STEELHEADS SECURE PLAYOFF SPOT AS FRANCESCO ARCURI SCORES IN OVERTIME
TROIS-RIVIÈRES, QUEBEC – The Idaho Steelheads (40-16-2-1, 83pts) defeated the Trois-Rivières Lions (23-26-3-3, 52pts) Wednesday night by a final score of 2-1 in overtime as Francesco Arcuri scored 81 seconds in. The Steelheads and Lions square off again Friday at 5pm (MT).
After a scoreless first period the Steelheads got a power-play goal from Ty Pelton-Byce (14th) at 12:42 of the second period to take a 1-0 lead. Lynden McCallum from the top of the right circle fed Will Merchant on the far side of the goal line. Merchant spun the puck out to Pelton-Byce all alone at the top of the crease where he smashed it into the net. The Lions tied the game with 1:40 left in the frame as John Parker-Jones was set up backdoor on a feed from Jakov Novak.
3:41 into the third period Idaho was assessed a four-minute double minor for high sticking but they were able to kill it off as Jake Kielly stood tall making 15 saves in the third period sending the outing into overtime.
Just about a minute into overtime Kielly made an incredible save back door and the puck rimmed out through center ice where Patrick Kudla met it at the center circle. From there Kudla went to the right circle with Francesco Arcuri (18th) to his left where he fed him backdoor for a redirection into the net for the 2-1 overtime win.
Jake Kielly made 35 saves 36 shots in the win while Zachary Émond turned aside 24 of the 26 shots he faced.
ICCU Three Stars
- Francesco Arcuri (1-0-1, 1shot)
- Jake Kielly (35 saves)
- Zachary Émond (24 saves
GAME NOTES
- Idaho went 1-for-3 on the power-play while Trois-Rivières was 0-for-2.
- Trois-Rivières outshot Idaho 36-26.
- Sam Sternschein (IR), Wade Murphy (IR), Jack Jensen (IR), Connor Blake (DNP), and Colton Kehler (DNP) did not dress for Idaho.
- The Steelheads clinched a playoff spot increasing their record to (40-16-2-1) through 59 games. Last year they locked up a playoff spot on Mar. 10 in Game 56 (44-9-1-2)
- Francesco Arcuri has a goal in three straight games and five goals over his last seven games.
- Will Merchant tallied an assist for the fourth consecutive game and has a point in six of his last seven games (1-5-6).
- Patrick Kudla tallied an assist increasing his point-streak to seven games (3-7-10).
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