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ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Game Day Storylines- vs Rapid City

November 2, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


(3-3-1-0) (0-2-0-0 Road) (1-6-1-0) (0-3-0-0 Home)

Steel Reel

After earning back-to-back wins against the Reading Royals on home ice and returning to the .500 mark, the Idaho Steelheads look to continue their winning ways as they head out for a three-game road trip against divisional foes beginning on Wednesday night with a single meeting with the Rapid City Rush. It's the first of 13 contests between the teams this season.

The Steelheads come into the Black Hills playing some of their best hockey of the young season following a 3-1 win over the Royals in their last outing. Rookie goaltender Landon Bow made 39 stops and held a shutout bid until the midway point of the third period. Travis Ewanyk and Anthony Luciani tallied goals in the first period that would be all the offense Idaho would need before Joe Faust's empty-netter iced the game late.

Personal Bests...

Two former teammates at the University of Wisconsin are off to roaring starts since reuniting in Idaho. Jefferson Dahl and Joe Faust finished the Steelheads' five-game home stand in offensive grooves, with Dahl riding a five-game points streak and Faust leading the Steelheads defense with six points. Dahl is one game shy of his career-best six game points streak set last season, in which he earned four goals and eight points. Dahl already has nine points (1-8-9) in his current streak and is tied for eighth place in league scoring. Faust's three goals are already more than he's had in any season, pro or college, and his six points are tied for sixth among ECHL defensemen.

Persistent Power!

The Steelheads' power play continues to be a factor almost every night, with Idaho netting a power play goal in the last five consecutive games. The Steelheads scored 5-on-3 goals in each of the last two games, both off the stick of Anthony Luciani. Luciani is the only player with multiple power play goals on the well-spread Steelheads attack that ranks sixth in the ECHL. Wednesday they face a Rapid City penalty-kill that is 23rd in the league, has given up four power play goals in eight games, but has not surrendered a goal in its last three contests.

Something's Gotta Give...

Both teams are looking to fill a win column on Wednesday night in Rapid City. The Steelheads are the only team in the ECHL yet to record a point on the road, deceptive when you consider they have played just two road games back on opening weekend and have just completed a five-game stay in Boise. The Rush are the Western Conference's only team still looking for a point on home ice, after dropping their first three at the Civic Center to Colorado and then departing for a four-game road trip. In their first ever visits to Rapid City last season, the Steelheads were 3-3-0 and outscored the Rush just 11-9. Idaho also earned shutouts in each of their last two visits behind then-goaltender Philippe Desrosiers.

About the Rush...

It was a challenging start to the season for the Rush, but they hope they might just be turning things around. After dropping their first six games in regulation, Rapid City earned its first regulation win in Alaska on October 29th and followed it up with an overtime loss on the 30th. Scoring hasn't been an issue for the Rush, their 26 goals tied for fourth in the Western Conference, but defensively it has been a different story. With both goaltenders the Rush expected to start the season with called to the AHL, the Rush have given up 36 goals, five more than any other team in the league. The Steelheads will have multiple offensive threats to monitor, starting with Lindsay Sparks. Sparks, the reigning ECHL Player of the Week, leads the ECHL with seven goals and 14 points in eight games. Following close behind and ranked third in the scoring race is linemate Ryan Walters with 11 points. Despite some skilled players and scoring pop, Rapid City has scored first in just one of their eight games.

Idaho Leaders Rush Leaders

Goals: Luciani/Faust (3) Goals: Sparks (7)

Assists: Dahl (8) Assists: Walters (8)

Points: Dahl (9) Points: Sparks (14)

Plus/Minus: Dahl (+5) Plus/Minus: Mastrodicasa (+3)

Power Play Goals: Luciani (2) Power Play Goals: Sparks (3)

Goals-Against Average: Komm (2.43) Goals-Against Average: Patterson (4.31)

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ECHL Stories from November 2, 2016


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