IDAHO STEELHEADS WEEKLY – WEEK 24 – 4/2/24

IDAHO STEELHEADS WEEKLY – WEEK 24 – 4/2/24 

After a three-game series this past week in Utah the Idaho Steelheads return to Boise to wrap up the regular season with five straight games at the Idaho Central Arena beginning tomorrow night vs. the Rapid City Rush.

Idaho (43-20-2-2, 90pts, 0.672) enters this week second place in the Mountain Division, third in the Western Conference and fourth in the entire ECHL trailing the Kansas City Mavericks by 14 points. 

THIS WEEK’S GAMES
Wednesday, Apr. 3 vs. Rapid City | 7:10 p.m. 
Friday, Apr. 5 vs. Rapid City | 7:10 p.m. 
Saturday, Apr. 6 vs. Rapid City | 7:10 p.m. 

LAST WEEK’S GAMES
Wednesday, Mar. 27 at Utah | 6-2 WIN | Highlights Game Recap Box Score 
Friday, Mar. 29 at Utah | 5-4 LOSS | Highlights Game Recap Box Score 
Saturday, Mar. 30 at Utah | 4-1 LOSS | Game Recap Box Score 

MOUNTAIN DIVISION STANDINGS

1. XY - Kansas City Mavericks (49-11-4-2, 104pts, .788) 
2. X - Idaho Steelheads (43-20-2-2, 90pts, .672)
3. Utah Grizzlies (31-33-3-0, 65pts, .485)
4. Tulsa Oilers (29-30-6-1, 65pts, .492)
5. Allen Americans (28-34-2-1, 59pts, .454)
6. Rapid City Rush (27-35-4-0, 58pts, .439)
7. Wichita Thunder (24-33-7-1, 56pts, .431) 

THE WEEK AHEAD

Idaho hits the ice this Wednesday to begin a three-game set with the Rapid City Rush. You can listen to the action on News Talk 670 KBOI and watch on KTVB 24/7 (Channel 7.2) and  FloHockey. 

Idaho is 10-1-0-0 vs. Rapid City this season including 2-1-0-0 in Boise. The Steelheads only loss against the Rush this season came back on Dec. 16, 7-4, after Idaho had picked up a 4-1 victory the night before and a 5-4 overtime win on Dec. 13, the only three times the two clubs have met in Boise this season. 

The Steelheads dominated the Rush on the road this season with a 8-0 record where they outscored them 40-18. In the head-to-head series collectively, Idaho has outscored Rapid City 53-30 scoring four or more goals in 10 of 11 decisions while holding them to three or fewer goals in eight of the 11 games. 

Idaho is (10-for-29, 34.5%) on the power-play and (32-for-36, 88.9%) on the penalty kill against Rapid City. The Steelheads have scored a man advantage goal in eight of 11 games in the head-to-head series including four straight games. Back in December in the series in Boise Idaho went 2-for-6 on the power-play, not receiving a power-play opportunity on Dec. 16. The Rush have scored a power-play goal in just three of the 11 games including a 2-for-2 night in their 7-4 victory on Dec. 16. 

The Steelheads are averaging 35 shots for per game against the Rush this season having recorded 30 or more shots in seven of the 11 outings. The Rush are averaging 34.8 shots for per game against the Steelheads having hit 30 or more shots in eight of 11 games. Idaho outshot Rapid City in the first six head-to-head meetings but have been outshot in four of the last five games. 

A.J. White leads the Steelheads in the head-to-head series with 16 points (6G, 10A) in all 11 games including a hat-trick on Nov. 25 in a 6-3 win on the road and the overtime winner on Dec. 13 in Boise during a 5-4 victory. Bryan Thomson has won all four games he has started against the Rush with a 1.99 goals against average and a .946 save percentage while Jake Kielly made his Idaho debut on Feb. 16 in Rapid City making 25 saves in a 5-4 win and 40 saves the following night in a 3-1 victory. 

Logan Nelson paces the way for the Rush in the head-to-head series with 11 points (1G, 10A) in all 11 games while Alex Aleardi and Keanu Yamamoto each have scored five goals. Matt Radomsky has appeared in eight games posting a (0-7-1) record with a 4.74 goals against average and .853 save percentage. 

Rapid City picked up five out of a possible six points on home ice last week defeating Allen Wednesday 5-2 then 6-3 Friday before falling 4-3 in overtime Saturday. 

INDIVIDUAL RECENT MILESTONES

• #17 Ty Pelton-Byce recorded his 100^th point as a Steelhead with a goal and an assist last Wednesday.  
• #77 Jordan Kawaguchi tallied his 100^th professional point with a goal and an assist last Wednesday.  

UPCOMING MILESTONES

• #6 Wade Murphy is five assists shy of 100 career ECHL assists. 
• #17 Ty Pelton-Byce is five games shy of 100 as a Steelhead. 
• #18 A.J. White is one goal shy of tying Scott Burt for third all-time in franchise history with 111 goals, including the WCHL and ECHL era. 
• #26 Jade Miller is one game shy of 200 career ECHL games. 
• #28 Will Merchant is one goal away (88) from moving into third all-time in the Steelheads ECHL era… He is one point shy of 200 points as Steelhead… Three goals shy of 100 career ECHL goals… Two games shy of 300 as a Steelhead. 
• #43 Matt Register is four assists shy of setting the Steelheads ECHL era record for most assists by a skater in a single season.  

  PLAYER NOTES

• #6 Wade Murphy has a point in three of his last four games (3-5-8) and in 13 of his last 15 games (6-15-21). 
• #13 Francesco Arcuri has seven goals in his last 11 games. 
• #17 Ty Pelton-Byce has a five-game point-streak (2-6-8). 
• #18 A.J. White is tied for third in the ECHL with 12 power-play goals. 
• #21 Jake Murray has a point in two of his last four games (1-4-5). 
• #24 Reece Harsch scored a goal in his Idaho debut last Wednesday. 
• #28 Will Merchant has a goal in three of his last four games. 
• #29 Willie Knierim has a point in four of his last six games (2-3-5). 
• #43 Matt Register is second amongst ECHL defensemen with 57 points and 48 assists… His 48 assists are sixth amongst all league skaters… His 19 power-play assists are tied for fifth amongst all league skaters and tied for fourth amongst defenders. 
• #47 Patrick Kudla is third amongst ECHL defensemen with 56 points and 46 assists. 
• #77 Jordan Kawaguchi has a point in four of his last seven games (2-6-8). 

TEAM NOTES

• Idaho has scored the most goals in the ECHL (281, 67 games) and is second with a goals for average of 4.19. 
• Idaho has the first ranked power-play in the ECHL overall (65-for-227, 28.6%), road (34-for-114, 29.8%), and second on home ice (31-for-113, 27.4%). 
• Idaho has sold out in 30 of 31 home games including 28 straight. They are 19-9-2-1 on home ice. 
• Idaho is second averaging 35.75 shots for per game. 
• Idaho is tied for fourth having scored first in 37 games with a (31-3-1-2) record. 

ACTIVE STATISTICAL LEADERS
Goals: Wade Murphy (25) 
Assists: Matt Register (48) 
Points: Wade Murphy (64) 
Plus/Minus: Wade Murphy (+31) 
PIMs: Nick Canade (102) 
PPGs: A.J. White (12)
GWGs: Wade Murphy, Francesco Arcuri (5)   
Shots: Wade Murphy (198)
Wins: Bryan Thomson (18) 
GAA: Bryan Thomson (2.82)
SV%: Bryan Thomson (.909)