STATELINE, NV – The Idaho Steelheads (2-1-0-0) came back from three goals down to defeat the Tahoe Knight Monsters (1-2-0-0) in the final game of their three-in-three series Sunday afternoon at Tahoe Blue Event Center.
After neither team scored in the opening 15 minutes, the flood gates opened late in the frame. Tahoe’s Sloan Stanick broke the ice at 15:38 to give Tahoe the first goal for the third consecutive game. Shortly after, Casey Bailey found his fourth goal of the series at 18:41 to extend the lead to 2-0.
The Steelheads quickly got to work, as Ayrton Martino and Liam Malmquist struck just 26 seconds apart in the final minute of the first period to tie the game 2-2 after one period.
In the middle frame the Knight Monsters’ offense exploded. Sam Mayer scored just 3:29 into the frame on a feed from Bailey to kick things off. Then, just 19 seconds later, Kevin Wall added to the Tahoe lead with Mayer picking up the primary assist. Finally, 58 seconds after the initial goal by Mayer, Trent Swick scored from the right-wing circle to make it a 5-2 lead, forcing an Idaho timeout.
Tensions flared for the remainder of the period after Tahoe’s Brennan Kapcheck received two penalties on the same shift. In response Ty Pelton-Byce cross-checked Kapcheck, earning himself a game misconduct and a major penalty. Late in the second period the Steelheads finally broke through, as captain Nick Canade scored on a breakaway to cut Idaho’s deficit to two.
In the third the Steelheads took control. Robbie Holmes started the process with a power play goal at 5:36 for his first ECHL goal, before Brendan Hoffman tied the game 1:34 seconds later with a rebound goal after a Nick Portz shot on net.
Hoffman would come up big again at 11:38, pounding home a loose puck and giving the Steelheads their first lead of the game. Idaho would hold on to complete the comeback and earn their second win of the season.
Nolan Maier made 29 saves on 34 shots in the win, while Cameron Whitehead stopped 30 of 36 in the loss.
ICCU Three Stars
1) Brendan Hoffman (IDH, 2-0-2, +1, 6 shots, GWG)
2) Ayrton Martino (IDH, 1-1-2, -2, 2 shots)
3) Sloan Stanick (TAH, 1-2-3, +4, 5 shots)
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