PREVIEW: IDAHO STEELHEADS (20-11-3) VS. TOLEDO WALLEYE (23-8-3)

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 9, 2019 | 7:10 P.M.CENTURYLINK ARENA | BOISE, IDRADIO: 1350AM KTIK | TV: CABLEONE CH. 72 | STREAM: ECHL TV

Tonight’s Game: The Steelheads open a six-game home stand over two weeks with a three-game weekend against the Toledo Walleye beginning tonight from CenturyLink Arena. 

Head-To-Head: The Steelheads finish their five-game season series with three games at home after falling in their previous two meetings in Toledo in the first weekend of November. This is the first meeting in Boise between the two sides in franchise history, and the Steelheads have split their four games head-to-head with a 2-2-0 record.

Last Game: The Steelheads slipped in their final game of the road trip, 3-1, to the Tulsa Oilers on Sunday afternoon from BOK Center. Steelheads forward Kale Kessy (17:16 1st) opened the scoring for a 1-0 lead through one period for the second-straight night. However, the Oilers came back with three-unanswered goals starting with forwards Scott Henegar (8:01 2nd) and Jared Thomas (SH, 14:43 2nd) to take a 2-1 lead. Oilers forward Ian McNulty (6:36 3rd) added one more to ensure the 3-1 win. Devin Williams (11-8-4) halted 21 of 22 shots in the win, while Colton Point (2-1-1) saved 28 of 31 shots in the loss.

The Long Way Home: Despite the Steelheads dropping their five-game win streak, the team still performed well on their five-game road trip crossing through the New Year. The Steelheads went 4-1-0-0 through their two weeks between Rapid City and Tulsa, only faltering in their final game of the swing. They outscored their opponents 26-13 while scoring four goals or more in all four of their wins with their highest total for a single game at nine. The Steelheads now open a six-game, two-week home stand at CenturyLink Arena. Last time, the Steelheads went 7-2-0-0 at home and stand at 11-4-1-1 overall this season at home.

Star Studded: Steelheads goaltender Tomas Sholl was named to the 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Game on January 21 in Toledo, Ohio on Monday afternoon, being selected as the lone representative of the Steelheads at the yearly event. The second-year goaltender sits second in the ECHL in goals-against average and shares the lead for save percentage, boasting a 12-4-0 record with a 1.98 GAA and .937 SV% through 16 games this season with two shutouts. He was recent named Runner-Up for ECHL Goaltender of the Month for December, owning a 6-1-0 record with a 2.08 GAA and .934 SV% in seven games.

You’re The Top: Steelheads forward Reid Petryk was named Inglasco ECHL Player of the Week for his seven-point week in three games crossing through the New Year. The Edmonton, Alb., native scored four goals and three assists within a two-game stretch while also netting both game-winning goals for the team and three power play goals of the four he scored. Petryk recently ended a five-game point streak with 13 points (7g, 6a), which is his third point streak of the season spanning at least four games. Through 28 games this season, he owns 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points with eight power play goals, leading the team in goals and power play goals and sitting second in scoring.

Time Over Time: The Steelheads and Walleye met for the only time this season on November 2 and 3 at Huntington Center, and much has changed from the last time these two teams met. For the Steelheads, they’ve not only charged up the Mountain Division Standings from fifth place but also have turned their season up a notch with points in 18 of their last 24 games, going 16-6-1-1 in that time with 15 of those 24 games coming at CenturyLink Arena. The Walleye still sit in the top-2 of the Central Division and Western Conference while extending that win streak to 10 games, but they’ve kept nearly an identical record to the Steelheads overall, going 16-7-2-0 since November 3 while dropping three of their last five games. The Walleye have a six-point lead over the Steelheads in the Western Conference.

Valedictorians: Walleye forwards T.J. Hensick and Shane Berschbach have consistently stayed atop the Toledo scoring train, which has yet to slow despite mixed results during their recent stretch. The pair have risen to the top of the ECHL scoring race with Hensick (13+30=43) leading his counterpart in Berschbach (16+25=41), and Hensick also sits atop the league in assists. Hensick is sitting on a five-game point streak (3+3=6) heading into the weekend, and Berschbach shares the league lead in power play goals (11) with Wichita’s Ralph Cuddemi and also shares a four-way tie for most power play points (11) in the ECHL.

MOUNTAIN DIVISION STANDINGS:

Next Game: The Steelheads and Walleye meet again on Friday, Jan. 11 at 7:10 p.m. from CenturyLink Arena. Tickets are available by calling 208-383-0080 or by going to idahosteelheads.com. Coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. on 1350AM KITK and at 7:00 p.m. on CableOne Ch. 72 and ECHL TV.