ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Idaho Wraps up Regular Season with Wild Win over Utah

Published on April 9, 2015 under ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Boise, ID (4/8/2015) - The Idaho Steelheads scored three times in the final three and a half minutes of the game Wednesday night, blowing open a close, intense hockey game en route to a 7-3 victory over the Utah Grizzlies in the team's regular-season finale in front of 4,033 fans at CenturyLink Arena in Boise.

The win was Idaho's 48th of the season, tying the team's ECHL-era record for victories and established the second-best regular-season point total (102) since joining the ECHL in 2003 as well. The Steelheads finished the campaign at 48-17-6, atop the ECHL's Pacific Division.

Idaho scored the game's only goal in the first period on the power play at 14:02. Alex Belzile's shot from the top of the left-wing circle was saved by Utah's Igor Bobkov, but Steve Quailer picked up the rebound and scored with the backhand, his sixth of the season, to put Idaho on top, 1-0.

Two quick goals in the second seemed to put Idaho firmly in control. First, at 4:12, James Livingston turned in a fantastic individual effort up the right-wing side, beating two Utah defenders as he cut across the top of the crease before beating Bobkov with a backhand for his 13th goal of the season to make it 2-0. Then, another right-wing charge led to Peters' first goal of the evening (3rd of the season) at 6:43 as his forehand snuck under Bobkov's arm to make it 3-0 and prompt a change in net for Utah, as Eric Levine replaced Bobkov.

Utah got two goals back late in the second. First, it was Cam Wojtala credited for stuffing the puck past Olivier Roy at the right-wing post at 13:55 and then Johnnie Searfoss pounced on an Idaho defensive-zone turnover for a goal from the slot at 18:40, giving the Grizzlies big momentum as Idaho's three-goal lead was cut to one, 3-2, with just over a minute remaining in the middle frame.

Idaho answered with a crucial goal, however, just 25 seconds later as Shawn Boutin's point shot was deflected past Levine by Levi Nelson with 55 seconds remaining in the second, making it 4-2 going into the third.

The two-goal lead held through half of the period before a wild brawl broke out along the Idaho bench eight minutes into the third. Multiple players from each team were involved with Utah's Danick Paquette and Idaho's Devin DiDiomete ultimately receiving game misconducts. Utah wound up with a power play, though, which Idaho killed off before HT Lenz scored for Utah with eight minutes remaining to make it a 4-3 hockey game.

The Steelheads came up with another critical answer as Wade MacLeod sprung Peters up the right-wing side with three and a half minutes left. Peters took advantage of an off-balance Utah defender to gain space in the offensive zone before snapping a shot far side past Levine at 16:24, once again re-establishing Idaho's two goal lead at 4-2. Two minutes later, with the Utah net empty in favor of an extra attacker, MacLeod picked up a puck in his own end and launched it all the way down the ice for an apparent icing, but Nelson out-skated a Utah defender to not only negate the icing, but also collect a tap-in, empty-net goal at 18:43 - his second of the game, sixth of the season - to make it a 6-3 game. Idaho closed out the scoring 36 seconds later, at 19:19, on Colton Beck's 18th goal of the season off a perfect feed from Belzile to make the final score - 7-3 - much wider than the game actually was.

Olivier Roy got the win in net for Idaho, stopping 24 of 27 shots. Levine wound up taking the tough-luck loss for Utah, though he inherited a three-goal deficit. Both Levine and Bobkov allowed three goals in the game. Idaho was 1-3 on the power play and a perfect 3-3 on the penalty-kill in the game.

Nelson (two goals), Peters (two goals), Zack Kamrass (three assists), Belzile (two assists), MacLeod (two assists) and Boutin (two assists) all had multi-point nights for Idaho.

Up next for Idaho is the opening round of the 2015 U.S. Bank ECHL Kelly Cup playoffs. Idaho will face either Utah or Alaska in a best-of-seven series, beginning next week. The schedule of games will be announced shortly. Fans can secure the same seat to all possible Steelheads' home playoff games through the "Pay as We Play" program, call the Steelheads front office at 208-383-0080 for more information.

COORS OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME - Zack Kamrass (3A)

CENTURYLINK THREE STARS:

1) Taylor Peters (ID)

2) Levi Nelson (ID)

3) Shawn Boutin (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 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 April 9, 2015


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