BIG THIRD PERIOD LIFTS IDAHO TO VICTORY IN TULSA SUNDAY, 4-2

BIG THIRD PERIOD LIFTS IDAHO TO VICTORY IN TULSA SUNDAY, 4-2

TULSA, OK – The Idaho Steelheads (35-14-2-1, 73pts) defeated the Tulsa Oilers (24-22-5-1, 54pts) Sunday by a final score of 4-2 front of 5,096 fans at the BOK Center taking four out of a possible six points during the three-in-three weekend. Idaho is back on home ice hosting Utah Wednesday at the Idaho Central Arena for a 7:10 p.m. face-off. 

Tyler Poulsen had the Oilers out in front 1-0 after the opening 20 minutes of play scoring on a two-on-one with a wrist shot from the right circle at 16:56. Idaho was outshot 19-6 in the period as the Steelheads had to kill off two power-plays. 

A.J. White (19^th) provided his league leading 12^th power-play goal of the season 5:03 into the second period from Lyndon McCallum and Jordan Kawaguchi to tie the score at 1-1. Kawaguchi from the top of the left circle fed White on the near side of the goal-line. From there White slid the puck across the blue paint where McCallum directed it back for White all alone at the top of the crease. Idaho outshot Tulsa 21-3 in the frame going 1-for-3 on the man advantage with the score even after 40 minutes of play. 

Parker Aucoin (2^nd) gave Idaho their first lead of the game 3:36 on an unbelievable passing sequence with assists going to Colin Van Den Hurk and Matt Register. From the top of the right circle Demetrios Koumontzis fed Willie Knierim at the top of the far circle. Then Knierim dished it back to the near circle for Register. Register flipped it to Van Den Hurk in the high slot who went back to the right circle for Aucoin in inside the right circle where he slid it into net making it 2-1. The Oilers tied the game 3:21 later with a goal from Jared Hilderman. Then 1:47 later Trevor Zins (3^rd) blasted a shot from the right point into the top left corner giving the Steelheads a 3-2 lead with assists going to Koumontzis and Francesco Arcuri. Willie Knieirm (11^th) gave Idaho their first two-goal lead of the night 2:52 after Zin’s goal on a breakaway off a pass from Lincoln Erne. At 12:36 Knierim fired upstairs over the shoulder of Gage Alexander sealing the 4-2 win. 

Jake Kielly made 28 saves 30 shots in the win while Gage Alexander turned aside 34 of the 38 shots he faced in the loss. 

BOX SCORE

ICCU Three Stars

1. Willie Knieirm (IDH, 1-0-1, +1, 4 shots) 
2. Trevor Zins (IDH, 1-0-1, 2 shots) 
3. Tyler Poulsen (TUL, 1-0-1, 3 shots) 

GAME NOTES

• Idaho went 1-for-4 on the power-play while Tulsa was 0-for-3. 
• Idaho outshot Tulsa 38-30.  
• Idaho is 27-18-4 all-time vs. Tulsa and 15-12-2 in Tulsa. 
• Sam Sternschein (IR), Bryan Thomson (IR), Wade Murphy (INJ), and Bailey Conger (DNP) did not dress for Idaho.
• A.J. White has a season long seven game point-streak (4-7-11) after scoring his 12^th power-play goal of the season which is tied for the league lead. His 12^th power-play goal of the campaign is a league high after he scored 11 back in 2021-22.   
• Parker Aucoin increased his point streak to five-games (2-4-6) with a goal. 
• Jordan Kawaguchi extended his point streak to three-games (1-3-4) with an assist. 
• Trevor Zins scored his second goal in his last three games and has a point in five of his last eight games (2-3-5).  
• Colin Van Den Hurk picked up his first pro point with an assist in his third game. 
• Lynden McCallum tallied his first point as a Steelhead with an assist while recording four shots in his third game for Idaho. 

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