ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Late Goal Dooms Steelheads In 2-1 Loss To Bombers

May 23, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Boise, ID - Trevor Frischmon scored the game-winning goal with less than three minutes left in regulation to propel the Dayton Bombers to a 2-1 win over the Steelheads in Game One of the Kelly Cup Finals in front of 3,817 fans at Qwest Arena on Wednesday night.

The win helps the Bombers (12-6) take over home ice advantage in this series, with Game Two slated for Friday, May 25 in downtown Boise. With the defeat, the Steelheads (12-6), who had won four of their last five on home ice and five of their previous six games overall, drop to 7-3 in one-goal games during their playoff run.

Trailing 1-0 with just 6:55 left in regulation, the Steelheads finally broke through, when defenseman Colin Peters snapped a shot through traffic from the right point that Francis Wathier tipped through the legs of Bombers' goaltender Adam Berkhoel (29 saves) to tie the game at one. The even-strength marker was Wathier's first of the playoffs, and it came in just his third game, while Peters' helper was his first point of the postseason.

On the deciding goal, Frischmon slid to his stomach to bat home an opportunity off the stick of teammate Petr Pohl and give the Bombers a 2-1 advantage. The play started at center ice, where Peters went to his knees to try and settle down a bouncing puck at the red line. Pohl eventually emerged with the disc for the visitors and carried the puck into the Steelheads' zone on a mini two-on-one before his chance bounced free to Frischmon, who was driving toward the left post. Two of the rookie's three playoff goals thus far have been game-winners and this one came at 17:24 of the third.

After Frischmon's tally, the Steelheads pulled Silverthorn for an extra attacker, but they were unable to find another equalizer sending them to a Game One defeat for the third time in the 2007 playoffs.

The Bombers tallied the only goal through the first two periods, converting on a two-on-one rush late in the opening frame to take a 1-0 lead. After Steelheads' winger Scott Burt couldn't keep the puck inside the Bombers' blue line, Philippe Dupuis gathered the bouncing puck and fed Yannick Tifu as the duo raced into the Steelheads' zone against Peters. With Peters playing the pass, Tifu unleashed a snap shot from the bottom of the right circles that beat Silvethorn cleanly, low to the blocker side. The even-strength goal was Tifu's seventh of the playoffs.

Through two periods, the shots favored the Bombers 21-20, but with 10 third period chances, the Steelheads ended the night out-shooting the visitors 30-24. The Steelheads finished scoreless on a playoff-low, one power play opportunity, while the Bombers went zero-for-four.

Tickets for Game Two of the Kelly Cup Finals, presented by Fresh Express and Albertsons are on sale now and can be purchased by calling (208) 331-TIXS, by visiting http://www.idahosteelheads.com (using the print-at-home feature) or by checking out the Qwest Arena box office. The puck drops from Qwest Arena at 7:10 p.m. MDT.

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ECHL Stories from May 23, 2007


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