ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Balanced Steelheads Down Aces, 3-2

Published on February 8, 2012 under ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


(Boise, ID) - Three different Idaho Steelheads scored goals and netminder Jerry Kuhn made a pair of terrific saves late in the third period Wednesday night, preserving a 3-2 win in front of 2,960 fans at CenturyLink Arena in Boise.

Idaho (22-20-5) improved to 16-1-1 when holding its opponent under three goals and also came up with its sixth victory of the season over Alaska (32-12-6), the defending Kelly Cup champions.

After a lightning-fast, scoreless first period, the Steelheads struck early in the second on the power play. Alaska defenseman Steve Ward overskated a loose puck behind his own net, allowing Jacob Cepis to pick it up. Goaltender Adam Courchaine made a sensational, diving stop on Cepis's attempt to wrap the puck around into the net. However, Patrick Kennedy was in position for the rebound and flipped it over the helpless Courchaine for his fifth goal of the season to give Idaho a 1-0 advantage at 4:41 of the second. The goal snapped a string of eight games without a power-play goal for the Steelheads.

After a Nick Mazzolini power-play tally tied the game at a goal apiece, Idaho took the lead for good on Derek LeBlanc's 11th of the season at 16:21 of the second period. In a mad scramble in front of the net, the puck squirted free to LeBlanc just to the left of the crease. LeBlanc took advantage of the confusion and snapped the puck past Courchaine to give Idaho a 2-1 lead.

Idaho extended its lead early in the third when Aaron Lewicki spun a shot from the right-hand circle under Courchaine. His tenth of the season - and first for Idaho in his debut with the team after being acquired via trade earlier this week - came after Alaska's Kane LaFranchise lost his stick in a battle with Lewicki. Lewicki somehow found the puck sitting on the ice, got the puck on his tape, spun and shot in one motion to make it 3-1. Alaska drew one goal closer on Mazzolini's second power-play goal of the night at 17:51.

The lead would hold up thanks to two huge saves from Jerry Kuhn. The first came before Alaska's second goal, when Kuhn's leg pad denied Tyson Marsh at the right post. The second came in the final two minutes when Wes Goldie, one of the premier scorers in the history of the ECHL, found himself all alone at the top of the crease but Kuhn was able to deny the shot.

Kuhn stopped 28 of 30 in the win for Idaho, while Courchaine stopped 21 of 24 in the loss. Alaska was 2-3 on the man advantage and Idaho was 1-3.

The Steelheads and Aces play again Friday and Saturday night in Boise. Tickets are available by calling the CenturyLink Arena box office (208.331.TIXS) or by logging on to www.idahosteelheads.com.

COORS OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME - Derek LeBlanc

AQUA FINA "3 STARS" - (1) Aaron Lewicki (ID)

(2) David Fredriksson (ID)

(3) Andrei Plekhanov (ID)

Group outings at a Steelheads game are a great way to gather friends, colleagues, or co-workers for a fun night out in downtown Boise. Ticket prices are discounted and you can get a Pepsi, Double-R Ranch Hot Dog, and bag of Tim's Cascade Chips with each ticket. Contact the Steelheads front office at 208.383.0080 or log on to www.idahosteelheads.com for more information.

Check out the Idaho Steelheads Statistics

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ECHL Stories from February 8, 2012


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