TY PELTON-BYCE SCORES OVERTIME WINNER COMPLETING HAT-TRICK IN 6-5 WIN OVER RAPID CITY

BOISE, ID – The Idaho Steelheads (14-10-2-0, 30pts) defeated the Rapid City Rush (6-13-4-3, 18pts) Friday night by a final score of 6-5 in overtime in front of 5,280 fans at the Idaho Central Arena, the 48^th consecutive regular season sell-out. Idaho and Rapid City will close out the series Saturday night at 7:10 p.m. 

The two teams combined for six goals in the opening 20 minutes of play with the score even at 3-3. Mark Olver (3^rd) banged home a rebound 6:12 into the contest in front of the net after Lynden McCallum hit the post giving Idaho a 1-0 lead. Just 23 seconds later Rapid City’s Ryan Wagner provided the equalizer with a breakaway score. Then at 9:17 C.J. Walker (6^th) would give Idaho back the lead with a great individual effort. Francesco Arcuri from the offensive blue line fed Walker driving down the center lane where he slipped past the defenders and scooped the puck past Radomsky short side making it 2-1. Just 3:31 later Parker Bowman scored at the crease tying the game back up. Rapid City’s only lead of the game came when Brett Davis scored on the power-play with 2:24 left in the period. Idaho went on their first power-play of the evening with 1:29 remaining in the period and with 29 seconds left Ty Pelton-Byce (14^th) tied the game at 3-3. From the left half boards Patrick Kudla snapped the puck to Pelton-Byce at the far circle where he let a wrist shot go past the far side of Radomsky. Shots were 16-10 Rapid City. 

Pelton-Byce (15^th) scored the only goal in the second coming with 3:47 left in the frame as Idaho took a 4-3 lead into the third period. Nick Canade started the play carrying the puck into the offensive zone down the left wing. From below the left circle he fed Pelton-Byce inside the right circle where he sent a wrister into the top left corner. Shots were 14-13 Rush. 

Just 15 seconds into the third period Deni Goure tied the score at 4-4. With 5:28 left in regulation Brendan Hoffmann (10^th) gave Idaho a 5-4 lead. The score started with a great fore-check where Lynden McCallum from the left half wall sent the puck behind the net for Hoffmann. Hoffmann sent a wraparound tally past Radomsky. Rapid City went on a power-play with 2:21 remaining and Connor Mylymok forced overtime scoring with 79 seconds remaining.

Pelton-Byce drew a penalty 72 seconds into overtime sending Idaho on a four-on-three power-play. It took just 24 seconds into the man advantage after Idaho used a time-out for Pelton-Byce (16^th) to complete his first pro hat-trick for a 6-5 overtime win. Hank Crone from below the left circle slid the puck back to Patrick Kudla in the high slot where he one touched it over to Pelton-Byce in the right circle where he blasted a one-timer home. 

Ben Kraws made 32 saves on 37 shots in the win while Matt Radomsky made 30 saves on 36 shots in the loss.  

BOX SCORE

ICCU Three Stars
1) Ty Pelton-Byce (IDH, 3-0-3, +1, 4 shots)                  
2) Ryan Wagner (RC, 1-3-4, +2 3 shots)                  
3) C.J. Walker (1-0-1, 4 shots)          

GAME NOTES

• Idaho went 2-for-3 on the power-play while Rapid City went 2-for-2.       
• Idaho outshot Rapid City 37-36.  
• Demetrios Koumontzis (IR), Connor MacEachern (INJ), Chandler Romeo (DNP), and Blake Swetlikoff (DNP) did not dress for Idaho.
• Ty Pelton-Byce scored his sixth career overtime winner and his first pro hat-trick.
• A.J. White extended his point-streak to six games with an assist.
• Lynden McCallum, Hank Crone, and Patrick Kudla each tallied two assists.
• Nick Canade, Romain Rodzinski, Francesco Arcuri, Matt Register, and Connor Punnett each recorded an assist.
• Crone and McCallum led all Steelheads skaters with five shots.  

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