CONNOR MYLYMOK SCORES FIRST PROFESSIONAL GOAL IN 5-3 WIN OVER RAPID CITY

CONNOR MYLYMOK SCORES FIRST PROFESSIONAL GOAL IN 5-3 WIN OVER RAPID CITY

BOISE, ID – The Idaho Steelheads (44-20-2-2, 92pts) defeated the Rapid City Rush (27-36-4-0, 58pts) Wednesday night by a final score of 5-3 in front of 5,232 fans at the Idaho Central Arena. It was the 31^st sellout in the 32^nd home game including the 29^th consecutive. Idaho and Rapid City will square off Friday and Saturday night at 7:10 p.m. 

Idaho took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission with shots even at 14-14. The Steelheads went on an early power-play as the Rush were assessed a bench minor for too many men on the ice. Just 51 seconds into the man advantage Wille Knierim (17^th) made an unbelievable play knocking the puck out of midair and down to his stick banging it into the back of the net at 5:43 from A.J. White and Jordan Kawaguchi. Then just 41 seconds later Connor Mylymok and Tyson Helgeson went toe-to-toe at center ice each receiving five minutes for fighting just 7:24 into the contest. Idaho increased their lead thanks to A.J. White (25^th) after Jordan Kawaguchi sent a wrister from the high slot off the crossbar White was at the doorstep to slam it home at 11:49 with Wade Murphy picking up the secondary assist. With 5:08 left in the period Nicholas Canade squared off with Parker Bowman for the second fighting major of the period. 

Idaho led 3-2 after 40 minutes of play outshooting Rapid City 17-10 in the middle frame. Zach Taylor made it a one goal game getting his first professional scored five minutes into the stanza with a wrist shot from the right circle beating Bryan Thomson low far side. 4:13 later Francesco Arcuri (23^rd) scored on the power-play making it 3-1. From the far half-wall Ty Pelton-Byce fed Murphy at the top of the far circle. From there Murphy slid it to Arcuri at the near dot where he blasted home a one-timer at 9:13. Alex Aleardi made it a one-goal game 3:27 later on a fantastic individual effort splitting the defense in the high slot sending a wrister over the glove of Thomson at 12:40. 

83 seconds into the third period Keaton Mastrodonato (23^rd) increased the lead to 4-2. Kawaguchi drove into the offensive zone and cut through the right circle. Then from behind the net he fed Mastrodonato out in front where he directed it past the far leg of Propp. Connor Mylymok (1^st) increased the lead to 5-2 with just 5:35 left. Lynden McCallum led a two-on-one down the ice and from the right circle he fed Mylymok inside the left circle where he directed the puck into the top right corner. The Rush would pull back within two with a short-handed breakaway goal courtesy of Brett Gravelle with just 3:46 remaining in the game. Rapid City pulled Propp with about three minutes left but failed to convert as Idaho went onto a 5-3 win.  

Bryan Thomson made 30 saves 33 shots in the win while Christian Propp made 37 saves on 42 shots in the loss.  

BOX SCORE

ICCU Three Stars

1. Connor Mylymok (IDH, 1-0-1, +1, 2 shots, Fighting Major) 
2. Jordan Kawaguchi (IDH, 0-3-3, +1, 2 shots) 
3. A.J. White (IDH, 1-1-2, +2, 2 shots) 

GAME NOTES

• Idaho went 2-for-8 on the power-play while Rapid City was 0-for-6.  
• Idaho outshot Rapid City 42-33. 
• Idaho is now 67-26-6 all-time vs. Rapid City and 33-11-4 in Boise. Idaho is now 11-1-0-0 vs. Rapid City this season and 3-1-0-0 in Boise.  
• Sam Sternschein (IR), Colton Kehler (IR), Jared Moe (IR), Ben Zloty (IR), Romain Rodzinski (DNP), and Jade Miller (DNP) did not dress for Idaho. 
• Jordan Kawaguchi tallied three assists for his seventh multi-point game of the season… He now has (2-6-8) in his last five games. 
• Wade Murphy notched two assists for his team leading 21^st multi-point game of the year… He has (3-7-10) in his last five games. 
• A.J. White tallied a goal and an assist for his 13^th multi-point game of the year. 
• Connor Mylymok now has three fighting majors in four games at the Idaho Central Arena. 
• Nicholas Canade leads Idaho with seven fighting majors. 
• Ty Pelton-Byce extended his point-streak to six games with an assist (2-5-7). 
• Trevor Zins and Lynden McCallum each tallied an assist. 

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