Desrosiers' First Win Pushes Steelheads Past Grizzlies
October 31, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release
West Valley City, UT (10/31/15)- The Steelheads got a huge performance from a masked man in their Halloween matinee with the Utah Grizzlies (3-2-1), as goaltender Philippe Desrosiers won his first pro game and pulled the Steelheads (3-3-1) back to .500 with a 3-1 win over Utah.
Desrosiers was strong throughout, making 34 saves on the evening and carrying a shutout midway through the third period, when a sneaky wrister from Ryan Walters off a faceoff got behind him for Utah's only goal, making it 3-1.
Besides that marker, Desrosiers was terrific, particularly during the seven penalty kills the Steelheads executed. That included two lengthy 5-on-3 disadvantages, one in the third period just several minutes after Walters had brought the Grizzlies within two goals. Desrosiers effort, combined with excellent shot-blocking and attention to detail, shut down all seven Utah power plays on an afternoon when the Grizzlies brought much more offensive pressure than they did Friday night in Boise.
The Steelheads had a hard time scoring Friday night despite their own heavy pressure, but broke through Saturday against former-Steelhead Chris Rawlings. Rob Linsmayer scored twice for Idaho, his first two goals of the season. Carson McMillan added his second of the season in the second period to make the game 2-1, the eventual game-winner.
At 14:01 of the first period after Joe Basaraba intercepted a neutral zone pass and led Colton Beck into the zone, Beck carried around the net and fed Linsmayer in the slot. Linsmayer's initial shot was stopped, but his follow-up swat at the puck snuck under Rawlings to give the Steelheads' their first lead. Basaraba now has assists in three straight games.
Beck picked up another assist at 10:42 of the second, shortly after a Steelhead power play, when he entered the offensive zone and curled to the boards to feed Zack Kamrass at the point. Kamrass fanned on his shot but the puck slid to the high slot, where McMillan drilled it past Rawlings. Six minutes later it was Linsmayer again, hopping on a rebound in the low slot on a delayed penalty and lifting it top corner to make it 3-0.
The win moves the Steelheads to 2-2-0 on the road. They'll face the Grizzlies again Monday night at Maverik Center for the rubber game of this three-game set. Puck-drop is scheduled for 7:05.
STEELHEADS STATS:
Goals: Linsmayer 2 (2), McMillan (2)
Philippe Desrosiers: 34 saves on 35 shots
Power Play: 0-for-4
Penalty Kill: 7-for-7
CENTURYLINK THREE STARS OF THE GAME
1. Philippe Desrosiers
2. Ryan Walters - Utah
3. Rob Linsmayer
STEELHEADS COORS LIGHT OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME
Rob Linsmayer: 2 goals, 5 shots, plus-2
Play of the Game:
Ryan Walters' goal pulled the Grizzlies within striking distance at 3-1 in the third period, and then back-to-back penalties to Tommy Fallen and Jake Rutt put the Steelheads down 5-on-3 for 32 seconds, and a total of 3:28 of consecutive penalty killing. It was a potential game changing stretch in the final ten minutes, but the Steelheads stood tall with several key saves around the net and several shot blocks, including a key one by Daniel Johnston to stop Walters from the face-off dot. The penalty kill has been arguably the strongest element of Idaho's game this season, and it cemented a win on Saturday afternoon.
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