STEELHEADS SHUT THE DOOR ON THE KNIGHT MONSTERS, 5-0

STATELINE, NV  – The Idaho Steelheads (33-23-8-1, 75pts) shutout the Tahoe Knight Monsters (39-21-4-1, 85pts) Saturday night by a final score of 5-0 in front of 4,203 fans at the Tahoe Blue Event Center as Ben Kraws made 31 saves for his fifth shutout. The Steelheads and Knight Monsters wrap up a four-game series Sunday at 4 p.m. (MT). 

Idaho erupted offensively in the first period striking for four goals in a span of 4:42. Wade Murphy (10^th) made it 1-0 at 14:15 from Francesco Arcuri and Matt Register. From behind the net Arcuri fed Murphy in the high slot where he sent a wrist shot into the top right corner. Then one minute later Brendan Hoffmann (23^rd) stretched the lead to 2-0 from Cristophe Fillion and Ryan Foss. Back in the defensive zone Fillion in the left circle slid the puck in front of him a few feet for Foss. Then through center ice Foss delivered it back to Fillion where he delivered it to his right connecting with Hoffmann who sped into the offensive. Splitting freee inside the right circle he sent a wrist shot over the blocker of Papirny. Then 2:12 later Murphy (11^th) potted a power-play score from Ty Pelton-Byce and Arcuri making it 3-0 with 2:33 to play in the period. From the right face-off dot Arcuri sent the puck to the left side of the crease for Pelton-Byce. He was then able to nudge it to Murphy where he banged it home on the goal line. Idaho went back on the man advantage 40 seconds later and at 18:57 Nick Canade (12^th) made it a 4-0 game from Reece Harsch and Ben Kraws. The Knight Monsters got a clear where Kraws came out to the right circle leaving the puck for Harsch. He dropped the puck back for Canade in the Steelheads defensive high slot. Canade turned on the jets through center shaking his way across the blue line down the right side. After splitting two Tahoe defenders he got to the right face-off dot cut to the net and from the right side of the crease sent a shot into the top left corner making it 4-0. 

Kaleb Pearson (8^th) made it a 5-0 game with a power-play goal at 10:19 of the second period from Pelton-Byce and Harsch. From the left wall Harsch chipped the puck back for Pelton-Byce who one touched it to the right circle for Pearson where he roofed a wrist shot home.  

Ben Kraws made 31 saves in the win for his fifth shutout of the season while Jordan Papirny made 17 saves on 22 shots in the loss.  

BOX SCORE

ICCU Three Stars
1) Ben Kraws (IDH)                          
2) Wade Murphy (IDH)                         
3) Francesco Arcuri (IDH)  

GAME NOTES

• Idaho finished 3-for-5 on the power-play and 7-for-7 on the penalty kill.     
• Tahoe outshot Idaho 31-22.
• Connor Punnett (DNP), Mason McCarty (INJ), Parker Berge (INJ) Jason Horvath (IR), and Mark Olver (IR) did not dress for Idaho. 
• Ben Kraws is now tied for the league lead with five shutouts. 
• The three power-play goals tied a season high in a game this season, fourth time. 
• The four goal first period tied a season high in a period this year, fifth time this season, third time vs. Tahoe. 
• Wade Murphy scored two goals stretching his point streak to four games (4-2-6). 
• Francesco Arcuri tallied two assists for the second straight game and has a point in four straight (1-6-7). 
• Ty Pelton-Byce and Reece Harsch each tallied two power-play assists. 
• Cristophe Fillion picked up an assist for his first professional point. 

Stay up to date with all things Steelheads on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Watch all Steelheads home games on FloHockey and KTVB 24/7 (Channel 7.2) and listen on the Steelheads flagship station 95.3 FM/1350 AM KTIK “The Ticket”.