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Idaho Steelheads

Steelheads Face Elimination After Game 3 Loss

May 3, 2018 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Max French of the Idaho Steelheads tries to get through the Colorado Eagles defense
Max French of the Idaho Steelheads tries to get through the Colorado Eagles defense
(Idaho Steelheads, Credit: Steve Conner Photography)

Boise, ID - Cole Ully's late tally in the third period brought Idaho within a goal but that was as close as the Steelheads would come, as the Colorado Eagles held on for a 3-2 win in Game 3 of the Mountain Division Final on Wednesday night at CenturyLink Arena. The Eagles grabbed a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, with Game 4 to be held on Thursday night in Boise.

JC Beaudin notched his second consecutive two-goal game, scoring the eventual game-winning goal early in the third period to give Colorado a 3-0 lead. The Steelheads would climb back with two goals while outshooting the Eagles 16-2 in the third period, but Joe Cannata would close out the win for Colorado with 35 saves.

Trailing 3-0, the Steelheads earned a power play chance when Ryan Harrison was sent off for interference. At 7:02 of the third, Max French sent a pass into the goalmouth from the left-wing wall that slid through the crease and deflected wide of the net. Steve McParland quickly found the loose puck and banked it in from below the goal line to make it 3-1 with his third of the playoffs.

The Steelheads pulled Philippe Desrosiers in the final minutes and inched closer with Ully's second of the playoffs at 18:20. Joe Faust's shot from the left point missed the net, but the rebound off the end-boards kicked right back in front for an easy finish by Ully.

[Max French, 5/2; Steve Conner Photography] The Steelheads pulled the goalie again for one last push, but Joe Cannata swatted away a try off a face-off with 3.9 seconds left to seal the win for Colorado.

Michael Joly gave the Eagles a 1-0 lead at 16:38 of the first period, scoring his third of the playoffs. Joly powered his way down the right wing and around Idaho defenseman Shane Hanna before walking to the front of the net and sliding a puck through the pads of Desrosiers, the eighth time in ten playoff games that the Steelheads have surrendered the first goal.

In the second period, Beaudin extended the Colorado lead with his first of the game and seventh of the playoffs, taking a pass in the high slot from Julien Nantel off of an Idaho turnover and beating Desrosiers over the glove.

Beaudin would make it 3-0 at 1:35 of the third, winning a puck race against Eric Sweetman in the neutral zone and carrying the puck to the high slot for wrist shot past Desrosiers' blocker. Beaudin leads the Kelly Cup Playoffs with eight goals and he is tied for the lead with 12 points.

The Steelheads though they had gotten on the board earlier in the game when Tommy Thompson beat Cannata from in front of the net midway through the second period, a goal Thompson thought had cut the Idaho deficit to 2-1. The goal was disallowed immediately, as the Collin Bowman turnover that led to the Thompson chance was determined to have been caused by a Will Merchant slash.

French also had a breakaway opportunity in the second period, but he was stopped by Cannata.

The Steelheads overcame a 3-0 series deficit in the Mountain Division Semifinals against the Allen Americans, becoming the second team in ECHL history to survive a series after trailing 3-0.

The Steelheads look to fight off elimination in Game 4 on Thursday night at CenturyLink Arena, with puck-drop scheduled for 7:10pm MT. The game will be available on 1350AM KTIK, and seen on Cable One and ECHLTV.

STEELHEADS STATS: Goals: McParland (3); Ully (2) Philippe Desrosiers: 17 saves on 20 shots Power Play: 1-for-5 Penalty Kill: 3-for-3

CENTURYLINK THREE STARS OF THE GAME

1. JC Beaudin COL

2. Joe Cannata COL

3. Steve McParland IDH

COORS LIGHT OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME JC Beaudin: 2 goals, plus-2 rating, 3 shots.

PLAY OF THE GAME: JC Beaudin's eventual game-winner and second goal of the contest developed from a loose puck in the neutral zone. As Eric Sweetman chased a puck in front of the penalty boxes at center, Beaudin followed close behind and got there almost simultaneously. Beaudin stripped Sweetman of the puck and continued ahead, still with Corbin Baldwin between him and Philippe Desrosiers. Beaudin let the shot go from the high slot, beating Desrosiers and expanding the Colorado lead.

Check out the Idaho Steelheads Statistics




Images from this story

Max French of the Idaho Steelheads tries to get through the Colorado Eagles defense
Max French of the Idaho Steelheads tries to get through the Colorado Eagles defense
(Steve Conner Photography)		   

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