STEELHEADS FALL IN SERIES FINALE 6-3

TROIS-RIVIÈRES, QC – The Idaho Steelheads (11-9-1-0, 23pts) fell to the Trois-Rivières Lions (11-3-3-0, 25pts) Saturday afternoon by a final score of 6-3 in front of 2,903 fans at the Colisée Vidéotron. Idaho will open a season long six-game home-stand Wednesday night vs. Tulsa.   

Idaho fell behind 3-0 just 5:24 into the contest. Xavier Cormier got the scoring started at 1:43 and then Jonathon Yantsis increased the lead at 4:34. 50 seconds later Alex Beaucage made it a 3-0 advantage on the sixth shot of the game for the Lions. Idaho outshot Trois-Rivières 16-12.  

The Steelheads erased a three-goal deficit in the opening half of the second period starting with Justin Ertel (4^th) 2:30 into the frame. Matt Register from the left circle found A.J. White inside the circle. From there White sent it down to the back post for Ertel, the goal came three seconds after Idaho’s third power-play of the game ended. Then 46 seconds into their next power-play White (3^rd) pulled the Steelheads within one at 6:50. From inside the center point Register bounced the puck to Ertel left wing side. Then Ertel found White at the top of the crease for a deflection into the net. Then Idaho went on their fifth power-play 31 seconds after the score and at 9:00 Connor MacEachern (12^th) tied the game at 3-3. Hank Crone from the near circle fed Patrick Kudla above the right circle where he swung the puck to MacEachern at the far dot where he sent a wrist shot upstairs on Hunter Jones. Logan Nijhoff put the Lions back out in front with a power-play goal at 10:30 of the second on the Lions first shot of the period. Final shots in the frame favored Idaho 13-7. 

Nijhoff potted his second power-play goal of the game with 6:46 left in regulation giving the Lions a 5-3 lead. Idaho pulled Ben Kraws late in the contest but Jonathon Yentsis would cap off a two-goal game with an empty-netter with 2:29 to play handing Trois-Rivières a 6-3 win. 

Ben Kraws made 25 saves on 30 shots in the loss while Hunter Jones made 39 saves on 42 shots. 

BOX SCORE

ICCU Three Stars
1) Logan Nijhoff (TR)              
2) Jonathon Yantsis (TR)             
3) Alex Beaucage (TR)     

GAME NOTES

• Idaho went 2-for-8 on the power-play while Trois-Rivières went 2-for-5.       
• Idaho outshot Trois-Rivières 42-1.  
• Mark Olver (DNP), Blake Swetlikoff (DNP), and Slava Demin (INJ) did not dress for Idaho.
• Idaho trailed 3-0 just 5:24 into the game but erased the deficit with three goals in the opening nine minutes of the second period.
• A.J. White tallied a goal and an assist in his 436^th game as a Steelhead tying Marty Flichel for the franchise record while leading all Steelheads skaters with five shots on net.
• Connor MacEachern scored his first power-play goal as a Steelhead and team leading 12^th score of the year.
• Justin Ertel finished with a goal and an assist for his second multi-point game of the year.
• Matt Register, Patrick Kudla, Hank Crone, and Connor Punnett each notched an assist.

Stay up to date with all things Steelheads on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Watch all Steelheads home games on FloHockey and KTVB 24/7 (Channel 7.2) and listen on the Steelheads flagship station 95.3 FM KTIK “The Ticket”.