IDAHO STEELHEADS WEEKLY – WEEK 17 – 2/13/25

BOISE, ID – The Idaho Steelheads (@Steelheads), proud ECHL (@ECHL) affiliate of the Dallas Stars (@DallasStars), head to Utah this week with 26 games remaining currently sitting five points out of a playoff spot but 10 points back of the division lead. 

THIS WEEK’S GAMES
Friday, Feb. 14 at Utah | 7:10 p.m. (MT) 
Saturday, Feb. 15 at Utah | 7:10 p.m. (MT)
Monday, Feb. 17 at Utah | 3:10 p.m. (MT) 

LAST WEEK’S GAMES
Wednesday, Feb. 5
Idaho (4) vs. Rapid City (5) OT 
Full Recap 
Box Score
Highlights
Idaho led 2-0 after the first period receiving a power-play goal from Matt Register early into the game and then late in the frame from Hank Crone (1-2-3). Rapid City would cut the lead in half midway through the second period before Connor MacEachern made it a 3-1 lead shortly after. The Rush would pull back within one late the period as the Steelheads took a 3-2 lead into the second intermission. Wade Murphy (1-2-3) scored Idaho’s third power-play goal of the night 75 seconds into the third period stretching the advantage to 4-2. Rapid City provided a pair of unanswered goals shortly after in a stretch of 3:29 eventually forcing overtime. The Rush scored just 84 seconds into the extra frame for the 5-4 win as Bryan Thomson made 26 saves in the loss.  

Friday, Feb. 7 
Idaho (2) vs. Rapid City (3) SO
Full Recap
Box Score
Highlights
A.J. White scored on the power-play midway through the first period making it 1-0 but with 71 seconds left in the frame the Rush tied the game heading into the first intermission. Rapid city led 2-1 after 40 minutes of play scoring late in the second period on the man advantage. Wade Murphy tied the game 38 seconds into the third period at 2-2. After a scoreless overtime frame Rapid City scored first in the shootout as all three Idaho shooters failed to score as the Rush picked up the 3-2 shootout win. Bryan Thomson made 33 saves in the loss. 

Saturday, Feb. 8 
Idaho (2) vs. Rapid City (5) 
Full Recap
Box Score
Rapid City led 2-0 after the first period and 3-0 heading into the third period. The Rush would increase their lead to 5-0 midway through the third period. Connor MacEachern (1-1-2) broke the shutout scoring with 38 seconds left and then A.J. White (1-1-2) found the back of the net with four seconds left in a 5-2 loss. Bryan Thomson made 27 saves in the loss. 

MOUNTAIN DIVISION STANDINGS
1. Kansas City Mavericks (29-11-4-1, 63pts, 0.700%)
2. Tahoe Knight Monsters (28-15-3-1, 60pts, 0.638%)
3. Tulsa Oilers (26-14-5-2, 59pts, 0.628%) 
4. Wichita Thunder (27-16-3-1, 58pts, 0.617%)
5. Idaho Steelheads (23-16-6-1, 53pts, 0.576%)
6. Utah Grizzlies (16-24-4-2, 38pts, 0.413%)
7. Rapid City Rush (15-22-5-3, 38pts, 0.422%)
8. Allen Americans (13-25-7-1, 34pts, 0.370%)

THIS WEEK’S MATCHUP
The Steelheads and Grizzlies square off Friday night for the seventh of nine total meetings this season, the fourth of six in West Valley City at the Maverik Center. Idaho is 4-1-1 against Utah this season as the two clubs recently met two weeks ago in Utah as Idaho won on Friday night 2-1 in overtime with Hank Crone scoring 87 seconds into overtime. Then the following evening it was Neil Shea handing the Grizzlies a 4-3 overtime victory at 2:46 of the extra frame. Idaho took the series night’s later with their first shutout win of the season and their largest victory of the year as Ben Kraws made 34 saves in a 7-0 win. 

Idaho is 142-68-28 all-time vs. Utah including 60-35-13 at the Maverik Center. 

This season Idaho has outscored Utah 23-13. The Steelheads are 10^th in the ECHL averaging 3.33 goals for per game this year and have scored a season high seven goals in two of six games. Brendan Hoffmann paces the way in the head-to-head season series with seven points (3G, 4A) while Connor MacEachern has scored three goals in three games. Utah ranks 14^th averaging 3.13 goals for per game as they’ve scored four or more goals in all 16 of their wins. Neil Shea leads the way with three goals while Keaton Mastrodonato has four assists. 

The Steelheads are just (1-for-20, 5%) on the power-play vs. the Grizzlies with Ty Pelton-Byce scoring the lone man advantage tally back on Oct. 18 the first game of the season in a 7-2 win. Idaho went (0-for-10) two weeks ago in the three-game series at the Maverik Center. Idaho is (18-for-20, 90%) on the penalty kill vs. Utah as Chad Hillebrand scored back on Feb. 1 and Neil Shea on Oct. 18. On the season, Idaho is 16^th on the power-play (30-for-160, 18.8%) and 10^th on the penalty kill (126-for-153, 82.4%). Utah is 12^th on the man advantage (29-for-142, 20.4%) and dead last on the penalty kill (97-for-134, 72.4%).  

Idaho is averaging 36.00 shots for per game against Utah and tallied 43 in the last meeting on Feb. 3, their 12^th time recording 40 or more shots in a game. The Steelheads are fourth in the ECHL averaging 33.93 shots for per game. Utah is averaging 34.83 shots for pe game against Idaho having hit 40 or more two times. The Grizzlies are 13^th in the league this season averaging 31.02 shots for per game. Utah is allowing 34.89 shots against per game, 27^th in the league, while Idaho is 28^th at 35.61. 

Ben Kraws is (4-0) against Utah this season with a 1.24 goals against average and .960 save percentage but is on recall with the AHL’s Texas Stars while Bryan Thomson is (0-1-1) in the head-to-head season series with a 3.92 goals against average and .904 save percentage. For Utah, Jake Barczewski was pulled in the last meeting between the two clubs after allowing five goals in 25 shots and is (2-2-1) with 3.08 goals against average and .912 save percentage vs. Idaho while Vinny Duplessis made 16 saves on 18 shots in a relief appearance on Feb. 2. 

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

#2 Trevor Zins is one of two skaters to have appeared in all 46 games… He finished plus-six against Utah on Feb. 2, the highest in a game by an ECHL skater this season while tallying two assists for his first multi-point game… His last goal came vs. Utah on Jan. 4, 14 games ago. 

#3 Nick Canade missed last Saturday’s game with an injury… He had appeared in five straight games after missing the previous nine with an injury from Jan. 4-Jan. 25… He tallied an assist in back-to-back games to start the three-game series last time in Utah.  

#6 Wade Murphy has a goal/point in three of his last four games (3G, 2A) in six games since making his season debut in Utah on Jan. 31 after rejoining the club from Slovakia… He scored a goal and added two assists vs. the Grizzles on Feb. 5… He had 13 points (4G, 9A) in nine games against Utah last season… He is currently one assist shy of 100 in his ECHL career. 

#7 Ryan Gagnon made his Steelheads debut last Saturday after being acquired from the Allen Americans on Jan. 22. 

#8 Andrei Bakanov has tallied nine points (6G, 3A) in 11 games since joining Idaho on Jan. 7… He has a goal in three of his last five games (4G). 

#9 Brendan Hoffmann is tied for ninth in the ECHL with 18 goals and is tied for ninth with 136 shots… 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… He recorded five points (2G, 3A) in the last three-game series in Utah. 

#11 Mason McCarty has missed the last three games with an injury… He has registered one goal and one assist in 10 games with Idaho since being acquired on Jan. 6. 

#15 C.J. Walker has missed 13 straight games with an injury.

#17 Ty Pelton-Byce has three assists in his last three games… He has appeared in four straight games for Idaho after missing the previous 12 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… He scored two goals in the first game of the season first Utah back on Oct. 18… He has a point in 22 of 34 games and is four assists shy of 100 in his ECHL career.  

#18 A.J. White is tied for seventh in the ECHL with 30 assists… He has scored in back-to-back games for the second time this season… He has five points (2G, 3A) in his last four games… He has recorded a point in 28 of 45 games. 

#19 Patrick Moynihan has a point in three of his last five games (1G, 2A)… He has tallied three goals and four assists in 16 games with Idaho since being acquired on Jan. 2… Two of his last three goals as a Steelhead have come against Utah as he scored his first goal back on Jan. 4.  

#21 Pito Walton has appeared in 16 games with the Steelheads since being acquired on Dec. 30. 

#23 Demetrios Koumontzis has notched two goals and three assists in 16 games since making his season debut on Dec. 31… His one multi-point game of the year came back in Utah on Feb. 3 tallying a goal and an assist.  

#24 Reece Harsch has four points in his last five games (1G, 3A)… He has two multi-point games with his last coming on Feb. 1 at Utah where he scored a goal and an assist… He has played in eight straight games after missing the previous four with an injury… He made his Idaho debut in Utah on Mar. 27, 2024 scoring a goal in a 6-2 victory.   

#26 Jade Miller has two assists in his last five games and four points (1G, 3A) in his last nine games… He had two assists in the last three-game series in Utah. 

#27 Jason Horvath played in his 100^th career ECHL game last Saturday… He has played eight games for Idaho since being acquired on Jan. 14.  

#29 Connor MacEachern is third amongst ECHL rookies with 18 goals and is tied for eighth with 31 points… He has a goal in three of his last four games and six points (4G, 2A) in his last four games… He has notched nine points (6G, 3A) in his last 11 games after missing the previous 13 with an injury.

#30 Bryan Thomson is (0-1-2-1) in his last five starts after winning five of his previous seven… He has made three straight starts and four of the last five… He has made 30 or more saves in 10 of his last 12 games and in 15 of 20 this year.

#43 Matt Register is tied for third amongst ECHL skaters with 34 assists which is tied for first amongst league defenders… His 39 points are tied for second amongst ECHL defensemen while his plus-20 rating is tied for fifth… He finished plus-six in Utah on Feb. 3, the highest by an ECHL skater in a game this season… He has a point in 27 of 46 games… He is one of two skaters to have appeared in all 46 games… He is four games shy of becoming the ECHL’s all-time games played leader amongst defensemen. 

#47 Patrick Kudla has missed eight straight games with an injury. 

#67 Hank Crone has a point in five of his last six games (3G, 5A) after missing 12 straight games with an injury… He has a goal in three of his last six games… He is tied for sixth in the league averaging 1.25 points per game… He scored his second overtime winner of the season in Utah on Jan. 31 in his first game back, third of his career for his 200^th professional point… He has a point in 28 of 36 games.  

TEAM NOTES

- Idaho has sold-out in 59 consecutive regular season home games. 

- Idaho has 26 games remaining in their regular season schedule… Six against Tahoe and Kansas City, five against Allen, three vs. Rapid City and Utah, two against Wichita, and one Tulsa… They will play nine of their next 11 games on the road… Idaho has 10 games left on home ice and 16 on the road. 

- The Steelheads have a point in seven of their last eight games (4-1-2-1) and point in nine of their last 11 games (5-2-3-1).

- Idaho has gone beyond regulation in five of their last seven games and beyond regulation in seven of their last 11 games… Their 14 games beyond regulation are tied for second most in the ECHL. 

- The Steelheads have played 21 of their 46 games decided by one-goal with a (11-3-6-1) record. 

- Idaho has scored first in six of their last eight games… On the season they’re (14-2-4-1) when scoring first. 

- The Steelheads have 17 fighting majors on the season with a record of (12-3-0-1) in a game when dropping the gloves including (5-0-0-1) on home ice and (7-3) on the road. 

- Idaho is 12-0-2 when leading after the first period… They’re 16-0-1 when leading after two periods. 

- The Steelheads scored a power-play goal in two of three games vs. Rapid City (4-for-14)… They’re (13-3-1) when scoring a power-play goal and (5-2-2) when notching a multi power-play goal game.

- Idaho allowed a power-play goal in all three games vs. Rapid City (6-for-10)… Prior to the series they had surrendered a man advantage in just two of seven games (16-for-18). 

ACTIVE STATISTICAL LEADERS
Goals: Brendan Hofmann, Connor MacEachern (18) 
Assists: Matt Register (34)
Points: Hank Crone (45)
Plus/Minus: Matt Register (+20)   
PIMs: Brendan Hoffmann (43) 
PPGs: Ty Pelton-Byce (7) 
GWGs: Ty Pelton-Byce (4)   
Shots: Brendan Hoffmann (136)   
Wins: Bryan Thomson (7) 
GAA: Bryan Thomson (3.32)
SV%: Bryan Thomson (.906) 
AFFILIATION UPDATE
NHL: The Dallas Stars are in second place in the Western Conference’s Central Division with a (35-18-2) record while their 72 points are tied for second in the conference and tied for third in the league. 

AHL: The Texas Stars are in first place in the Western Conference’s Central Division with a (26-5-3-0) record while their 55 points are tied for fifth in the conference and tied for seventh in the league. Justin Ertel (13GP, 1-4-5), Francesco Arcuri (4GP), Gavin White (26GP, 1-5-6), Connor Punnett, and Ben Kraws (2GP, 1-1-0, 3.51 GAA, .877 SV%) all have spent time in Idaho this season. Texas fell 4-2 in Manitoba last night and square off against the Moose tomorrow night. 

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