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ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Game Day Storylines- vs Alaska

January 4, 2017 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Steel Reel

The Steelheads are back in Boise to kick off 2017 after winning three of five games on their holiday road stint. Idaho will open a six-game home stand on Wednesday night against the Alaska Aces, the second series between the two teams this season at CenturyLink Arena. The Steelheads are 2-1-0 this year against Alaska and enter this week two points behind the Aces in the standings, with the Aces holding two games in hand.

The Steelheads have won back-to-back games, earning a 4-3 overtime win in Rapid City on New Year's Eve. Will Merchant scored his eighth goal of the season and first career overtime winner at 1:25 of the extra session, helping to cap a two-goal comeback effort in the third period. Charlie Dodero, Jefferson Dahl, and Joe Faust all scored for the Steelheads, while Travis Ewanyk grabbed an assist to extend his points streak to four games and give him five goals and 12 points in the last eight games. Philippe Desrosiers made 21 saves to earn his second win of the season.

Faust and Foremost...

The Steelheads were without Joe Faust for two brief stints in the last two weeks, with the defenseman playing four games with the AHL's Texas Stars. Each time Faust returned to the Steelhead lineup he made an immediate impact, scoring a power play goal in Allen on December 23rd and then scoring the tying goal and helping to set up the overtime winner on New Year's Eve. Faust has scored three goals and added three assists in his last six games, and his nine goals rank second among ECHL defensemen.

Power Struggle...

Wednesday night pits the second-best power play in the ECHL against the second-best penalty kill, as the Steelheads hope to make a difference with their man-advantage against an Aces team that ranks fifth in goals-against per game. Idaho's power play OT goal on Saturday gave the Steelheads four power play goals in the past four games. The Aces' PK is at 88 percent, surrendering just one goal in the past eight games (34-for-35).

About the Aces...

Peter Sivak enters the series ranked second in the ECHL in scoring with 45 points and first with 24 goals. Sivak scored twice against Idaho in their first series, and now will have more help. When Idaho and Alaska last met, Stephen Perfetto was in AHL San Antonio. Perfetto is back, with three goals in his last two contests and 36 points in 24 games this year. Justin Breton had a slow start to the season but is gaining steam, in the midst of a four-game points streak and with five goals and nine points in ten games. Alaska has won four of its last six.

Idaho Leaders Aces Leaders

Goals: Ewanyk (13) Goals: Sivak (24)

Assists: Dahl (22) Assists: Sivak/Perfetto (21)

Points: Dahl (32) Points: Sivak (45)

Plus/Minus: Bell (+9) Plus/Minus: Sivak (+15)

Power Play Goals: Merchant (6) Power Play Goals: Sivak (5)

Goals-Against Average: Komm (2.54) Goals-Against Average: Carr (2.78)

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ECHL Stories from January 4, 2017


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.

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