IDAHO STEELHEADS WEEKLY – WEEK 18 – 2/20/24

IDAHO STEELHEADS WEEKLY – WEEK 18 – 2/20/24

The Idaho Steelheads collected a three-game series sweep in Rapid City this past weekend as the club has a season long eight game-point streak (7-0-1) and over their last 13 games since Jan. 19 a record of (10-2-1).

Idaho (33-13-2-1, 69pts, 0.704) enter this week second place in the Mountain Division, Western Conference, and entire ECHL trailing the Kansas City Mavericks by six points with 23 games left in the regular season. 

THIS WEEK’S GAMES
Friday, Feb. 23 at Tulsa | 6:05 p.m. (MT)
Saturday, Feb. 24 at Tulsa | 6:05 p.m. (MT)
Sunday, Feb. 25 at Tulsa | 3:05 p.m. (MT)

LAST WEEK’S GAMES

Wednesday, Feb. 14 at Rapid City Rush | 6-3 Win  
Highlights Full Recap Box Score
In the Rush’s Annual School Day Game Idaho fell behind 1-0 just 4:57 into the game but received goals from A.J. White and Ty Pelton-Byce (PP) midway through the frame to take a 2-1 lead through 20 minutes. In the first 5:46 of the second period Mark Rassell scored twice to increase the lead to 4-1 before Colton Kehler scored with 3:03 left in the stanza as Idaho led 5-1 after 40 minutes of play. Rapid City pulled back within three scoring 2:52 into the third period on the power-play before Demetrios Koumontzis gave the Steelheads back a four-goal lead 2:58 later. Rapid City scored with 1:52 remaining in regulation as the Steelheads prevailed 6-3. Rapid City outshot Idaho 43-36 while Idaho finished 1-for-2 on the power-play and 3-for-4 on the penalty kill. Mark Rassell (2G), Jordan Kawaguchi (3A), Patrick Kudla (2A), A.J. White (1G, 1A) all finished with multi-point games while Jared Moe made a career high 40 saves. 

Friday, Feb. 16 at Rapid City Rush | 5-4 Win 
Highlights Full Recap Box Score
After falling behind 1-0 just 95 seconds into the game Francesco Arcuri scored on the power-play with 3:53 left in the first period to tie the score at 1-1 through 20 minutes of play. Rapid City retook the lead 4:10 into the second period before Patrick Kudla tied the game at 2-2 just 3:55 later. The Rush took a 3-2 after 40 minutes getting a goal with 3:09 left in the second period. Then 2:24 into the final period Rapid City increased their lead to 4-2 before the Steelheads scored three times in 85 seconds Jordan Kawaguchi (4:41), Ben Zloty (5:31), and Mark Rassell (6:06) to mount a 5-4 come from behind win. A.J. White (3A), Matt Register (2A), and Patrick Kudla (1G, 1A) all tallied multi-point games while Jake Kielly made 25 saves in his Idaho debut. Shots were even at 29 apiece while the Steelheads finished 1-for-1 on the power-play and penalty kill. 

Saturday, Feb. 17 at Rapid City Rush | 3-1 Win 
Highlights Full Recap Box Score
Lincoln Erne broke the scoreless game 2:45 into the second period and then Will Merchant 92 seconds later gave Idaho a 2-0 lead. Rapid City got on the board 24 seconds later to cut their deficit down to one. Mark Rassell scored the game’s last goal with 3:57 left in the second period. Idaho was outshot 41-29 as Jake Kielly made 40 saves in the victory as the Steelheads finished 1-for-2 on the power-play and 4-for-4 on the penalty kill. 

 THE WEEK AHEAD

Idaho and Tulsa meet Friday night for the fourth of nine total meetings and will meet Saturday and Sunday for the final time in Tulsa this year as the Steelheads welcome the Oilers into town for a three-game series later in March. You can listen to the games game on the Steelheads flagship station 95.3 FM KTIK “The Ticket”  and watch on FloHockey. 

Idaho is 1-2-0-0 vs. Tulsa this season after collecting a 4-2 win back on Jan. 26 but then dropping the next two games 5-2 on Saturday and Sunday at the BOK Center. This weekend will wrap up one of two season long six-game road swings with the other coming in the middle of March when Idaho heads north of the border for three games with Newfoundland and Trois-Rivières. 

In the head-to-head series with the Oilers the Steelheads have been outscored 12-8 after falling behind 1-0 in two of the three games. Idaho went 2-for-8 on the power-play and 8-for-8 on the penalty kill in the three-in-three weekend at the end of January. Lincoln Erne, Will Merchant, and Wade Murphy each tallied a goal and two assists in the series while Dante Sheriff paced the way with two goals and four assists leading the Oilers. 

After the three-game series sweep over Rapid City this past week the Steelheads head to Tulsa on a season long eight-game point streak (7-0-1) and over their last 13 games since Jan. 19 are (10-2-1). Meanwhile, the Oilers played a three-in-three weekend last week falling 4-2 vs. Allen on Friday before defeating them on the road 3-1 the next night and then traveling to Wichita Sunday where they lost 5-2. Over their last eight games they’re just (2-4-1-1) after having won their previous six of seven games from Jan. 13-Feb. 2. 

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

February 18: (F) Mark Rassell signed a PTO with the Texas Stars while (D) Ben Zloty was re-called from his loan assignment. 

February 17: (D) Patrick Kudla signed a PTO with the Calgary Wranglers.

February 16: (G) Riley Morris signed to ECHL contract.  

February 15: (F) Parker Aucoin signed to ECHL contract… (G) Jared Moe signed a PTO with the Tucson Roadrunners… (D) Cody Haiskanen signed PTO with San Jose Barracuda.  

February 14: (F) Bailey Conger placed on injured reserve list… (D) Cody Haiskanen released from PTO with Ontario Reign, returned to Idaho. 

February 12: (D) Cooper Jones traded to Rapid City Rush for cash considerations. 

February 11: (G) Bryan Thomson placed on injured reserve list… (G) Jake Kielly signed to ECHL contract. 

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

#2 Trevor Zins has three assists in his last five games. 

#6 Wade Murphy was injured in last Wednesday’s game and has missed the last two contests. He has a career long 10 game point-streak (3G, 10A) dating back to Jan. 20. His 56 points lead Idaho and are tied for third in the ECHL while his 22 goals are tied for fifth. 

#11 Parker Aucoin made his Idaho debut on Friday and tallied an assist while notching another on Saturday. He signed out of Carleton University (USports) last Thursday meeting the club in Rapid City that night. The 6-foot, 200lb forward had recorded 20 points (11G, 9A) in 28 games at Carleton this season after leading all USports last season with 24 goals in 24 games. He played two games for the Orlando Solar Bears in 2019 after completing a five year career in the WHL with the Tri-City Americans where he finished tied for fifth in the league with 42 goals during his final year in 2018-19. 

#13 Francesco Arcuri has a career long six-game point-streak (3G, 5A) including four power-play goals in his last eight games. Since Dec. 29 he has a point in 15 of 19 games (7G, 13A) and in 41 games this year has totaled 29 points (13G, 16A).  

#17 Ty Pelton-Byce saw his career long 10 game point-streak (4G, 11A) end on Sunday. He played in his 100^th career ECHL game on Friday and is tied for second on the club with 47 points and 34 assists in 41 games.  

#18 A.J. White has points in four straight games (2G, 5A) and a point in six of his last seven games (3G, 7A). He is six games shy of 400 as a Steelhead and two shots shy of 1,000 in his ECHL career. He is tied for third in the ECHL with 10 power-play goals while his 20 man advantage points are tied for sixth. The Captain is tied for second on the club with 47 points and fourth with 17 goals. 

#23 Demetrios Koumontzis has a goal/point in three of his last five games (3G, 1A).  

#26 Jade Miller has an assist in two straight games and three in his last four games. 

#28 Will Merchant has a point in five of his last six games (2G, 3A) and since re-joining the Steelheads in early January has totaled 13 points (4G, 9A) in 19 games. He is seven goals shy of 100 career ECHL goals. 

#43 Matt Register tallied two assists on Friday night moving into third all-time in ECHL history amongst defensemen in points with 468 (106G, 362A) in 589 career games. He is second this season amongst league defenders with 42 points and 36 assists. His 17 power-play points (3G, 14A) are tied for fourth amongst league defensemen.  

#77 Jordan Kawaguchi has a point in three of his last four games (2G, 3A) and since making his season debut on Feb. 2 he has registered six points (2G, 4A) in seven games. 

TEAM NOTES

CALL UPS KEEP COMING

After Mark Rassell signed his PTO with Texas on Sunday it marked the 16^th different PTO signed by an Idaho skater this season which includes seven players and five teams. Full list below:

GOAL SCORING AT A PREMIUM

Idaho leads the league averaging 4.39 goals for per game having scored a league high 215 through 49 games… Kansas City is the next closest with 200 in 48 games. The Steelheads have scored four or more goals in 37 of 49 games including seven of their last eight games and nine of their last 10 decisions while posting a record of 33-2-1-1 when doing so. Eight different skaters have hit double digits in goals. 

SHOOTING GALLERY 

Idaho is second in the league averaging 37.739 shots for per game this season. They’re 23-10-1-1 when outshooting their opponent and 9-2-1-0 when being outshot. They have tallied 40 or more shots in 20 of 49 games while only not hitting 30 shots 11 times this year. They were outshot in two of three games at Rapid City last week; (36-43 Wednesday), (29-29 Friday), and (29-41 Saturday). 

SURGING POWER-PLAY

Idaho has scored a man advantage goal in seven straight games (8-for-18, 44.4%) and in nine of their last 10 games (9-for-24, 37.5%). Their longest steak this year is nine games from Nov. 24- Dec. 15 (16-for-34, 47.1%). They lead the league (49-for-168, 29.2%) and are first on the road (27-for-76, 35.5%). On the road they have scored a man advantage goal in four straight games (8-for-19, 42.1%) and in nine of their last 10 games (9-for-25, 36%). Overall the Steelheads are 23-7-1-1 when scoring a power-play goal and 9-2-1-1 when scoring two or more-man advantage goals in a decision. 

HOME COOKING

Idaho is tied for third in home wins this year with a 15-7-2-1 record. They have sold out in 24 of 25 games including 22 straight having scored four or more goals in 18 outings. 

ROAD WARRIORS

Idaho is 18-6 on the road this season having won four straight and 11 of their last 15 games. 

SCORING FIRST

Idaho is tied for third in the league with 28 first goals posting a record of (23-3-1-1) after scoring first in three straight games. However, they have fallen behind 1-0 in three of their last four games. 

SECOND PERIOD DOMINANCE 

Idaho has the best second period goal differential (+51) outscoring their opponents 90-49 in the middle frame. They have scored three goals in the second period in four of their last seven games while only allowing four during those seven games. 

COMING FROM BEHIND

Friday night marked the fourth come from behind win for the Steelheads when trailing after 40 minutes of play as they scored three goals in 85 seconds to complete a 5-4 come from behind win, their first time doing so on the road. 

2/16 at Rapid City (Trailed 3-2, Won 5-4) 
1/31 vs. Allen (Trailed 2-1, Won 3-2 OT) 
12/22 vs. Utah (Trailed 2-1, Won 3-2) 
12/13 vs. Rapid City (Trailed 3-2, Won 5-4 OT)

PENALTY SHOT DROUGHT CONTINUES

Mark Rassell was awarded his second penalty shot of the season on Friday but failed to convert as the Steelheads dropped to (0-3) on penalty shots this year. Idaho is unsuccessful in their last seven attempts having last scored on Apr. 6, 2018.

SHEEN LOOKS TO TIE GRAHAM 

Head Coach Everett Sheen is three wins away from tying Neil Graham for third all-time in franchise history amongst a Head Coach with 166 wins. In four seasons as Idaho’s bench boss Sheen has accumulated a record of 163-75-8-8 while Graham, currently in his fourth full season as Head Coach of the Texas Stars, went 166-91-21-10 in four years as Head Coach of the Steelheads.  

ACTIVE STATISTICAL LEADERS 
Goals: Wade Murphy (22) – Tied Fifth in ECHL
Assists: Matt Register (36) – Tied Fourth in ECHL
Points: Wade Murphy (56) – Third in ECHL  
Plus/Minus: Wade Murphy (+28) – First in ECHL  
PIMs: Nick Canade (80) 
PPGs: A.J. White (10) – Tied Third in ECHL 
GWGs: Wade Murphy (5)   
Shots: Wade Murphy (176) – Tied Fifth in ECHL   
Wins: Bryan Thomson (16) - Tied Third in ECHL 
GAA: Bryan Thomson (2.88)
SV%: Bryan Thomson (.908) 

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”.