Preview: Meet Up with the Mavericks

The Steelheads earned a three-game series sweep last weekend at Maverik Center, and this week they’ll face the Missouri Mavericks looking to extend their winning streak to a season-high five games. While the Steelheads are riding high, the Mavericks are also playing some of their best hockey this season with nine wins in their last 11 games to pull them within two points out of a playoff spot.

The Steelheads and Mavericks met for the first time last season in the final two contests of the year, with each team winning a game at CenturyLink Arena. This week is the Steelheads’ first ever visit to Independence, Missouri, where the Mavericks are 14-9-2 this season.

Landon Bow will look to continue his exemplary play between the pipes for Idaho after recording his first professional shutout on Monday afternoon, a 1-0 win over the Grizzlies. Bow is 12-1-1 in his last 14 ECHL starts, and his 2.29 goals-against average and .929 save percentage both rank second among ECHL goaltenders and first among rookies.

Kellan Lain scored the lone goal for the Steelheads on Monday, but Idaho has been scoring with regularity in recent games. In the month of February, the Steelheads are averaging 3.4 goals per game and that figure includes an eight-goal performance last Friday night.

Anthony Luciani has five goals and nine points in his last eight games for Idaho, and Bryce Van Brabant saw a three-game goal scoring streak come to an end on Monday, a streak during which he found the back of the net four times.

Mavericks' leading-scorer Dane Fox has points in 17 of the last 21 games. Fox has 11 goals and 29 points during that stretch, his 52 points for the season already establishing a career-high. Darren Nowick is having a strong rookie season after finishing last year’s campaign in Missouri, following a college career at Northern Michigan University. Nowick has 19 goals and 41 points, ranking sixth in the ECHL in rookie scoring. Rocco Carzo has 17 goals, only three shy of his career-high.

Goaltender Josh Robinson, a former Steelhead, was the ECHL’s best goaltender last season, but rookie Eamon McAdam is 9-0-1 in his last 10 appearances for the Mavericks. Other former Steelheads in Missouri include Radoslav Illo, who was with the team for the second half of last season, and Mavericks Head Coach John-Scott Dickson, who was a Steelhead for parts of two seasons in 2010 and 2011.

STEELHEAD TO WATCH

Kellain Lain’s goal on Monday was his tenth of the season, but also a nice reward for three good games after Lain had returned to the lineup from a 12-game absence. Lain started the game for Idaho in his return on Friday in Utah and had a breakaway chance on his first shift. He has been one of Idaho’s best face-off men and defensive centerman all season, but has had a greater offensive touch in the season’s second half. Lain has five goals and 11 points in his last 12 games.

MAVERICK TO WATCH

Rocco Carzo comes into Friday night's contest with three goals and nine points in his last ten games. Carzo is an experienced player int he Missouri lineup who was a part of last year's league-leading Mavericks team. As mentioned, Carzo is already closing in on his career-high in goal-scoring. In addition to his scoring ability, Carzo is a dependable defensive player and will be a player for Idaho to key on in all three zones.KEY MATCHUP

Goaltending has been a strength for Idaho in their winning streaks, while the Mavericks boast a New York Islanders’ draft pick and the reigning ECHL Goaltender of the Year between the pipes. Landon Bow has the best numbers of any rookie netminder this season and is coming off arguably his best professional performance after starting four consecutive games. Josh Robinson has struggled after the best season of his career, going 9-12-3 this year with a 3.20 goals-against average and an .896 save percentage. Regardless of records and stats, the series will feature three talented goaltenders that have the ability to win a game on their own. With both teams scoring in bunches recently, the hot goaltender can be the difference.