ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Descoteaux, Aces Top Steelheads in OT

Published on January 29, 2017 under ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Descoteaux, Aces Top Steelheads in OT
Descoteaux, Aces Top Steelheads in OT
(Idaho Steelheads, Credit: Skip Hickey/Alaska Aces )

Anchorage, AK- Nolan Descoteaux's wrist shot in overtime squeezed through the pads of Branden Komm, and the Alaska Aces (24-12-5) skated to a 3-2 win over the Idaho Steelheads (24-14-6) in Saturday night's series finale at Sullivan Arena.

The Steelheads earned a point in the standings for the overtime loss, maintaining a one point lead over the Aces in third place in the Mountain Division.

At 1:47 of overtime, Descoteaux fired a shot from the high slot that deflected off of Idaho's Joe Basraba and bounced through the legs of Steelheads goaltender Branden Komm to end the game. It was Descoteaux's second game-winning goal of the three-game series and his sixth goal of the season.

The Steelheads nearly ended the game in overtime moments earlier, when Travis Walsh batted a bouncing puck off the post. The Steelheads fell to 2-4 this season in the 3-on-3 overtime.

Kyle Jean scored with 2:55 left in regulation time to help force overtime, netting the Steelheads' fifth short-handed goal this season. After Descoteaux mishandled the puck at the Idaho blue line, Connor Chatham chased him down in the neutral zone and stole the puck away. Chatham then feathered a pass into the Alaska zone where Jean broke in on goal and beat Aces goaltender Kevin Carr with a backhand deke for his seventh goal of the season.

The Aces struck twice in the first period, with Tim Wallace opening the scoring at 15:28. Off a face-off to Komm's right, Stephen Perfetto pushed the puck forward, stepping around Jefferson Dahl and sliding a puck to the front of the net for Wallace to tap in his 12th goal of the year.

Just 1:30 later, Tim Coffman expanded the Alaska lead to 2-0, skating over the Idaho blue line, drifting from the left wing to the high slot, and firing a wrist shot past Komm's glove for his 14th of the year.

Will Merchant got the Steelheads on the board at 14:53 of the second period with his 14th goal, and eighth power play goal, of the season. After the Aces took their third penalty in a span of 5:05, a shot from Joe Faust at the right point was blocked in the slot. The loose puck sat at the hash marks for Merchant to snap home his seventh goal and 15th point in the last 13 games.

The Steelheads return home to open February with a six-game homes stand, starting Wednesday against the Utah Grizzlies at CenturyLink Arena. Puck-drop is scheduled for 7:10 pm MT and the game is available on 1350 KTIK, Cable One, and ECHLTV.

Photo: Skip Hickey

STEELHEADS STATS: Goals: Merchant (14), Jean (7) Branden Komm: 30 saves on 33 shots Power Play: 1-for-5 Penalty Kill: 4-for-4

CENTURYLINK THREE STARS OF THE GAME

1. Kevin Carr ALK

2. Branden Komm IDH

3. Tim Wallace ALK

COORS LIGHT OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME Kyle Jean: Short-handed goal, 2 shots

PLAY OF THE GAME: Anthony Luciani and Travis Walsh nearly teamed up to end the game just over a minute into overtime. Luciani flipped a puck towards the net during the 3-on-3 with Walsh driving the net, and the bouncing puck popped waist-high on Walsh as he cut in front of Kevin Carr. Walsh swatted at the puck, chipping it over Carr's blocker but ringing it off the post. The Aces would score on their next trip down the ice, when Nolan Descoteaux's shot changed direction off of Joe Basarba and squeezed through Branden Komm to end the game.

Check out the Idaho Steelheads Statistics

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Images from this story

Descoteaux, Aces Top Steelheads in OT
Descoteaux, Aces Top Steelheads in OT
(Skip Hickey/Alaska Aces )		   



ECHL Stories from January 29, 2017


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