STEELHEADS EVEN SERIES AT ONE GAME A PIECE WITH THIRD PERIOD COMEBACK

STEELHEADS EVEN SERIES AT ONE GAME A PIECE WITH THIRD PERIOD COMEBACK 

INDEPENDENCE, MO – The Idaho Steelheads defeated the Kansas City Mavericks 3-2 with a pair of third period goals from Keaton Mastrodonato and Ty Pelton-Byce to even up the Mountain Division Finals at one game apiece Sunday afternoon in front of 4,412 fans at the Cable Dahmer Arena. Idaho will host Kansas City for Game Three Wednesday, Game Four Friday, and Game Five Saturday.  

Despite outshooting the Mavericks 13-8 in the opening 20 minutes of play Idaho trailed 1-0 as David Cotton found the back of the net at 16:27. Marc-Olivier Duquette blasted a shot from the center point off the left post behind Bryan Thomson. The puck then bounced out to the stick of Jake Jaremko inside the left circle where he slit it back door for Cotton. 

Each team found the back of the net in the middle frame as Idaho trailed 2-1 through 40 minutes of play. Jordan Kawaguchi (1^st) tied the game at 6:24 of the stanza on a rebound. Keaton Mastrodonato from the left-wing half wall met the puck and skipped it back for Jake Murray who blasted a shot that got blocked and hopped right to Kawaguchi on the back post. Idaho then ran into penalty trouble being assessed a roughing minor at 14:04 and a high-sticking minor 35 seconds later putting the Mavericks on a five-on-three advantage. Cole Coskey fired a wrist shot from the top of the left circle that went off the blocker then trickled into the back of the net at 15:02 giving Kansas City a 2-1 lead. With 47 seconds left in the frame Justin Nachbaur and Connor Mylymok went toe-to-toe at center ice each receiving five-minute majors for fighting. 

The comeback started in the third period when Keaton Mastrodonato (3^rd) tied the game at 2-2 just 4:18 into final period. Mastrodonato went racing through the center lane and was fed by Kawaguchi from the left circle. At the top of the crease Mastrodonato deflected the puck past Lafontaine into the net. Then 4:19 later Ty Pelton-Byce (4^th) provided the eventual game winner. Mark Rassell led the charge down the center off the ice and once he got across the blue line he kicked the puck out to the right side for Wade Murphy. From the top of the circle Murphy blasted a shot which was turned aside by the right leg of LaFonatine with the rebound right on the door step for Pelton-Byce to smash home for the 3-2 win at 8:37 of the final stanza.

Bryan Thomson made 27 saves on 29 shots in the win while Jack LaFontaine made 29 saves on 32 shots in the loss.   

BOX SCORE

ICCU Three Stars

1. Ty Pelton-Byce (IDH, 1-0-1, +1, 5 shots) 
2. Keaton Mastrodonato (1-1-2, +1, 3 shots)
3. Jordan Kawagcuhi (IDH, 1-1-2, +1, 3 shots) 

GAME NOTES

• Idaho went 0-for-2 on the power-play while Kansas City went 1-for-5. 
• Idaho outshot Kansas City 32-29. 
• Willie Knierim (DNP), Jade Miller (DNP), Francesco Arcuri (DNP), and Joe Gatenby (INJ) did not dress for Idaho. 
• Keaton Mastrodoanto and Jordan Kawaguchi each finished with a goal and an assist. 
• Ty Pelton-Byce (3-4-7) and Wade Murphy (2-4-6) have points in four straight games while Jake Murray (1-2-3) has a point in three straight. 

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