PREVIEW: IDAHO STEELHEADS (13-9-3) VS. KANSAS CITY MAVERICKS (14-6-2)

FRIDAY, DEC. 14, 2018 | 7:10 PMCENTURYLINK ARENA | BOISE, IDRADIO: 1350AM KTIK | TV: CABLEONE CH. 72 | STREAM: ECHL TV

Tonight’s Game: The Steelheads continue their three-game weekend with the Kansas City Mavericks from CenturyLink Arena.

Head-To-Head: The Steelheads won their first of six games against the Mavericks in the season series and have now won three-straight meetings at CenturyLink Arena dating back to last season. The Steelheads have won five of their seven meetings since the ECHL/CHL merger, posting a 5-2-0 record head-to-head. The two sides will double their franchise game total this season.

Last Game: The Steelheads reversed their fortunes in a 5-1 win over the Mavericks on Wednesday night from CenturyLink Arena. Steelheads forward Robbie Payne (19:52 1st) scored his first professional goal to take a 1-0 lead before Mavericks forward Joey Sides (1:29 2nd) tied the game, 1-1. The Steelheads scored four-unanswered goals to close the game starting with forwards Reid Petryk (6:05 2nd) and Kale Kessy (10:41 2nd) to take and double the lead, 3-1. Petryk (PP, 3:03 3rd) and forward Brad McClure (9:53 3rd) added to the lead to take a 5-1 win. Ryan Faragher (2-2-1) halted 30 of 31 shots in the win, while Nick Schneider (2-2-1) saved 28 of 33 shots in the loss.

Scolding Hot: Thanks to the win on Wednesday, the Steelheads now have wins in five of their last six games and eight of 10 contests, becoming one of the hottest team in the ECHL. Since November 7, the Steelheads have earned a 9-3-2 record to shoot from two games below .500 to four games above that mark in two separate occasions. The team has been home for 11 of those 14 games, and their season record at home is reflective of their recent run, boasting a 8-3-1-1 record at CenturyLink Arena.

Offensive Front: The Steelheads reversed their scoreline from their previous game with their second-straight 5-1 result but this time coming out with a win. During this hot trip, the Steelheads are averaging 3.83 goals per game during their last six contests, only slipping below three goals scored once: December 8 vs. Utah (5-1 L). The team has also posted over 30 shots in eight of their last nine games, continuing to create offensive chances at the fourth-highest rate (33.76 shots per game this year). When the Steelheads score three goals or more this year, they own a 12-1-1-0 record with 25 of their 29 points coming in this scenario.

Channeling Gordie: Steelheads forward Kale Kessy posted three points in Wednesday’s win, marking the second time a player has notched three points this season following Brad McClure’s three-point night (2g, 1a) on November 21 in Rapid City (3-0 W). While he leads the ECHL in penalty minutes (116), the Saskatchewan native has points in six of his last eight games, earning nine points (3g, 6a) in that stretch along with a team-high four-game assist streak. Through 102 ECHL games, Kessy owns 28 goals and 39 assists for 67 points with 427 penalty minutes, six power play goals and two shorthanded goals. This year, he has three goals and nine assists for 12 points with 116 penalty minutes.

Still Special: The storyline continues for the Steelheads penalty kill with another perfect record on Wednesday night, stopping all three attempts by the Mavericks. The Steelheads are perfect in six-straight games and 10 of their last 11 games, going perfect in 20-straight attempts and 39 of 40 attempts (97.5%). 11 of their 15 perfect games on the penalty kill game during this stretch that has moved them above 87 perfect for the second time this season. On the power play, the Steelheads have goals in three of five games in the home stand as well as six of eight games, going 7-for-35 (20.0%) in that stretch.

Stay Hot, Ponyboy: Mavericks forward Willie Raskob has been part of a cast of hot players but the sole player to continue their run on Wednesday night. The Hastings, Minn., native has points in four-straight games for the longest active streak, posting five points (2g, 3a) in that stretch while also stretching his recent run to points in six of his last seven games (2+5=7). Forward Joey Sides scored the lone goal for the Mavericks and ran his run up to points in four of his last five games (2+3=5). Raskob has 55 points (5g, 50a) through 90 ECHL games, and Sides is averaging nearly one point per game this season with eight points (3g, 5a) through nine games.

MOUNTAIN DIVISION STANDINGS:

Next Game: The Steelheads finish their three-game weekend against the Mavericks on Nickelodeon Night featuring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on Saturday, Dec. 15 at 7:10 p.m. from CenturyLink Arena. Tickets are available by calling 208-383-0080 or going to IdahoSteelheads.com. Coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. MT on 1350-AM KTIK and ECHL TV as well as at 7:00 p.m. on CableOne Channel 72.