Steelheads Close Regular Season with 7-4 Loss to Grizzlies

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah – The Idaho Steelheads (41-25-6) finish the 2018-19 regular season with a 7-4 loss to the Utah Grizzlies (37-26-9) on Sunday afternoon from Maverik Center. The Steelheads finish the regular season in second place in the Mountain Division.

The Steelheads scored the only first period goal of the weekend early at 3:31 when forward Spencer Naas led a 2-on-1 break and fired a shot from the right circle through the netminder to take the 1-0 lead.

The scoring exploded in the second period with seven combined goals and five of those tallies on special teams. At 0:43, Grizzlies forward Ty Lewis slotted a puck around the netminder on the power play to tie the game at 1-1, beginning the back and forth. Steelheads forward Kale Kessy snatched a power play goal thanks to both the post and crossbar at 2:25 to take another lead, 2-1. The Grizzlies scored two goals, one from Jack Walker on the power play at 5:20 and another by forward Josh Dickinson even-strength, grabbing their first lead of the day, 3-2.

The Steelheads came back with two more goals on a counter answer beginning at 8:24 when forward Elgin Pearce was given credit on a goal scored by a Grizzlies forward and followed at 9:46 on a power play goal from defenseman Charlie Dodero coming from the blueline, vaulting the Steelheads ahead 4-3. Grizzlies defenseman Taylor Richart finished off the hefty-scoring period at 12:02 with a power play tally of his own, sending the game tied, 4-4, in the third period.

The Grizzlies pulled away in the final frame with the second from Richart at 0:18 followed by a goal from defenseman Gabriel Verpaelst at 3:31 as well as the final insurance goal by forward Mitch Maxwell at 18:02 to seal off the 7-4 victory.

Grizzlies netmidner Kevin Carr (20-9-3) stopped 33 of 37 shots in the win, while Steelheads goaltender Ryan Faragher (8-8-2) halted 23 of 30 shots in the loss.

The Steelheads open the 2019 U.S. Bank Kelly Cup Playoffs, presented by SmileDirectClub, on Friday, Apr. 12 and Saturday, Apr. 13 at 7:10 p.m. from CenturyLink Arena against the Utah Grizzlies. The full schedule for the Mountain Division Semifinals will be announced on Monday, Apr. 8 at 12:00 p.m. MT.

Tickets throughout the postseason are on sale now! For series-long or individual tickets, contact Idaho Steelheads at 208-383-0080 for more information or log on to idahosteelheads.com. Make sure to wear white as the Steelheads begin their quest for their third Kelly Cup Championship!