WILLIE KNIERIM SCORES FOUR GOALS IN STEELHEADS 5-2 WIN AT RAPID CITY
RAPID CITY, SD – The Idaho Steelheads (24-11-1-1, 50pts) defeated the Rapid City Rush (17-18-2-0, 36pts) by a final score of 5-2 Friday night in front of 3,794 fans at The Monument Arena. Idaho and Rapid City will wrap up the two-game series tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m.
Idaho fell behind 1-0 at 8:59 as Will Riedell sent a shot home from the blue line. Just 2:08 later Willie Knierim (5th) tied the game with a wraparound goal as Jack Becker and Roman Rodzinski talled helpers. With 21 seconds left in the frame Trevor Zins (2nd) in his Idaho debut sent a wrist shot into the net from the top of the point to give the Steelheads a 2-1 lead with assists going to Ben Zloty and Ty Pelton-Byce. Idaho led 2-1 after the opening 20 minutes with shots favoring the Rush 12-7. Idaho went 0-for-2 on the power-play but 4-for-4 on the penalty kill in a frame which featured six penalties.
Just 1:50 into the second period Willie Knierim (6th) got his second of the game deflecting the puck into the net from the top of the crease off a shot from Jack Becker making it 3-1. At 10:41 Willie Knierim (7th) would cap of the hat-trick on a very similar play to his second goal with Becker and Francesco Arcuri notching assists. Idaho was outshot 14-10 in the stanza but led 4-1 through 40 minutes of play.
At the eight-minute mark of the third period chaos broke out. Nicholas Canade and Romain Rodzinski were assessed 10-minute misconducts and five-minute fighting majors for the Steelheads while Tyson Helgeson and Zack Hoffman were given the same. Jared Gourley scored a power-play goal for the Rush with 8:28 left in the game to pull Rapid City within two. Willie Knierim (8th) with a minute left capped off his four-goal evening with an empty net goal to secure the 5-2 win.
Bryan Thomson made 32 saves on 34 shots in the win while Matt Radomsky turned aside 24 of the 28 shots he faced in the loss.
ICCU Three Stars
- Willie Knierm (4-0-4, +4, 4 shots)
- Jack Becker (0-3-3, +3, 4 shots)
- Bryan Thomson (32 saves)
GAME NOTES
- Idaho went 0-for-3 on the power-play while Rapid City was 1-for-8.
- Rapid City outshot Idaho 34-29.
- Idaho is 62-26-6 all-time vs. Rapid City and 30-15-2 in Rapid City. The Steelheads are 6-1 this season against the Rush.
- Jade Miller (IR), Jordan Kawaguchi (IR), and Cooper Jones (DNP) did not dress for Idaho.
- Willie Knierim’s four-goal night was his first pro hat-trick and the third four goal game in the Steelheads ECHL era : Mark Derlago Mar. 5, 2011 in a 6-5 loss vs. Las Vegas and Tristan King Oct. 17, 2012 in a 7-6 overtime win at Colorado.
- Jack Becker finished with three assists for his second three-point game of the year.
- Trevor Zins scored his first goal as a Steelhead in his Idaho debut.
- Romain Rodzinski, Francesco Arcuri, Ty Pelton-Byce, Matt Register, and Ben Zloty each tallied an assist.
- The fight for Romain Rodzinski was the first of his pro career.
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