regulation to rehearse the ECHL’s new format. Ryan Walters used the extra ice to his advantage, weaving to the slot and beating Steelheads’ goaltender Philippe Desrosiers at 1:48 of overtime. Desrosiers stopped 21 shots in the win.

The Steelheads resume their preseason schedule with the second half of their home-and-home series with the Grizzlies, facing off at the Maverik Center at 7:00 MT on Saturday night.

Season tickets are on sale now with full-season packages starting as low as $275 per seat for all 36 home games.  Partial-season packages are also available.  Contact the Idaho Steelheads at 208-383-0080 for more information or log on to www.idahosteelheads.com.