SECOND PERIOD LIFTS STEELHEADS TO 8-3 WIN OVER GROWLERS

SECOND PERIOD LIFTS STEELHEADS TO 8-3 WIN OVER GROWLERS

BOISE, ID – The Idaho Steelheads (15-2-0-1, 31pts) defeated the Newfoundland Growlers (8-9-3-0, 19pts) by a final score of 8-3 Friday night at the Idaho Central Arena in front of a sellout crowd of 5,200 fans, the ninth sellout in just 10 home games. Idaho and Newfoundland wrap up the three-game series tomorrow night at 7:10 p.m. for the Annual Teddy Bear Toss Game. 

Mark Rassell (14,15) scored a pair of goals 112 seconds apart from one another early into the game. His first came even strength at 2:57 to make it 1-0. Patrick Kudla who finished the night with four assists fed Wade Murphy in the high slot. Murphy fired a shot towards Luke Cavallin that went off Rassell at the top of the crease. From there who scooped the puck up and skated behind the net and buried it over on the far side of the crease. On the power-play Ty Pelton-Byce from the right-wing wall fed Dawson Barteaux at the left point. Barteaux fed Rassell above the near side of the goal line where he one touched it home to make it 2-0. Newfoundland would grab a pair of power-play goals from Jackson Berezowski at 11:38 and then Issac Johnson with 12 seconds left to make the score 2-2 heading into the first intermission. 

In the second period Idaho outshot Newfoundland 22-2 and scored five goals in a 10-minute stretch. Colton Kehler (5^th) made it 3-2 at 6:45 on a shot from inside the right dot which beat Cavallin far side. 3:36 later Kudla sprung Zane Franklin (7^th) on a breakaway where he beat Cavallin far glove side making it 4-2. 1:49 later short-handed Jack Becker (7^th) finished off a two-on-one receiving a pass from Pelton-Byce. Then 95 seconds later Keaton Mastrodonato (10^th) increased the lead to 5-2. Matt Register from the right side of the goal line fed Kehler at the right point. From there Kehler one touched it down to Mastrodonato below the left dot where he one-timed it home making it 6-2. Three minutes later Mastrodonato (11^th) was stretched through the right circle on a pass from Register where he snapped it over the glove of Brian Wilson who relieved Cavallin. 

Tyler Weiss (4^th) scored even strength cutting the Growlers deficit down to 7-3. With just 5:33 left in regulation Wade Murphy (11th) from the right circle snapped a wrist shot past Wilson blocker side handing Idaho the 8-3 win.  

Jared Moe made 24 saves on 27 shots in the loss while Luke Cavallin made 18 saves on 24 shots in 33:45 of work while Brian Wilson made 18 saves on 20 shots in relief. 

BOX SCORE

ICCU Three Stars

1. Mark Rassell (2-0-2, +2, 8 shots) 
2. Keaton Mastrodonato (2-0-2, 6 shots) 
3. Colton Kehler (Gordie Howe Hat Trick) 

GAME NOTES

• Idaho finished 2-for-4 on the power-play while Newfoundland was 2-for-3. 
• Idaho outshot Newfoundland 44-27.   
• Willie Knierim (IR), Jade Miller (INJ), Francesco Arcuri (DNP), and Jake Murray (DNP) did not dress for Idaho. 
• Mark Rassell recorded his third multi-goal game of the season and leads the league with 15. He is tied for second in the ECHL in points (26). 
• Keaton Mastrodonato tallied his second multi-goal game of the year and leads ECHL rookies in goals (11) and is tied for first in points (21). 
• Wade Murphy (1-1-2) notched his ninth multi-point game of the season and leads the league in points (27). 
• Patrick Kudla tallied four assists for the second time in his Steelheads career. 
• Matt Register, Dawson Barteaux, and Seamus Donohue each tallied two assists. 

Call the Steelheads Front Office at 208-383-0080 for ticket packages for this season. Stay up to date with all things Steelheads on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Watch all Steelheads home games on FloHockey and KTVB 24/7 (Channel 7.2) and listen on the Steelheads flagship station 95.3 FM KTIK “The Ticket”.