Late Goal Pushes Grizzlies Past Steelheads
February 4, 2017 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release
Late Goal Pushes Grizzlies Past Steelheads
(Idaho Steelheads, Credit: Nate McIntyre Photography)
Boise, ID- Kenton Helgesen's first goal in his last 23 games broke a 4-4 tie late in the third period and gave the Utah Grizzlies (22-19-4) a 5-4 edge over the Idaho Steelheads (24-16-6) in front of 5,036 fans at CenturyLink Arena on Friday, extending the Grizzlies' winning streak to six games.
Helgesen finished a 3-on-1 rush with 3:07 remaining in regulation time for his third goal of the season and the eventual game-winner. The goal came moments after a Steelheads' odd-man rush in the other direction, with the teams playing 4-on-4.
With Joe Basaraba and Travis Ewanyk breaking down 2-on-1, Jon Puskar got his stick tangled in Ewanyk's feet and pulled him down. Play continued as Basaraba's shot missed the net, and with Ewanyk out of the play, the carom off the end boards sprung the Grizzlies the opposite way for the winning goal.
The Grizzlies led 3-0 midway through the second period. Erik Bradford scored the first two goals for Utah, burying a rebound from between the circles past Branden Komm at 6:17 of the first period and then polishing off a 3-on-1 rush at 4:34 of the second period for his 12th of the season. Bradford is in the midst of an eight-game points streak with five goals and 13 points in that span.
Tim Daly's wrist shot from the left point at 7:13 beat Komm's blocker for a 3-0 Utah lead.
The Steelheads stormed back late in the second period with two power play goals in a span of 4:12. Rob Linsmayer's right-wing wrist shot beat Troy Redmann through the legs for his ninth goal of the season to pull Idhao within a goal at 2-1. At 17:32, Anthony Luciani found Basaraba between the circles for a backhander past Redmann, Basaraba's 14th of the year.
Luciani's impact in the second period wasn't limited to an assist, as he dropped the gloves with Utah defenseman Phil Pietroniro for a spirited scrap when the score was 2-0. It was Luciani's first ECHL fight since March 7, 2015.
The penalty kill joined the fray in the third period, with Kyle Jean forcing a turnover at the Idaho blue line and racing ahead for a short-handed breakaway goal, his eighth goal of the year, to tie the score 3-3. It was Idaho's third short-handed goal in as many games, and Jean's second in the past three contests. Jean now has three short-handed tallies this season.
Utah regained the lead one minute later when Colin Martin redirected a Pietroniro point shot for his tenth of the year. Corbin Baldwin responded at 7:55 with a blast from the left-wing boards over the shoulder of Redmann for his second of the season to tie the game at 4-4.
The Steelheads pulled the goalie in the final 1:30, getting several good looks to tie the game with Luciani and Jefferson Dahl crashing the front of the net and Redmann without a stick. The Grizzlies fought off Idaho's final efforts, to extend the Steelheads' drought to five games at 0-4-1.
The Steelheads are 1-4-2 this season against the Grizzlies, and they finish their series at CenturyLink Arena on Saturday night. Puck-drop is scheduled for 7:10 pm MT and the game is available on 1350 KTIK, Cable One, and ECHLTV.
Photo: Nate McIntyre Photography
STEELHEADS STATS: Goals: Linsmayer (9), Basaraba (14), Jean (8), Baldwin (2) Branden Komm: 23 saves on 28 shots Power Play: 2-for-6 Penalty Kill: 0-for-4
CENTURYLINK THREE STARS OF THE GAME
1. Rob Linsmayer IDH
2. Corbin Baldwin IDH
3. Erik Bradford UTA
COORS LIGHT OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME Kyle Jean: Short-handed goal, 3 shots, plus-1 rating
PLAY OF THE GAME: The Steelheads had momentum after overcoming 3-0 and 4-3 deficits in the third period, but that momentum was drained during the 4-on-4 sequence late. The Steelheads 2-on-1 rush was erased when Jon Puskar pulled down Ewanyk, thwarting Idaho's offensive chance and putting them at a disadvantage when play was allowed to continue and the Grizzlies broke back the other way. Kenton Helgesen took advantage with the go-ahead goal, and the Steelheads were left with too little time on the clock to come back a third time.
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 Late Goal Pushes Grizzlies Past Steelheads (Nate McIntyre Photography) |
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