ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Idaho Collects Fourth in a Row with Win

February 8, 2014 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Boise, ID - Luke Judson netted two more goals and Pat Nagle turned in another solid effort in net as the Idaho Steelheads won their fourth consecutive game, defeating Colorado, 3-1, at CenturyLink Arena in Boise.

With the win, Idaho (24-16-5) crept closer to Colorado (24-14-7) in the ECHL's Western Conference standings. Idaho currently sits in fourth place, just behind the third-place Eagles.

For the second straight night, Idaho drew first blood early in the contest as Judson took a feed from William Rapuzzi and snapped home a shot from the top of the left-wing circle at 3:46 of the opening frame to take a 1-0 lead. The lead nearly grew on a Mitch Wahl breakaway moments later, but Colorado's Marc Cheverie made a leg-pad save to keep the Idaho lead at one goal through one period.

Idaho struck on the power play at 3:22 of the second when Wahl and David deKastrozza teamed up to find Judson at the left edge of the crease for his fourth tally in three games with Idaho, stretching the lead to 2-0. Before the fans could celebrate too much, however, Alex Hudson got one back for Colorado on the rebound of a Kyle Kraemer shot just 26 seconds later to make it 2-1. Judson's bid for the hat trick was stuffed by Cheverie later in the second, but Idaho still led by a goal going into the third period.

The insurance Idaho needed came from deKastrozza at 8:40 of the third as he flew into the offensive zone down the right wing, drove toward the middle and beat Cheverie with a quick backhand for his seventh goal of the season to make it 3-1. The goal was assisted by Steven Whitely, his first professional point.

From that point, it was all about Nagle and the Idaho defense keeping Colorado at bay as the Eagles were unable to generate anything down the stretch.

Idaho out-shot Colorado, 35-28, one night after the Eagles put 32 more shots on net than Idaho did. Nagle got the win for Idaho, his 15th of the season, after stopping 27 shots. Cheverie turned in a solid performance as well for Colorado, stopping 32 of 35 Idaho shots.

The Steelheads power-play unit converted one of six chances while the penalty-kill unit was a perfect 3-for-3 against Colorado's second-ranked power-play unit. Idaho is now 71 for its last 77 on the penalty kill (92 percent)

The team's six-game homestand resumes Wednesday when the Bakersfield Condors come to town. The two teams will also play on Friday and Saturday when the Steelheads will don special jerseys to be auctioned off to raise money for the Jayden DeLuca Foundation. Tickets for all three games are available by calling 208-331-8497.

Check out the Idaho Steelheads Statistics



ECHL Stories from February 8, 2014


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