ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Four Goal Outburst Helps Steelheads Edge Aces, 5-4

March 11, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Anchorage, Alaska - Five goals over the final two periods, including four unanswered tallies in the second period, allowed the Steelheads to defeat the Alaska Aces, 5-4, at Sullivan Arena on Friday night.

Steelheads' (33-18-7) rookie forward and Wasilla, Alaska native Dan Hacker wristed home what turned out to be the game-winning goal, his seventh marker overall, with 3:10 left in the contest. On a three-on-one rush, Marty Flichel patiently controlled the puck before feeding Hacker, who beat a sprawled out Matt Underhill (28 saves).

Aces' (45-9-4) forward Mike Scott recorded the only goal in the first period, scoring on a breakaway at 2:21 of the stanza. Alex Leavitt, the ECHL's assist leader, found Scott behind the Steelheads defense, and the Calgary native fired a shot off the glove of goaltender Steve Silverthorn (36 saves) that trickled over the goal line for his team-leading 28th of the season.

The shots in the first period were 13-10 in favor of the Aces.

Kurt MacSweyn began the Steelheads second period, four-goal barrage, tying the match just 1:21 into the period with an even-strength goal. Veteran forward Scott Burt found David Bararuk through center, on a rush into the Aces zone. Bararuk laid a pass over to MacSweyn who faked a shot, before snapping the puck along the ice past Underhill.

Blake Forsyth was credited with the second Steelheads goal as Tyler Kindle's wraparound shot caromed off the fellow blue liner and past Underhill at 10:33. Paul Caponigri gathered the other assist.

Then, Marty Flichel rocketed a shot over the left shoulder of Underhill, giving the Steelheads a 3-1 advantage at 14:46 of the middle frame. Flichel's 22nd of the season was set up by defenseman Tony Johnson, who dished the puck off to Flichel just as the Steelheads were hitting the Aces' blue line on an odd-man rush.

With just 20 seconds left in the second period, the Steelheads made the score 4-1 on Greg Hornby's sixth of the campaign. Team captain D'Arcy McConvey carried the puck deep into the Aces' end before pushing the puck towards the cage, where Hornby was able to redirect it past Underhill. Caponigri got his second assist of the evening on the marker.

The four-goal, second period was the eighth time this season the Steelheads have scored four goals in a 20-minute span.

The Aces netted three, third period goals as they tried to mount a comeback. Kimbi Daniels scored at 10:37 of the third, to make the score 4-2. Just 65 seconds later, Daniels won an offensive zone faceoff to Barrett Heisten, who bested Silverthorn.

Hacker's second game-winner of the season was the Steelheads fifth even-strength goal of the game, and it made the score 5-3. With 28 seconds left in the game, and Underhill at the bench for the extra attacker, Scott rounded out the scoring, potting his 29th of the season and second of the night.

Alaska out-shot the Steelheads for the game, 40-33.

With the defeat, the Aces lost for just the fourth time on home ice, while dropping to 35-4-1 when scoring first. The Steelheads are now 2-2-0 against the Aces this year.

This three-game series continues on Saturday, March 11. The puck drops at 9:15 p.m. MST. All the action can be heard live on ESPN Radio 1350 AM, "The Ticket," beginning approximately 20 minutes before the drop of the puck. For tickets, call 208-331-TIXS.

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ECHL Stories from March 11, 2006


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