Ryan Dmowski Scores Overtime Winner in Thrilling 7-6 Victory Over Rapid City to End Regular Season

Ryan Dmowski Scores Overtime Winner in Thrilling 7-6 Victory Over Rapid City to End Regular Season 

RAPID CITY, SD  – The Idaho Steelheads (58-11-1-2, 119pts) defeated the Rapid City Rush (33-35-4-0, 70pts) 7-6 Saturday night in overtime at The Monument in front of 4,941 fans. Idaho will welcome the Utah Grizzlies into the Idaho Central Arena this Wednesday and Friday for game one and two of the first round of the ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs at 7:10 p.m. 

Idaho received goals from seven different skaters in the win as Matt Register scored his 100th career ECHL goal and Ryan Dmowski the overtime winner for his 30th of the season becoming the 12th skater in the Steelheads ECHL era to hit that plateau. The Steelheads trailed 3-1 after the first, 4-3 after the second, and 6-4 about midway through the third period. In the win Idaho produced 29 shots in the second period, a season high, and 60 in the contest also a season high.  

Matt Register (9th) fired a backhand shot from the high slot at 5:31 from Nick Canade and Casey Johnson giving Idaho a 1-0 lead. Rapid City would follow the score up with a pair of goals to grab a 2-1 lead. First it was Jimmy Soper (22nd) at 9:30 then Weiland Parish (4th) at 14:16. Soper would grab his second of the game with just 2:18 remaining in the first period making it 3-1 Rush. Rapid City led 3-1 after the first period with shots favoring the Steelheads 13-12. 

Just 67 seconds into the second period Alex Aleardi (29th) increased the Rush lead to 4-1 but it would be the Steelheads scoring the next two to cut their deficit down to one. At 8:50 of the middle frame Wade Murphy (21st) fired a wrist shot from the right circle past Adam Carlson and then with three and then with three minutes left in the period Jack Becker (12th) also scored from the right circle. The Steeheads trailed 4-3 after 40 minutes after producing a period high in shots this season outshooting the Rush 29-6 in the period. 

Short-handed heading into the third period Willie Knierim (17th) tied the game at 4-4 with his third short-handed goal of the campaign firing a shot upstairs from the right circle 31 seconds into the frame. Rapid City re-gained a two goal lead receiving goals from Brett Gravelle (13th) at 6:30 and Alex Aleardi (30th) at 9:24. Colton Kehler (14th) made it 6-5 with a shot from the top of the left circle with 8:31 remaining in regulation. With 3:13 to play in the game Jade Miller (16th) tied the game at 6-6. Kehler scored with 30 seconds left but it would be called back due to goaltender interference. 

Ryan Dmowski (30th)  ended the game with 54 seconds left in overtime with a wrist shot from the right circle far side. 

BOX SCORE  

ICCU THREE STARS 

1. Ryan Dmowski (1-1-2, +3, 11 shots) 
2. Alex Aleardi (RC, 2-1-3, -1, 6 shots) 
3. Jimmy Soper (2-1-3, -1, 2 shots) 

GAME NOTES 

• Idaho finished 0-for-2 on the power-play while Rapid City was 1-for-3. 
• Idaho outshot Rapid City 60-29 to set ECHL season high. The 29 shots in the second period were a ECHL season high.   
• Idaho tied their season high with seven goals. 
• Idaho is 58-26-6 all-time vs. Rapid City and 28-16-2 in Rapid City, SD at The Monument. 
• A.J. White (DNP), Ty-Pelton-Byce (DNP), Jordan Kawaguchi (INJ), Zane Franklin (INJ) and Janis Svanenbergs (IR) did not dress for Idaho. 
• Nick Canade (0-2-2), Wade Murphy (1-1-2), Justin Ducharme (0-2-2), Ryan Dmowski (1-1-2), Demtrois Koumontzis (0-2-2), Jade Miller (1-2-3), all tallied multi-point games. 

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