BOISE, ID – The Idaho Steelheads (@Steelheads), proud ECHL (@ECHL) affiliate of the Dallas Stars (@DallasStars), picked up five out of a possible six points in a three-game series with Utah and are just one point out of a playoff spot and seven points back of first place with 29 games remaining ahead of a three-game series vs. Rapid City.
RAPID CITY SERIES
Wednesday, Feb. 5 vs. Rapid City | 7:10 p.m. (MT)
Friday, Feb. 7 vs. Rapid City | 7:10 p.m. (MT)
Saturday, Feb. 8 vs. Rapid City | 7:10 p.m. (MT)
UTAH SERIES
Friday, Jan. 31
Idaho (2) at Utah (1) OT
Full Recap
Box Score
Highlights
Andrei Bakanov scored in the first period from Brendan Hoffmann and Matt Register as Idaho led 1-0 until the Grizzlies tied the game at 1-1 with 2:19 remaining in the first period. Idaho outshot Utah 12-8 in the third period but the score remained tied through 60 minutes of play. Hank Crone scored at 1:27 of overtime from Hoffmann as Ben Kraws made 33 saves in the victory.
Saturday, Feb. 1
Idaho (3) at Utah (4) OT
Full Recap
Box Score
Highlights
After falling behind 1-0 about five minutes into the game the Steelheads received goals from Andrei Bakanov and Hank Crone taking a 2-1 lead into the first intermission. The Grizzlies tied the game at 2-2 with a second period power-play goal. Just 5:39 into the third period Reece Harsch put Idaho back out in front but Utah scored 2:31 later tying the score at 3-3 in a game which eventually needed overtime. The Grizzlies scored at 2:46 of the extra session for a 4-3 win as Bryan Thomson made 38 saves in the overtime loss.
Monday, Feb. 3
Idaho (7) at Utah (0)
Full Recap
Box Score
Highlights
The Steelheads received first period goals from Demetrios Koumontzis, Brendan Hoffmann, and Patrick Moynihan in a span of 6:57 taking a 3-0 lead into the dressing room after 20 minutes of play. Idaho replicated their first period scoring three times in the second period as Wade Murphy, Connor MacEachern, and Hoffmann (SHG), marked tallies in a stretch of 5:37. MacEachern notched his second of the game in the third period as Ben Kraws picked up his first professional shutout making 34 saves.
MOUNTAIN DIVISION STANDINGS
1. Kansas City Mavericks (27-11-3-1, 58pts, 0.690%)
2. Tulsa Oilers (25-13-4-2, 56pts, 0.636%)
3. Tahoe Knight Monsters (25-15-3-1, 54pts, 0.614%)
4. Wichita Thunder (24-16-3-1, 52pts, 0.591%)
5. Idaho Steelheads (23-15-5-0, 51pts, 0.593%)
6. Allen Americans (13-22-7-1, 34pts, 0.395%)
7. Utah Grizzlies (14-23-4-1, 33pts, 0.393%)
8. Rapid City Rush (12-22-5-3, 32pts, 0.381%)
THIS WEEK’S MATCHUP
The Steelheads and Rush square off tomorrow night for the ninth of 14 total meetings this season, the seventh of nine in Boise at the Idaho Central Arena. Rapid City collected a three-game sweep over Idaho back in mid-November but then the Steelheads have won five straight against the Rush including a three-game sweep in Boise before the holiday break with all three games being decided by one-goal including two overtime contests.
Idaho is 76-29-7 all-time vs. Rapid City including 37-13-5 in Boise at the Idaho Central Arena. Six of the first eight games this season have been decided by one goal including three overtime games. Idaho has outscored Rapid City 29-27 as Matt Register leads the head-to-head season series with 11 points (1G, 9A) while Ty Pelton-Byce has scored eight goals in eight games with three multi-goal games including his first professional hat-trick back on Dec. 20 scoring the overtime winner 96 seconds into the extra frame for a 6-5 victory. Rapid City’s Ryan Wagner leads the club with 39 points and 17 goals as he is one of four skaters to have appeared in all 42 games.
The Steelheads are (5-for-28, 17.9%) on the power-play vs. the Rush as Pelton-Byce has three power-play tallies in the head-to-head season series. Idaho is (17-for-20, 85%) on the penalty kill vs. Rapid City.
Idaho is averaging 38.5 shots for per game against Rapid City having tallied 40 or more shots in three of the eight games while the Rush are averaging 34.38 shots for per game.
Bryan Thomson is (3-2) against Rapid City with a 2.38 goals against average and .929 save percentage. He is (3-0) in Boise vs. the Rush having made 106 saves on 113 shots. Ben Kraws is (2-0-1) against the Rush with a 4.55 goals against average and .864 save percentage.
Christian Propp has started six of the last eight games for Rapid City and is (0-1-1) vs. the Steelheads with a 3.83 goals against average and .902 save percentage while Matt Radomsky is (2-0-1) with a 4.40 goals against average and .893 save percentage.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
#2 Trevor Zins is one of two skaters to have appeared in all 43 games… He finished plus-six on Monday night, the highest in a game by an ECHL skater this season while tallying two assists for his first multi-point game.
#3 Nick Canade has an assist in back-to-back games and has appeared in three straight games after missing nine straight with an injury… He recorded nine penalty minutes last Friday night and his fourth fighting major of the season which is tied for the team lead.
#6 Wade Murphy scored his first goal of the season on Monday in his third game since signing from Slovakia on Jan. 15… He has 11 shots in three games.
#8 Andrei Bakanov missed Monday night’s game with an injury… He has tallied nine points (6G, 3A) in nine games since joining Idaho on Jan. 7… He has a goal in three straight games (4G).
#9 Brendan Hoffmann is tied for sixth in the ECHL with 18 goals while tallying a point in four of his last five games (3G, 6A)… Monday night he scored two goals for his team leading sixth multi-goal game and recorded an assist for his 11th multi-point game, his third three-point game of the year, his second in his last five games… During his last five games he is plus-8 with 20 shots… He is 10th in the ECHL with 129 shots… He has a point in nine of his last 14 games (8G, 10A)… Idaho is (11-2) when he scores one goal… (5-1) when he records two goals… (17-3-1) when he tallies a point… (10-1) when he has a multi-point game.
#11 Mason McCarty has registered one goal and one assist in 10 games with Idaho since being acquired on Jan. 6.
#15 C.J. Walker has missed 10 straight games with an injury.
#17 Ty Pelton-Byce finished with one shot and was plus-one Monday in his first game back after missing 12 straight games with an injury… Prior to his injury his 17 goals were tied for third in the ECHL while his seven on the power-play were tied for the league lead… His 34 points were tied for fourth.
#18 A.J. White tallied two assists for his sixth multi-point game on Monday while finishing plus-three… His 29 assists are tied for fifth in the ECHL as he has recorded a point in 26 of 42 games… He has four assists in his last five games and 11 in his last 14 games.
#19 Patrick Moynihan scored on Monday and finished with three shots while being plus-three… He has tallied three goals and three assists in 13 games with Idaho since being acquired on Jan. 2.
#21 Pito Walton has appeared in 13 games with the Steelheads since being acquired on Dec. 30.
#23 Demetrios Koumontzis scored a goal and an assist Monday for his second multi-point game… He has notched two goals and three assists in 14 games since making his season debut on Dec. 31.
#24 Reece Harsch notched his second multi-point game of the season last Saturday scoring a goal and adding an assist. He has played in five straight games after missing the previous four with an injury.
#26 Jade Miller has an assist in back-to-back games and four points (1G, 3A) in his last six games.
#27 Jason Horvath picked up his first fighting major as a Steelhead on Monday and has played five games for Idaho since being acquired on Jan. 14.
#29 Connor MacEachern is tied for fifth amongst ECHL rookies with 15 goals and is tied for 10th with 28 points… He scored two goals Monday for his third multi-goal game while tallying an assist for his seventh multi-point game, third three-point game… He has notched six points (4G, 2A) in his last eight games after missing the previous missing the previous 13 with an injury.
#30 Bryan Thomson has won two of his last three games and five of his last eight starts… He has made 30 or more saves in nine straight games and in 14 of 17 thus year.
#33 Ben Kraws made 34 saves Monday for his first professional shutout improving to (4-0) against Utah with a 1.24 goals against average and .960 save percentage… His 13 wins are tied for seventh amongst ECHL goaltenders and tied for third amongst rookies… He has won six of his last eight games and is (8-2-2) on the road… He has faced 702 shots, third most amongst league rookie netminders, ninth amongst all league goaltenders.
#43 Matt Register is tied for first amongst ECHL skaters with 34 assists which leads all league defenders… His 38 points are second amongst ECHL defensemen while his plus-22 rating is tied for fourth… He tallied two assists Monday for his 11th multi-point game and has an assist in seven of his last eight games (9A)… He finished with plus-six Monday, the highest by an ECHL skater in a game this season… He has a point in 26 of 43 games… He is one of two skaters to have appeared in all 43 games.
#47 Patrick Kudla has missed five straight games with an injury.
#67 Hank Crone has a point in three straight games (2G, 1A) after missing 10 straight games with an injury… Last Friday he scored his second overtime winner of the season, third of his career for his 200th professional point… He scored on Saturday as well... He has a point in 26 of 33 games… His assist on Monday was his 200th career ECHL point in his 142nd game.
#77 Andrew Bellant has tallied four goals and two assists in 10 games with Idaho since being acquired on Jan. 5.
TEAM NOTES
- Idaho has 29 games remaining in their regular season schedule… Six against Rapid City, Tahoe, and Kansas City, five against Allen, three vs. Utah, two against Wichita, and one Tulsa… Over there next 11 games Idaho will play Rapid City six times and Utah three times.
- With the win on Monday the Steelheads stretched their point-streak to a season long five games (3-0-2)… The seven goals scored tied their season high set back on Oct. 18… The three goal first period was their fourth of the season as they outscored Utah 6-1 in the opening 20 minutes of play in the three game series… The three goals scored in the second period was their fifth three goal second period of the year… The shutout marked their first of the season and the win was their largest margin of victory.
- The Steelheads have a point in seven of their last eight games (5-1-2).
- Idaho has scored first in four of their last five games… On the season they’re (14-1-3) when scoring first.
- Idaho has 16 fighting majors on the season with a record of (12-3) in a game when dropping the gloves including (5-0) on home ice and (7-3) on the road.
- Idaho is 12-0-1 when leading after the first period… Last Saturday night was the first time they’ve lost when leading after the opening 20 minutes as they led 2-1 eventually falling 4-3 in overtime… They’re 16-0 when leading after two periods.
- Idaho went 0-for-10 on the power-play in the three-game series at Utah… Prior to the series they had scored a power-play goal in three of their previous four games (5-for-13, 38.5%) They’re (13-3-2) when scoring a power-play goal including (5-2) on the road… They’ve scored two power-play goals in a game eight times with a (5-2-1) record.
- Idaho went 10-for-11 on the penalty kill vs. Utah in the three-game series… They’re 14-for-15 over their last six games.
- Idaho is 11-0-1 when leading after the first period… Saturday night was the first time they’ve lost when leading after the opening 20 minutes as they led 2-1 eventually falling 4-3 in overtime… They’re 15-0 when leading after two periods.
ACTIVE STATISTICAL LEADERS
Goals: Brendan Hofmann (18)
Assists: Matt Register (34)
Points: Hank Crone (40)
Plus/Minus: Matt Register (+22)
PIMs: Brendan Hoffmann (41)
PPGs: Ty Pelton-Byce (7)
GWGs: Ty Pelton-Byce (7)
Shots: Brendan Hoffmann (129)
Wins: Ben Kraws (13)
GAA: Ben Kraws (3.00)
SV%: Bryan Thomson (3.22)
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