STATELINE, NV. – The Idaho Steelheads (33-14-4-0) fell to the Tahoe Knight Monsters (25-20-2-3) 6-0 Friday night at Tahoe Blue Event Center. The Steelheads and Knight Monsters finish their three-game series on Saturday with puck drop set for 8:00 p.m. MST from Stateline.
The Steelheads struggled to find an early rhythm on Friday with several penalties taken over the opening 20 minutes. First, Nick Canade took a double minor penalty for high-sticking in the opening minute, leading to a power-play goal for Casey Bailey near the crease to give the Knight Monsters a 1-0 lead.
After the Steelheads killed off the second portion of the penalty, the teams would trade power play chances through the middle of the frame, with neither team scoring.
The main damage was done later in the period, as the Steelheads took two additional penalties in the final five minutes of the period that led to two more power-play goals. Connor Punnett stepped into the box at 15:16 for slashing, with a power play goal by Jake McGrew shortly following.
Then, after Mitch Wahl was assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty at 16:58, Tahoe found their final goal of the period as Sam Mayer’s point shot snuck through Ben Kraws for a 3-0 Knight Monsters lead after the opening period.
The second period saw no scoring, but a continuation of the penalty-heavy play from the first, as 30 penalty minutes were dished out in the middle frame. The Steelheads had opportunities to get on the board but failed to do so despite five power play chances, while the Knight Monsters couldn’t convert on their lone trip to the power play in the period.
In the third period, the Knight Monsters found another power play tally from Casey Bailey, who beat Kraws from the point midway through the frame for his second goal of the contest. Kevin Wall struck at even strength five minutes later, while Connor Marritt wrapped up the scoring with Tahoe’s fifth power play goal at 17:17 of the third period to give the Knight Monsters a 6-0 edge that they carried to the final buzzer.
Idaho’s Ben Kraws made 35 saves on 41 shots in the loss, while Tahoe’s Cam Whitehead turned aside all 31 Steelheads shots for the second shutout of his ECHL career.
ICCU THREE STARS
1) Cam Whitehead (TAH, 31 saves, shutout, win)
2) Casey Bailey (TAH, 2-1-3, +1, 8 shots)
3) Kevin Wall (TAH, 1-2-3, +1, 8 shots)
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