ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Lazaruk, Kraemer Shut Down Steelheads

November 21, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Loveland, CO - Kyle Kraemer tallied his second straight two-goal game for Colorado and Kris Lazaruk made 22 saves as the Colorado Eagles (6-8-2) shutout the Idaho Steelheads (5-8-4), 2-0 at Budweiser Events Center.

It was the second time in the past four games that the Steelheads went scoreless, after last Saturday night's 3-0 loss to the Florida Everblades. With tonight's defeat, Lazaruk's first shutout of the season, the Eagles moved past the Steelheads into third place in the West Division with 14 points and one game in hand on Idaho.

Kraemer opened the scoring at 16:25 of the first period when he, Trent Daavettila, and Jesse Mychan entered the Steelheads' zone skating three across. Kraemer moved the puck from the right wing to the middle lane for Daavettila, who pushed it to the left wing for Mychan. Mychan drilled a shot off the post to the glove side of Steelheads goaltender Philippe Desrosiers, with the rebound coming to a wide-open Kraemer who hit a wide open net.

Kraemer added his second goal and seventh of the season in less complicated fashion just 46 second into the second period. Rob Linsmayer left a drop-pass inside the Steelheads' offensive blue line that missed the intended target, instead finding Eagles defenseman Collin Bowman. With the Steelheads moving against the grain, Kraemer broke free behind the Idaho defense and was hit in stride for a clear breakaway and a 2-0 Eagles' lead.

After scoring 57 points in 67 games for the Eagles the past two seasons, Kraemer spent the early part of this season with the South Carolina Stingrays before being traded back to Colorado earlier in the week. In his first two games back with the Eagles, he has four goals and a plus-5 rating.

The Steelheads' top line of Linsmayer, Taylor Peters, and Colton Beck has been one of the ECHL's best in recent weeks but found very little room to work on Saturday night after combining for ten points the game before. The line was a minus-2 on the evening, combining for five shots.

Desrosier played well in his first start since being lifted in Florida last Friday. The rookie goaltender made 17 saves on 19 shots. The Steelheads killed off both shorthanded situations on the night, but their power play went scoreless in four attempts.

The Steelheads travel to Rapid City for the first time ever on Wednesday for the start of a three-game series with the Rush. It's an important series for the Steelheads, who are two points back of the Rush with Rapid City holding three games in hand. The Rush defeated the Grizzlies in overtime on Saturday night and are 3-0-2 in their last five games. The Steelheads are 1-5-3 in the past nine.

Puck-drop Wednesday night at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center is scheduled for 6:35pm MT.

Check out the Idaho Steelheads Statistics



ECHL Stories from November 21, 2015


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