CONNOR MACEACHERN RECORDS HAT TRICK IN 6-2 VICTORY

BOISE, ID – The Idaho Steelheads (9-7-1-0, 19pts) defeated the Tahoe Knight Monsters (8-5-1-2, 18pts) Friday night by a final score of 6-2 in front of a sellout crowd of 5,235 fans at the Idaho Central Arena, the ninth sellout in nine home games this season and the 42^nd consecutive regular season sellout. Idaho and Tahoe will wrap up the three-game series tomorrow night at 7:10 p.m.  

Nate Kallen gave the Knight Monsters a 1-0 lead with just 1:12 left in the first period but 19 seconds later Connor MacEachern (7^th) provided the equalizer as the score read 1-1 after the opening 20 minutes of play. Ty Pelton-Byce sent a rebound wide off the back wall where A.J. White collected the puck behind the net feeding MacEachern in the left circle. Each team went 0-for-1 on the power-play as the Steelheads outshot the Knight Monsters 12-8. 

The Steelheads broke through offensively in the second period taking a 5-1 lead into the final frame. Just 46 seconds into the period MacEachern (8^th) gave Idaho their first lead of the game as Pelton-Byce from the left half wall fed him for a one-timer inside the right circle. Lynden McCallum (7^th) stretched the lead to 3-1 at 10:34 scoring on a two-on-one with a wrist shot from the right circle. With 2:57 left in the stanza Brendan Hoffmann (6^th) buried a one-timer in the high slot on a setup from Matt Register. Six seconds later the Steelheads went short-handed but 16 seconds after Hoffmann’s first tally Hoffmann (7^th) was sprung on a breakaway from White making it 5-1. Shots were 15-9 Steelheads.

Simon Pinard cut the Tahoe deficit down to 5-2 just 4:39 into the third period. Idaho went on their third power-play of the night at 10:11 and after failing to convert, MacEachern (9^th) capped off the hat trick five seconds after the man advantage ended with a wrist shot from the top of the right circle into the top left corner to complete the 6-2 victory.   

Tomas Sholl made 26 saves on 28 shots in the win while Jesper Vikman made 35 saves on 41 shots in the loss. 

BOX SCORE

ICCU Three Stars
1) Connor MacEachern (IDH, 3-0-3, +2, 6 shots)            
2) Brendan Hoffmann (IDH, 2-0-2, +3, 8 shots)           
3) Tomas Sholl (IDH, 26 saves)    

GAME NOTES

• Idaho went 0-for-3 on the power-play while Tahoe went 0-for-4.      
• Tahoe outshot Idaho 31-27. 
• Blake Swetlikoff (DNP), Romain Rodzinski (DNP), and Slava Demin (INJ) did not dress for Idaho.
• Brendan Hoffmann’s pair of goals 16 seconds apart from one another are the fastest two goals scored this season for the Steelheads.
• Idaho produced 40 shots for the fourth time this season and registered their third four goal period, their second vs. Tahoe. 
• Connor MacEachern recorded his first pro hat-trick, Idaho’s first of the season.  
• A.J. White extended his point-streak to four games with his second three assist game this season.
• Brendan Hoffmann increased his point-streak to four games with his second multi-goal game of the season leading all skaters with eight shots on net.
• Ty Pelton-Byce extended his point-streak to four games with an assist.
• C.J. Walker extended his point-streak to three games with an assist.  
• Patrick Kudla and Matt Register each tallied two assists.
• Mark Olver recorded an assist for his second straight contest.

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