ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Idaho Claims Fourth Straight Win

Published on December 21, 2011 under ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


(Boise, ID) - Jerry Kuhn made 41 saves and stopped four of five shooters in the shootout as the Idaho Steelheads picked up a 4-3 shootout win over the Alaska Aces on Wednesday night.

Idaho's fourth consecutive win came in front of 4,148 fans at Boise's CenturyLink Arena as the Steelheads inched over the .500 mark on the season at 13-12-3.

Neither team could find the net in the first period, though Idaho's Kael Mouillierat rang a wrist shot off the left-hand post late in the first period. Idaho drew first blood early in the second on a hard-working Chad Nehring goal as he brought the puck from beneath the goal line on the left-hand side of the ice and managed to knock the puck past Gerald Coleman. His fifth of the season at 1:58 gave Idaho a 1-0 lead.

Alaska scored the next two goals, one on a rebound by Garry Nunn and one off a bad bounce behind the Idaho net from Wes Goldie, to take a 2-1 lead into the third period.

The Steelheads tied the game up at 5:38 of the third on a Kael Mouillierat rebound tally off of a Derek LeBlanc shot from the right-hand circle. Mouillierat's 12th of the season tied the game at 2. Idaho would take the lead at 12:17 when Aaron Lewadniuk's centering pass bounced off the skate of an Alaska defenseman right to a wide-open Jacob Cepis at the right-hand edge of the crease. Cepis banged the puck into the net for his eighth goal of the season to put Idaho on top, 3-2.

Alaska tied the game at 16:15 of the third on a Bryan Miller power-play goal, forcing overtime. In the overtime session, Idaho survived intense Alaska offensive pressure and also killed off a penalty to force a shootout.

In the shootout, Marc Rancourt just squeezed a puck past the right skate of Gerald Coleman for a tally and then LeBlanc beat Coleman as well. When Kuhn denied Nick Mazzolini with the right leg pad, Idaho had secured its fourth straight win, second consecutive via the shootout, and second straight win over the Alaska Aces after the Aces had taken 12 straight over Idaho.

Kuhn got the win with his 41 saves and 4-of-5 performance in the shootout. Coleman was the loser afterstopping 23 of 26 in regulation and just two of four in the shootout. Alaska was 2-9 on the power play while Idaho went 0-4.

The Steelheads and Aces meet two more times this week, December 22 and 23, in Boise. Tickets are available by calling the CenturyLink Arena box office (208.331.TIXS) or by logging on to www.idahosteelheads.com.

COORS OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME - Jacob Cepis

AQUA FINA "3 STARS" -

(1) Jacob Cepis (ID)

(2) Kael Mouillierat (ID)

(3) Jerry Kuhn (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 Tim's Cascade Chips with each ticket. Contact the Steelheads front office at 208.383.0080 or log on to www.idahosteelheads.com for more information.

Check out the Idaho Steelheads Statistics

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ECHL Stories from December 21, 2011


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