ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Gulls Thrash Steelheads, 7-2

Published on December 30, 2005 under ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Boise, Idaho - Four, third period goals highlighted a penalty-filled stanza, as the Gulls downed the Steelheads, 7-2, in front of 4,755 fans at Qwest Arena on Friday night.

The two clubs combined for 106 penalty minutes, including two fights in the third period. The loss dropped the Steelheads to 19-8-2, while the Gulls improved to 12-11-4. The five-goal loss equaled the largest margin of defeat the Steelheads have suffered this season.

Both teams traded goals in the first stanza. For the second straight game of this series, the visitors scored first. Forward Richard Keyes netted his eighth of the season at 8:51, with Grady Moore and netminder Tom Lawson (28 saves) getting the assists.

With the Gulls on a power play late in the frame, Marty Flichel intercepted a clearing attempt by the Gulls and raced in alone on Lawson. Flichel snapped the puck into the top left corner of the net to tie the match at one. It was Flichel's first shorthanded goal of the season and the second for the Steelheads.

At 6:10 of the second period, Pierre-Luc Sleigher got to a rebound behind the Steelheads' cage and stuffed the puck into the short side, giving the Gulls a 2-1 lead. Defenseman Grady Moore and winger Cody McLeod assisted on Sleigher's sixth tally of the season.

The Gulls made it 3-1 later in the period on a power play goal by Alex Kim. Kim picked up his second of the series and 10th of the season on a flubbed shot from the slot that appeared to hit a body in front. Former Steelheads' defenseman Jonathon Shockey and Sleigher drew the helpers.

With a couple of minutes remaining in the second period, and a delayed penalty call upcoming against the Gulls, Steelheads forward Scott Burt appeared to make it a one-goal game. Goaltender Matt Yeats raced to the bench for the extra attacker and Burt hopped off the Steelheads bench and gathered a loose puck just outside the Gulls' blue line. Burt beat Lawson five-hole, but after conferring with the linesmen, referee James Parker waved off the goal. The officials ruled an illegal substitution on the Steelheads, claiming Burt came off the bench too early.

At the second intermission, the Gulls had a 3-1 lead and a 20-18 shot advantage.

The Gulls tallied four times in the third period, just the second time all season the Steelheads have allowed four goals in a period. Keyes got his second of the contest, Niikita Korovin added one and Jesse Bennefield added two goals in the stanza.

Winger Garett Bembridge scored the lone goal for the Steelheads in the third period. It was Bembridge's league-leading 24th of the season. Defenseman Jarad Bourassa and center David Bararuk chipped in the assists.

The final shots were 31-30 in favor of the Gulls. The Steelheads are now 4-4-1 when out-shot by the opposition. Lawson earned his seventh win of the season, while Steelheads' goaltender Matt Yeats (24 saves) dropped to 9-4-2.

The two teams combined to finish with 162 penalty minutes. The Gulls power play went three-for-nine, while the Steelheads man advantage went zero for 11, their least effective power play effort of the season.

Saturday, December 31 is the final game of this three-game series. Faceoff is at 7:10 p.m. MST.

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