Big Third Period Lifts Idaho over Las Vegas
March 1, 2014 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release
Las Vegas, NV - Gaelan Patterson buried a pair of third-period goals and David deKastrozza picked up his second three-point game of the season as the Idaho Steelheads defeated the Las Vegas Wranglers, 5-3, Friday night at the Orleans Arena.
Idaho (29-18-7) scored three goals in the final frame to raise their ECHL-leading total to 68 third-period goals.
The Steelheads scored the only goal of the first period when Tommy Grant banged home a loose rebound off of a Luke Judson shot from the right-hand wing. The goal was Grant's 17th of the season, tying him with Anthony Nigro for the team lead, at 7:25 of the first.
The second started with a flurry. Las Vegas tied the game at 2:08 on an Adam Hughesman shot from the left-wing wall, but Idaho took the lead back at 3:23 when deKastrozza scored short-handed with a backhand past Wrangler goaltender Travis Fullerton. The goal, deKastrozza's 11th of the season overall, was his ECHL-best fifth short-handed tally of the season. But the Wranglers answered right back on the same power play when Chris Francis squeezed a seeing-eye shot past Pat Nagle at 4:18 of the second, evening the contest at two goals apiece after two periods.
The third period belonged to Idaho, though, as Patterson got things started at 6:23 with a blistering wrist shot from the inside edge of the right circle to put Idaho back on top. Las Vegas momentarily tied things up on a Robbie Smith goal at 8:18 but, again, Patterson came through at 10:55 with his second of the night, jabbing home a loose puck in the crease with Fullerton out of position to make it 4-3. Patterson's goals, his 5th and 6th of the season, were his first markers since December 27.
The Steelheads notched a big insurance goal with just 2:24 remaining when Judson controlled the puck behind the Las Vegas net for several seconds before floating a pass out in front of the net. It bounced off a Wrangler and directly to William Rapuzzi at the right-wing post for a tap-home goal at 17:36, sending the crowd of 4,564 scurrying for the exits as Idaho extended its lead to 5-3.
Pat Nagle got his 19th win of the season in net for Idaho, stopping 29 of 32 shots. Fullerton took the loss, allowing five goals on 29 shots. Idaho came up empty on its only power-play opportunity of the night while Las Vegas went 1-4 on the man advantage.
deKastrozza (goal, two assists), Patterson (two goals), Grant (goal, assist) and Judson (two assists) all registered multiple points for Idaho. Ryan Button's nine-game point streak ended, though he did finish the game with a plus-2 rating.
The same two teams meet on Saturday night in Las Vegas before Idaho moves on for a Sunday-afternoon game in Bakersfield. Both games can be heard live on KTIK (1350 AM) in the Treasure Valley.
The Steelheads return home next week to host three games against Las Vegas on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Friday and Saturday are the annual "Pink in the Rink" games as Idaho will wear special jerseys that will be auctioned off via silent auction to raise money for St. Luke's Mountain States Tumor Institute. Tickets for all Idaho home games are available online at www.idahosteelheads.com or by calling 208-331-8497.
• Discuss this story on the ECHL message board...
ECHL Stories from March 1, 2014
- Solar Bears Come up One Goal Short in 3-2 Loss to Wings - Orlando Solar Bears
- Solar Bears Come up One Goal Short in 3-2 Loss to Wings - Orlando Solar Bears
- Cyclones Rally Past IceMen in Shootout, 6-5 - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Royals Take out Wheeling, 4-1 - Reading Royals
- Gladiators Edge Blades in Slugfest, 5-4 - Atlanta Gladiators
- Stingrays Inch Past Jackals For Shootout Win - Elmira Jackals
- Scott Arnold's Penalty Shot Goal Gives Warriors 3-1 Win - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Royals End Nailers' Three-Game Winning Streak - Wheeling Nailers
- Stingrays Take Down Jackals in Shootout 2-1 - South Carolina Stingrays
- Taylor Matson Recalled to Iowa - Orlando Solar Bears
- Nailers Activate Minella; Two Return to AHL - Wheeling Nailers
- Game Preview: Solar Bears vs. Kalamazoo Wings - February 28 - Orlando Solar Bears
- STEELHEADS: Robinson Returns from AHL's Stars - Idaho Steelheads
- Nailers vs. Royals Game Day Snap Shot - Wheeling Nailers
- ECHL Transactions - March 1 - ECHL
- Elmira Jackals Game Preview vs. South Carolina - Elmira Jackals
- Cyclones Game Preview - Cincinnati vs. Evansville - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Kuemper Is the MeiGray Group ECHL Alumnus of the Month - ECHL
- Game Preview: Solar Bears vs. Kalamazoo Wings - March 1 - Orlando Solar Bears
- Gladiators Pink in the Rink Weekend Continues Tonight - Atlanta Gladiators
- Countdown to Face-Off: Kalamazoo Wings at Orlando Solar Bears - Kalamazoo Wings
- ECHL Today - March 1 - ECHL
- Stingrays Game Preview: Stingrays Take on Jackals Tonight in Elmira, New York - South Carolina Stingrays
- Big Third Period Lifts Idaho over Las Vegas - Idaho Steelheads
- Condors Suffer OT Heartbreak vs. Colorado, 4-3 - Bakersfield Condors
- Wranglers Punch Back, Come up Short 5-3 - Las Vegas Wranglers
- Eagles Win 4-3 against Condors in Short OT - Colorado Eagles
- Coleman holds off Utah with 28 saves, lifts Aces to 35th win - Alaska Aces
- 6,669 Fans Watch Grizzlies Raise $17,725 to Fight Breast Cancer - Utah Grizzlies
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.
