INDEPENDENCE, MO  – The Idaho Steelheads (28-18-8-1, 65pts) defeated the Kansas City Mavericks (36-14-4-1, 77pts) Wednesday night 5-0 in front of 2,349 fans at the Cable Dahmer Arena. Idaho and Kansas City will meet Friday night at 6:05 p.m. (MT). 

Idaho led 2-0 after the opening 20 minutes of play taking an early two goal advantage. Demetrios Koumontzis (4^th) scored 70 seconds into the contest from Jason Horvath and Pito Walton. From the right wall Walton played the puck across the zone for Horvath who fed Koumontzis in the high slot. From there he sent a wrist shot into the top right corner. Just 77 seconds later Kaleb Pearson (3^rd) stretched the lead to 2-0 from Ty Pelton-Byce and Francesco Arcuri. Starting the play from behind the net was Arcuri who fed Pelton-Byce in the right circle. Pelton-Byce found Pearson in the high slot for a one-timer. Shots were 11-8 Idaho as each team went 0-for-1 on the power-play. 

The Steelheads scored three goals in the late half of the second period taking a 5-0 lead into the second intermission. Kaleb Pearson (4^th) scored his second of the night from Ryan Gagnon and Connor Punnett at 10:17 of the frame stretching the lead to 3-0. From the center point Gagnon shot the puck to the net where Pearson deflected it through the high slot. Then 4:23 later A.J. White (10^th) tipped the puck into the net at the cage on a point shot from Matt Register making it 5-0 with 5:20 to play in the stanza. With 2:28 remaining in the stanza Francesco Arcuri (2^nd) was sprung on a breakaway from Jason Horvath. Arcuri sent a shot from inside the left circle into the top left corner. Shots were 11-8 Kansas City in the frame.

Ben Kraws made 27 saves for his second career shutout while Jack LaFontaine suffered the loss as he was pulled after allowing five goals on 19 shots in two periods. Alex Alsanidis made five saves in relief in the third period.  

BOX SCORE

ICCU Three Stars
1) Ben Kraws (IDH)                          
2) Luke Loheit (KC)                         
3) Francesco Arcuri (IDH)                         

GAME NOTES

• Idaho finished 0-for-2 on the power-play and 3-for-3 on the penalty kill. 
• Kansas City outshot Idaho 27-24. 
• Wade Murphy (INJ), C.J. Walker (IR), Blake Swetlikoff (IR), Patrick Kudla (IR), Brendan Hoffmann (SICK), Mason McCarty (INJ, and Mark Olver (IR) did not dress for Idaho. 
• Ty Pelton-Byce extended his point-streak to seven games (4-7-11). 
• Jason Horvath has an assist in four straight games. 
• Kaleb Pearson (2-1-3), Francesco Arcuri (1-1-2), and Jason Horvath (0-2-2) had multi-point games while 10 skaters notched a point. 

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