IDAHO STEELHEADS WEEKLY – WEEK 12 – 1/7/25

BOISE, ID – The Idaho Steelheads (@Steelheads), proud ECHL (@ECHL) affiliate of the Dallas Stars (@DallasStars), collected four out of a possible six points last week and now welcome the three-peat Kelly Cup Champions the Florida Everblades into town this week. 

THIS WEEK’S GAMES  
Wednesday, Jan. 8 vs. Florida | 7:10 p.m. (MT)                               
Friday, Jan. 10 vs. Florida | 7:10 p.m. (MT)
Saturday, Jan. 11 vs. Florida | 7:10 p.m. (MT) 

WEEK PREVIEW
The Florida Everblades (22-6-3-0, 47pts, 0.758%) head into the Idaho Central Arena this week on a five-game point-streak (4-0-1) as they are tied for the second most points in the ECHL while they hold the third best winning percentage. 

Florida has been the best defensive team in the ECHL having allowed the fewest goals against this season (61) and hold the lowest team goals against average (1.97). Sixth year Everblade, Cam Johnson, leads the ECHL with a 1.68 goals against average and 17 wins while his .933 save percentage ranks second. As a team they’ve given up the fewest first period goals (12) and third period scores (18). 

Idaho is 6-7-1 all-time in the regular season vs. Florida including 3-3-0 in Boise. The Steelheads captured their first Kelly Cup in 2004 defeating the Everblades in five games while Florida has won three-straight Kelly Cups including a series sweep over Idaho back in 2023. 

The Steelheads have seven players back from their 2023 Kelly Cup Final run including; Nick Canade, Ty Pelton-Byce, A.J. White, Demetrios Koumontzis, Jade Miller, Matt Register, and Patrick Kudla. The Everblades have five players on their current roster from the 2023 Kelly Cup Championship team including; Logan Lambdin, Andrew Fyten, Oliver Chau, Kyle Neuber, and Cam Johnson.  

LAST WEEK’S GAMES

Tuesday, Dec. 31
Idaho (6) at Allen (2) 
Highlights
Full Recap 
Box Score

Brendan Hoffmann (2-1-3) gave Idaho a 1-0 lead midway through the first period but the Americans struck for a pair in the second taking a 2-1 lead halfway through the frame before the Steelheads erupted with four goals in a span of 3:27 taking a 5-2 lead. Thomas Caron tied the score at 2-2 at 10:42 then Nick Canade (1-1-2) made it 3-2 just 32 seconds later. Matt Register (1-1-2) scored short-handed at 13:10 then Demtrios Koumontzis made it a 5-2 game with 5:51 remaining in the period. Hoffmann tacked on an empty-net score with 2:20 left in the contest as Ben Kraws made 34 shots in the victory. 

Friday, Jan. 3
Idaho (1) vs. Utah (4) 
Highlights
Full Recap 
Box Score 

Idaho trailed 2-0 after the opening 20 minutes of play before Patrick Kudla playing in his first game of the season as a forward made it a one goal game 25 seconds into the second period from A.J. White and Patrick Moynihan. The Grizzlies retook a two-goal lead at 5:19 of the stanza and then 65 seconds into the third period made it a 4-1 score as Bryan Thomson made 37 saves in the loss. 

Saturday, Jan. 4 
Idaho (3) vs. Utah (2)
Highlights
Full Recap 
Box Score

Trevor Zins gave Idaho a 1-0 lead 2:28 into the contest with his first goal of the season from Matt Ustaski and Blake Swetlikoff. The Grizzlies answered with a pair of goals shortly after in a stretch of 4:34 taking a 2-1 lead through 20 minutes of play. Patrick Moynihan tied the game at 12:08 with his first goal as a Steelhead before Brendan Hoffmann provided the eventual game-winner 2:45 later. Ben Kraws made 28 saves in the victory. 

MOUNTAIN DIVISION STANDINGS
1. Kansas City Mavericks (20-8-3-1, 44pts, 0.688%)
2. Tahoe Knight Monsters (20-9-2-1, 43pts, 0.672%)
3. Wichita Thunder (19-12-2-1, 41pts, 0.603%)
4. Tulsa Oilers (18-11-3-0, 39pts, 0.609%)
5. Idaho Steelheads (17-12-3-0, 37pts, 0.578%) 
6. Rapid City Rush (9-16-4-3, 25pts, 0.391%)
7. Allen Americans (9-17-5-0, 23pts, 0.371%)
8. Utah Grizzlies (9-18-3-0, 21pts, 0.350%)

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

January 6:       
Mason McCarty acquired from Cincinnati Cyclones. 

January 5:       
Thomas Caron traded to the Indy Fuel in exchange for Andrew Bellant.

January 4:       
MacGregor Sinclair signed to an ECHL contract from the SPHL’s Birmingham Bulls. 
Hank Crone placed on 14-day injured reserve list. 

January 2:       
Chandler Romeo traded to the Greenville Swamp Rabbits in exchange for Patrick Moynihan. 
Matt Ustaski signed to an ECHL contract.
Francesco Arcuri placed on 3-day injured reserve list. 
Tomas Sholl moved from 3-day injured reserve list to 14-day injured reserve list. 
December 30: 
Lynden McCallum traded to the Savannah Ghost Pirates in exchange for Pito Walton. 

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

- #2 Trevor Zins scored his first goal of the season on Saturday and has three points (1G, 2A) in his last six games. 

- #3 Nick Canade missed Saturday’s game with an injury while Ty Pelton-Byce and Hank Crone missed both Friday and Saturday’s contest. 

- #7 Matt Ustaski made his Idaho season debut on Friday and tallied an assist on Saturday. 

- #9 Brendan Hoffmann is second on the club with 13 goals and has six over his last eight games. The Steelheads are 8-2 when he scores this season. 

- #18 A.J. White has an assist in three straight games. His 22 assists are third on the team while they’re tied for sixth in the ECHL. He has a point in 21 of the 31 games he has appeared in this season and is three points shy of 400 career ECHL points. 

- #19 Patrick Moynihan tallied an assist in his Idaho debut Friday and followed it up with his first goal as a Steelhead on Saturday.

- #21 Pito Walton made his Idaho debut on Friday. 

- #23 Demtrios Koumontzis made his return to the lineup last Tuesday night scoring a goal. 

- #30 Bryan Thomson is (3-2-0) in his last five games. He has made 30 or more saves in six straight games and in 11 of 14 games this season. 

- #33 Ben Kraws has won back-to-back games now for the fourth time this season and is (3-0-2) in his last five starts. His nine wins are tied for sixth amongst ECHL goaltenders while his overall record is (9-2-3).

- #36 Blake Swetlikoff has three assists in his last six games. 

- #43 Matt Register is tied for third amongst ECHL defensemen with 29 points and tied for second with 25 assists. 

- #47 Patrick Kudla scored a goal on Friday and tallied an assist on Saturday playing both games as a forward. He has two goals in his last five games and five points (2G, 3A) in his last seven games. He is tied for ninth amongst ECHL defensemen with 21 points. 

- #59 Slava Demin has two assists in his last four games. 

- #92 MacGregor Sinclair made his Idaho debut on Saturday. 

TEAM NOTES

- Idaho is (5-2-1) in their last eight games. 

- Idaho is 10-6-2 on home ice this season including 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. They’ve sold out in 51 consecutive regular season home games. 

- Idaho is fifth in the ECHL averaging 33.97 shots for per game. They’ve produced 30 or more shots in 13 of their last 16 games and 40 or more in eight games. 

- Idaho is ninth on the penalty kill in the ECHL (98-for-116, 84.5%). They’re 8-for-8 in their last three games and 16-for-17 over their last six games. 

- Idaho’s 48 goals scored in the second period are tied for the second most in the ECHL. They’ve outscored their opponents 22-7 in the middle frame over their last 14 games. 

- Idaho is 10-1-2 when scoring first… 7-0 when leading after the first period and 13-0 when leading after the second period. 

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