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Idaho Steelheads

STEELHEADS: Steelheads Rally in Rapid City - Merchant Caps Comeback

December 31, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Steelheads Rally in Rapid City - Merchant Caps Comeback in OT
Steelheads Rally in Rapid City - Merchant Caps Comeback in OT
(Idaho Steelheads)

Rapid City, SD (12/31/16)- Will Merchant's power play backhander in overtime capped off the Idaho Steelheads' (18-11-3) comeback at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center, powering Idaho to a 4-3 win over the Rush on New Year's Eve. The Steelheads finish 2016 with back-to-back wins, and earning three wins on their five-game road trip.

Rapid City's Ryan Misiak was penalized with 34 seconds left in regulation for closing his hand on the puck, the Steelheads' sixth power play of the game and one that carried over into overtime. The Steelheads generated several scoring chances in overtime on the 4-on-3 power play, with Joe Basaraba and Kellan Lain unleashing one-timers from both circles. Basaraba's last attempt went wide of the net, when Rush goaltender Adin Hill tried to stop play.

Hill left his crease to cover a puck at the side of the goal, but rookie Will Merchant used his body to protect the puck. From a knee, Merchant spun a backhand shot into the vacated net for his eighth of the season to win the game for Idaho at 1:25 of overtime and with three seconds remaining on the power play. Idaho improved their road record to .500, now 7-7-2.

The Steelheads trailed 3-1 entering the third period but fought back to tie the game. Jefferson Dahl scored his tenth of the season at 4:05 of the third period. Anthony Luciani centered a pass from the left wall that was caught in the equipment of Rush defenseman Dysin Mayo, the puck dropping right between the circles to Dahl for a wrist shot over Hill's glove to make it 3-2.

With Charlie Dodero temporarily off the ice late in the third due to injury, Joe Faust joined Corbin Baldwin on the ice. He was at the right point when Travis Ewanyk won a clean face-off at 12:40, which Faust blasted through traffic and past Hill to tie the game. Faust has three goals in his last six games for the Steelheads.

Idaho is now 5-7-1 this season when trailing entering the third period.

The Rush scored the game's first two goals. Ryan Misiak potted a rebound past Philippe Desrosiers at 4:13 of the first for his sixth of the year. Josh MacDonald made it 2-0 at 5:13 of the second period, getting his 15th of the season and sixth in ten games off a power play deflection of a Justin Hache shot.

Dodero got the Steelheads on the board 41 seconds after MacDonald's tally, finishing off a 3-on-2 rush with Jefferson Dahl for his third goal of the year.

Desrosiers grabbed his second win of the season for Idaho, stopping 21 shots. The Steelheads outshot Rapid City 14-4 in the third period and overtime.

Idaho finishes 2016 with 39 points, heading back to Boise for six-game home stand. They resume play on January 4th with the first of three games against the Alaska Aces. Puck-drop is scheduled for 7:10pm MT at CenturyLink Arena, with the game available on 1350KTIK, Cable One, and on ECHLTV.

STEELHEADS STATS:

Goals: Dodero (3), Dahl (10), Faust (9), Merchant (8)

Philippe Desrosiers: 21 saves on 24 shots

Power Play: 1-for-6

Penalty Kill: 2-for-3

CENTURYLINK THREE STARS OF THE GAME

1. Jefferson Dahl IDH

2. Ryan Misiak RCR

3. Will Merchant IDH

COORS LIGHT OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME

Will Merchant: Overtime winner, team-leading 6th PP goal, plus-1 rating

PLAY OF THE GAME:

Adin Hill took a big risk in overtime, thinking he would be able to get to a loose puck several feet to the side of his net before Will Merchant could. Hill ventured out, but Merchant used good body positioning. As Hill dove on top and the puck squeezed loose, Merchant was able to box-out Hill and, from his knee, spin a shot back towards the open net. After Hill had fought off several rockets from the tops of the circles, it was his risky decision and good persistence by Merchant that decided the game and capped the Steelheads' comeback win.

Check out the Idaho Steelheads Statistics




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Steelheads Rally in Rapid City - Merchant Caps Comeback in OT
Steelheads Rally in Rapid City - Merchant Caps Comeback in OT
   

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