Royal Rumble: Following four consecutive games against the Utah Grizzlies to start the season, the Steelheads welcomed a much less familiar foe to CenturyLink Arena for a three-game series against the Reading Royals. The Royals took the first game of the series on Wednesday night, a 3-2 Steelheads loss that dropped Idaho to 1-3-1 to start the season. The Royals are in Boise for the first time since January of 2009, a two-game set the teams split. They have brought back ten players, including four defensemen, from the team that made it to the second round in last year’s playoffs.
Third Period Thunder: The Steelheads have been at their most dominant in third periods during their first five games. In Friday night’s victory over the Grizzlies, the Steelheads scored five goals to blow the game open. In Saturday’s overtime loss, they scored four goals to come from behind and force overtime. In five games, the Steelheads have outscored their opponents 10-6 in the third period and outshot them 71-39.
Happy Firsts: During the Steelheads first home weekend of the 2016-17 season, a handful of players celebrated first of their own. Caleb Herbert, Travis Ewanyk, Kellan Lain, and Anthony Luciani earned their first goals as Steelheads, while rookies David Glen and Brandon Anselmini scored their first professional goals. Landon Bow made 20 saves on Friday and earned his first professional win in net. On Wednesday night against the Royals, Will Merchant scored his first pro goal and added an assist for his first professional multi-point game.
Ding Ding: Zach Bell has added an offensive punch to his game to start the year. After scoring a goal in the preseason with AHL Texas and adding an assist in Idaho’s preseason finale, Bell has three points in five games to start the season, including a goal and an assist in Idaho’s third period comeback on Saturday night. Bell set a career-high last season with 11 points. Bell also leads the Steelheads in penalty minutes with 14, including two fighting majors in the first five games.
Lins Climbing the List: Forward Rob Linsmayer earned four points on the weekend and another two on Wednesday night, giving him 104 for his pro career and 102 for his Steelheads career. Linsmayer is 12th on the Steelheads ECHL-era scoring list, with D’Arcy McConvey next on the list at 105 points.
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