Fast Start Triggers Big Win for Idaho
Published on November 13, 2014 under ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release
Boise, ID (11/12/14) - David deKastrozza scored on the game's first shot, jump-starting the offense for the Idaho Steelheads in a 6-2 win over the visiting Alaska Aces on Wednesday night in front of 3,390 fans at Boise's CenturyLink Arena.
With the win, Idaho improves to 8-3-1 (17 points) on the season with two games on the horizon this weekend in Bakersfield against the Condors.
After struggling to solve Alaska netminder Niklas Lundstrom one night earlier, Idaho wasted no time finding the back of the net on Wednesday as Troy Vance set deKastrozza up in the high slot on the first shift of the game and deKastrozza blasted the shot past Lundstrom at the 30-second mark to give Idaho a 1-0 lead. Idaho's next shot didn't come until the 4:02 mark when Colton Beck's pass attempt was deflected right back to him. Beck used the fortunate bounce and a screen to rip the puck past Lundstrom, making it 2-0, before Steve Quailer redirected a Matt Case point shot home at 7:17 of the first - each of Idaho's first three shots on net finding the twine to give the home team a 3-0 lead. The lead extended to 4-0 at 13:04 on the team's sixth shot as Wade MacLeod chipped home a rebound off a James Livingston shot. That ended the night for Lundstrom as Alaska coach Rob Murray brought in Andy Isles to take over in goal.
The Aces brought good pressure in the second period, but 20-year-old Henri Kiviaho turned in perhaps his best period as a pro with a number of tremendous saves. He denied Jason Gregoire from the hashmarks, stopped Brendan Connolly on a short-handed breakaway and came up with a big save on Tyler Currier from point-blank range before a loose puck was poked home by Gregoire at the 16-minute mark to get Alaska on the board.
Alaska cut the lead to two on a Colton Hayes point shot through a screen before a pair of big penalty kills by Idaho. Shortly following the second one, Gaelan Patterson and MacLeod busted into the zone at the left point, with Patterson feeding MacLeod for his second goal of the night (fifth of the season) at 10:27 of the third to make it a 5-2 game.
Jason Bast added his ECHL-leading 10th goal of the season at 13:11 with assists from Alex Belzile and Andrew Huff - Huff's first professional point - to wrap up the scoring.
Tempers flared with less than four minutes to go when veteran enforcer Justin Johnson went after Idaho's Eamonn McDermott. Johnson was ejected from the game - he finished the night with 34 penalty minutes - as Idaho was able to run out the clock on a five-minute, major power play.
Kiviaho improved to 2-1-1 with 24 saves on 26 shots. Lundstrom took the loss for Alaska, though Isles was solid in relieve with 23 saves on 25 shots. Idaho's penalty kill was a perfect 5-for-5, but the Steelheads went 0-for-5 on the power play.
MacLeod (two goals), Livingston (two assists) and Bast (goal, assist) each registered multi-point nights in the balanced offensive effort. MacLeod also finished with a plus-3 rating. Beck's goal, his third straight game with a marker, means he has points in nine of the ten games he's played in this season.
The Steelheads return home next Wednesday to open a big, three-game set against the Ontario Reign. Puck drop each night is at 7:10 PM. Tickets are available online at www.idahosteelheads.com or by calling the CenturyLink Arena box office at 331-8497.
COORS OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME - Jason Bast (G/A)
CENTURYLINK THREE STARS:
1) Henri Kiviaho (ID)
2) Wade MacLeod (ID)
3) James Livingston (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 chips with each ticket. Contact the Steelheads front office at 208.383.0080 or log on to www.idahosteelheads.com for more information.
ECHL Stories from November 13, 2014
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- ECHL Today - November 13 - ECHL
- Hayes earns first goal with Aces, Gregoire posts multi point effort in loss - Alaska Aces
- Fast Start Triggers Big Win for Idaho - Idaho Steelheads
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