Steelheads Suffer 6-3 Setback in Tulsa Sunday

Steelheads Suffer 6-3 Setback in Tulsa Sunday 

TULSA, OK – The Idaho Steelheads (33-8-0-2, 68pts) fell to the Tulsa Oilers (15-19-7-1, 38pts) 6-3 Saturday at the BOK Center in front of 5,414 fans. Idaho will head back to Boise Monday and get ready for a home three game series against Tulsa beginning Wednesday at 7:10pm from the Idaho Central Arena. 

Justin Ducharme (6th) scored the quickest goal to start a game for Idaho this season finding the back of the net just 21 seconds in giving the Steelheads an early 1-0 lead. Logan Nihjoff (5th) made it 1-1 at 7:18 but with just 5:54 to play in the opening 20 minutes of play Ducharme (7th) would strike for his second of the period making it 2-1. The Steelheads led by one after the first and outshot the Oilers 11-9. 

2:49 into the second period Eddie Matsushima (20th) tied the game at 2-2 but 49 seconds later Owen Headrick (12th) gave Idaho back the lead. After Blake McLaughlin tied things up for the Oilers for the third time in the game about halfway through the second frame Matsushima (21st) scored 2:11 later making it 4-3 Tulsa. The Oilers took the lead into the dressing room after 40 minutes of play as they outshot the Steelheads 15-12. 

Tyler Poulsen (6th) increased the Tulsa lead to 5-3 minutes into the final period. Jackson Leef (7th) secured the victory scoring on an empty net with 3:27 to play in regulation. 

Rémi Poirier made 28 saves on 33 shots in the loss while Colten Ellis made 31 stops on 34 shots in the victory. 

SCORING 

• 1st, 0:21 | 1-0 IDH GOAL: From the left side of the blueline Zach Walker rolled the puck into the offensive zone along the kick plate. Colten Ellis went inside the trapezoid to play it but it took a funky bounce off the boards and hopped right onto the blade of Justin Ducharme who rolled it into the net. 
• 1st, 7:13 | 1-1 TUL GOAL: Logan Nihjoff fired a shot from the near dot. Rémi Poirier made the initial save but with lots of traffic in front the rebound dribble through his five hole. 
• 1st, 14:06 | 2-1 IDH GOAL: Ryan Dmowski muscled his way through the neutral zone down the right-wing side. He entered the attacking end and slid the puck to Wade Murphy below the right circle. Murphy backhanded the puck to Justin Ducharme off the bench in the high slot. Ducharme blasted it over the right shoulder of Colten Ellis. 
• 2nd, 2:49 | 2-2 TUL GOAL: Eddie Matsushima followed up a rebound on the near side of the crease after an initial shot from Brennan Blaszczak in the left circle. 
• 2nd, 3:38 | 3-2 IDH GOAL: Antonio Stranges chopped at the puck from the left-wing corner. Zach Walker located it off the backboards behind the net and fed Stranges in the left circle. Stranges then inside the left circle found Headrick who wristed one past Ellis’s glove. 
• 2nd, 9:18 | 3-3 TUL GOAL: Dante Sherriff raced towards the net and from below the right circle shoveled it towards Rémi Poirier. Blake McLaughlin was there to muscle home the rebound with lots of commotion in front. 
• 2nd, 11:29 | 4-3 TUL SH GOAL: Short-handed Jackson Leef skated through the left circle and fired a shot that was initially saved by Rémi Poirier. Once again a flurry of rebound chances in front this time finished off by Eddie Matsushima. 
• 3rd, 3:21 | 5-3 TUL GOAL: Tyler Poulsen received a feed in the high slot and one-timed one by Rémi Poirier. 
• 3rd, 16:33 | 6-3 TUL EN GOAL: Jackson Leef found the back of the net on an empty netter. 

BOX SCORE 

ICCU THREE STARS 

1. Eddie Matsushima (TUL)
2. Tyler Poulsen (TUL) 
3. Logan Nijhoff (TUL) 

GAME NOTES 

• Idaho finished 0-for-4 on the power-play while Tulsa was 0-for-2.  
• Shots were even at 34-34. 
• Ty Pelton-Byce (IR), Willie Knierim (INJ), Janis Svanenbergs (DNP), and Zane Franklin (DNP) did not dress for Idaho. 
• Idaho is 21-14-4 all-time vs. Tulsa and 12-8-2 in Tulsa.  
• Justin Ducharme scored two goals lifting his point streak to eight games (5-5-10). He has a point in 12 of 14 games he has played this year. 
• Zach Walker tallied two assists and now has points in three straight games (1-3-4). 
• Owen Headrick tallied a goal and has points in three straight (1-2-3).  
• Matt Register’s point streak ended at six games (1-8-11).
• Rémi Poirier lost this first game in net since Dec. 10. His win streak ends at 12 games the fourth longest in league history.  

Season tickets for the 2022-23 season are on sale now! For more information on ticket packages, contact the front office at 208-383-0080 or visit IdahoSteelheads.com. Stay up to date with all things Steelheads on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.