NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



Idaho Steelheads

Cap-Tain Carson: McMillan's Hat Trick Fuels Steelheads' Win

January 28, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Boise, ID - Carson McMillan's three goals were the difference on Wednesday night at CenturyLink Arena, as the Idaho Steelheads (20-18-5) moved back into fifth place in the Western Conference with a 5-2 win over the Rapid City Rush (17-19-3).

It was McMillan's first professional hat trick and the Steelheads' first since March 27th of last season.

The Steelheads had scored first in five consecutive games entering Wednesday's contest, and they continued that trend when Emil Molin fired a wrist shot past Rapid City's Danny Battochio at 16:39 of the first period for his 18th of the year. It was Molin's fourth goal in the past three games and fifth in the past six. He has scored the first goal of the game seven times this year, which leads the ECHL.

Daniel Barczuk tied the game at 4:24 of the second period with a wrist shot from the left wing boards that seemed to fool Idaho's Jack Campbell, squeezing between his left arm and body and rolling into the net. The Steelheads answered back with McMillan's first of the game just over ten minutes later, with McMillan one-timing a feed from Andre Morrissette at the top of the left circle, finishing off a 2-on-1 rush and giving Idaho a 2-1 lead.

The Steelheads padded that lead at 16:15 of the second after Jonathan Narbonne took a roughing penalty after the whistle. The Steelheads capitalized on the ensuing power play, with Kyle Jean's sixth of the season ricocheting past Battochio from the right face-off dot.

Danick Gauthier brought Rapid City back within a goal with his ninth of the season a minute and a half after Jean's tally, but the Steelheads would boost their lead again before the end of the middle frame. McMillan streaked cross the blue line at 18:52 of the period and pulled up at the top of the left face-off circle, firing a wrist shot past Battochio for his second of the night.

The Steelheads' captain completed his hat trick and the scoring for the night at 10:03 of the third when he chased a neutral zone touch pass into the offensive end and again rifled a wrist shot from the top of the circles for his tenth of the season.

Jack Campbell made 25 saves for his seventh win of the season. The Steelheads moved back to two games over .500 on the season and on home ice.

The Steelheads travel to Atlanta for three games in three days against the Gladiators. It's Idaho's first trip to Atlanta since the 2013 season. The series begins Friday night at Infinite Energy Arena, with puck-drop scheduled for 5:35pm MT. The game is available on 1350AM KTIK and ECHLTV.

STEELHEADS STATS:

Goals: Molin (18), Jean (6) McMillan (8,9,10)

Jack Campbell: 25 saves on 27 shots

Power Play: 1-for-4

Penalty Kill: 2-for-2

CENTURYLINK THREE STARS OF THE GAME

1. Carson McMillan IDH

2. Andrew Carroll IDH

3. Corbin Baldwin IDH

COORS LIGHT OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME

Carson McMillan: First career hat trick, 3 shots, plus-3 rating

PLAY OF THE GAME:

We're used to seeing the Steelheads attempt long-range alley-oop passes into open space to lead speedsters like Kyle Jean and Andre Morrissette for offensive chances, but tonight it was Carson McMillan who was set-up on the run. Corbin Baldwin made a smooth pass through the neutral zone from his own end, which forward Branden Troock gently tapped into a soft area in the offensive zone. McMillan got on his horse, chased down the puck, and let go another laser from the tops of the circles to make it 5-2 Idaho and release the hats from the crowd.

Check out the Idaho Steelheads Statistics

• Discuss this story on the ECHL message board...

ECHL Stories from January 28, 2016


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central