Idaho Steelheads' Quest For The 2008 Kelly Cup
April 10, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release
NATIONAL CONFERENCE QUARTER FINALS (ROUND 1), PRESENTED BY RC WILLEY
#4 IDAHO STEELHEADS (0-1) VS. #5 ALASKA ACES (1-0)
BEST-OF-SEVEN SERIES
SERIES PREVIEW:
This National Conference Quarter Finals series pits the defending Kelly Cup Champion Idaho Steelheads (40-22-10) against the 2006 Kelly Cup winners, the Alaska Aces (41-26-5). The Steelheads are looking to become the first team in league history since the 1994 Toledo Storm to repeat as ECHL champs (Riley Cup Champions - 1993 & 1994). Furthermore, the Steelheads are looking to equal the now defunct Hampton Roads Admirals mark of three ECHL crowns (1991, 1992 & 1998). Meanwhile, the Aces attempted to capture their fourth consecutive West Division title during the regular season's final weekend, but they fell four points shy, which dropped them to the fifth seed in the National Conference. Having reached at least the conference finals in three straight years, the Aces will have to get through the club that ended their 2007 run if they want to become the second team in the last 12 seasons to appear in four conference finals series (Louisiana IceGators). Since entering the league in 2004, the Aces have won 226 regular season games and the Steelheads have won 207 contests.
SERIES SCHEDULE (all games listed in Mountain Time):
Game 1: Idaho 1, Alaska 4 - Alaska leads series 1-0
Game 2: Idaho vs. Alaska - Thursday, April 10; 7:10 p.m.
Game 3: Idaho @ Alaska - Saturday, April 12; 9:15 p.m.
Game 4: Idaho @ Alaska - Sunday, April 13; 9:15 p.m.
Game 5: Idaho @ Alaska - Tuesday, April 15; 9:15 p.m. **
Game 6: Idaho vs. Alaska - Thursday, April 16; 7:10 p.m. **
Game 7: Idaho vs. Alaska - Sunday, April 20; 7:10 p.m. **
** If Necessary; Home games in bold
GAME RECAPS:
GAME ONE - Idaho 1, Alaska 4: Aces' defenseman Corbin Schmidt broke a scoreless tie less than three minutes into the second period as the visitors got goals from three defenseman and four different skaters overall en route to a 4-1 win in Game One. The Steelheads mustered 48 shots in the opening game defeat, but they failed to convert in their eight power play chances and the club's only tally came with just 4:48 left in regulation when Taggart Desmet had Mark Bomersback's deflection carom off the glass and then his chest before finding the back of the net. The Aces finished the night an efficient two-for-five on the power play and in addition to Marek Schwarz's 47 saves, the 2006 Kelly Cup Champions got multiple point efforts from Peter Metcalf (1g, 1a) and Josh Soares (1g, 1a). Steelheads' third-year goaltender Steve Silverthorn, last season's Kelly Cup Playoffs MVP, turned aside 25 shots to see his ECHL playoff record drop to 17-8 lifetime, while his team fell to 1-4 in their last five Game One scenarios.
STEELHEADS' NOTES:
With their 4-1 loss in Game One, the Steelheads dropped to 1-4 in their last five series opening games...The Steelheads 48 shots in Game One trumped their season-high from the regular season (45 on 3/1/08)...Taggart Desmet grabbed an assist in Game One, extending his scoring streak to seven outings (4g, 7a)...Their Game One defeat dropped the Steelheads to 7-3 all-time in ECHL playoff action against the Aces...The Steelheads have out-shot their postseason opponents in seven of the last eight games dating back to the 2007 Conference Finals...In the 2007 Kelly Cup Playoffs, the Steelheads were 4-0 in Game Two's and they are 5-0 under Derek Laxdal and 6-0 in the last three playoff seasons in the second game of a series.
ACES' NOTES:
Peter Metcalf's one goal and one assist effort in Game One gives him 33 postseason points in his professional career, trailing only Kimbi Daniels (82 pts.) and Olivier Filion (37 pts.) for the most by an active Aces' player...Marek Schwarz stopped a career-high 47 shots in Game One to improve his ECHL record to 7-0-0 including the regular season...The Aces have won six of their eight ECHL playoff series when taking Game One...F.P. Guenette has five assists in seven career ECHL playoff games...The Aces have scored eight power play goals in their last six playoff games against the Steelheads...Corbin Schmidt has scored five of his 22 career goals (regular season and playoffs) against the Steelheads.
STEELHEADS' RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
- 4/08/07: DELETE Matt Craig (F) placed on the 7-day IR
- 4/08/07: ADD Kellen Briggs (G) activated off the 3-day IR
ACES' RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
- 4/09/08: DELETE Felipe Larranaga (F) placed on the 3-day IR
- 4/09/08: ADD Ed Hill (D) activated off the 7-day IR
- 4/08/08: ADD Marek Schwarz (G) reassigned from Peoria (AHL)
STEELHEADS' 2008 PLAYOFF LEADERS:
- Goals: Taggart Desmet (1)
- Assists: Mark Bomersback & Kory Scoran (1)
- Points: Several Players (1)
- +/-: Several Players (E)
- PIM: Several Players (2)
- Wins: N/A
ACES' 2008 PLAYOFF LEADERS:
- Goals: Several Players (1)
- Assists: Several Players (1)
- Points: Peter Metcalf & Josh Soares (2)
- +/-: Several Players (+2)
- PIM: Peter Metcalf & Cam Keith (4)
- Wins: Schwarz (1)
REGULAR SEASON TALE OF THE TAPE:
Record: Idaho: 40-22-10 = 90 pts. (8th) / Alaska: 41-26-5 = 87 pts. (10th)
Offense: Idaho: 3.11 (15th) / Alaska: 3.40 (T-7th)
Defense: Idaho: 2.54 (4th) / Alaska: 3.18 (14th)
Shots For: Idaho: 31.7 (15th) / Alaska: 30.7 (20th)
Shots Against: Idaho: 29.6 (4th) / Alaska: 30.8 (10th)
Average PIM: Idaho: 20.7 (9th) / Alaska: 18.3 (16th)
PP: Idaho: 20.4% (6th) / Alaska: 19.3% (7th)
PK: Idaho: 84.8% (6th) / Alaska: 80.4% (19th)
1-Goal Games: Idaho: 15-11-10 (T-12th) / Alaska: 18-9-5 (T-6th)
HEAD TO HEAD:
The Steelheads finished the 2007-2008 regular season with a 5-3-2 mark against the Aces to give them a 20-17-5 record overall in five ECHL seasons. In their 10 regular season meetings this year, five were decided by one goal and there were 22 combined power play goals (IDH 14, AK 8). The former WCHL foes have hooked up twice in the Kelly Cup Playoffs, with the Steelheads winning both series (2004 & 2007) and eventually hoisting the Kelly Cup in both those campaigns. Last year in the National Conference Finals, the Steelheads took the best-of-seven, four games to one, while out-scoring the Aces 16-11. In 2004, the Steelheads downed the Aces in four games to take the best-of-five West Division Finals.
STEELHEADS' REGULAR SEASON LEADERS:
- Goals: Taggart Desmet (29)
- Assists: Marty Flichel (48)
- Points: Lance Galbraith / Marty Flichel (67)
- +/-: Blake Forsyth (+25)
- PIM: Lance Galbraith (282)
- Wins: Kellen Briggs (17)
ACES' REGULAR SEASON LEADERS:
- Goals: Josh Soares (36)
- Assists: Peter Metcalf (53)
- Points: Josh Soares (81)
- +/-: Derrick Martin (+18)
- PIM: Peter Metcalf (165)
- Wins: Derek Gustafson / Chris Beckford-Tseu (12)
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