Levine Shines for Eagles
January 1, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release
Boise, ID - The Idaho Steelheads' (14-15-5) eight-game unbeaten streak came to an end at CenturyLink Arena on Friday night, a 3-1 defeat to the Colorado Eagles (15-15-2). Eagles' goaltender Eric Levine made 28 saves, 15 of them in the third period, to earn his fifth win of the season.
Carson McMillan scored the only goal for the Steelheads, his sixth of the season off the rebound of a blocked shot by Jake Rutt at 8:28 of the second period. That made the score 2-1, but it was as close as the Steelheads would get.
Colorado jumped out to a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes of play on two goals from their blue line. Adrian Veideman, a healthy scratch on Wednesday for the Eagles, fired a shot from the left point through traffic that deflected off of a Steelhead stick and through Jack Campbell to open the scoring at 6:23 of the first period. Exactly two minutes later, the Eagles power play went to work when Trent Daavettila slid a perfect pass across the tops of the circles to a creeping Collin Bowman on the right wing, who lifted a wrist shot under the bar and over a sliding Campbell to give Colorado a two-goal lead.
The Steelheads carried momentum for much of the second half of the game, outshooting the Eagles 15-1 in the third period. That lone Eagles' shot was Daavettila's empty-net goal with 39 seconds to go in regulation.
Daavettila, the second-leading scorer in the ECHL, was held without a point on Wednesday night and was a minus-3 on Wednesday night. Friday, Daavettila rebounded with a three-point night, pushing his season total to 35. Veideman also had a three-point night for Colorado.
The loss was the Steelheads' first in regulation on home ice in their last six games. Their streak of eight consecutive games with at least one power play goal also came to an end, with the Steelheads' power play going 0-for-4 on the night. That included a critical Eagles' kill on a Steelheads man advantage with 6:41 remaining in regulation, a Teigan Zahn boarding penalty that forced Levine to make several big saves.
The chippy play picked up in the third period, with the line of Rob Linsmayer, Jefferson Dahl, and Emil Molin finding room to move in the offensive zone but unable to find the back of the net. That line spent most of the third period around the goal mouth, unable to find a rebound to tie the score. Those three players, and Kyle Jean, all had points streaks come to an end.
The Steelheads remain in second place in the West Division, one point ahead of Colorado with the Eagles holding two games in hand.
The Steelheads and Eagles face-off in the rubber match of their three-game set Saturday night at CenturyLink Arena. All season ticket holders and the first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a Steelheads Camo Cap courtesy of CenturyLink.
Puck-drop is scheduled for 7:10pm MT, with the game available on radio on 1350AM KTIK and seen on CableOne and ECHLTV.
ECHL Stories from January 1, 2016
- Levine Shines for Eagles - Idaho Steelheads
- Levine Shines in Net as Daavettila, Veideman Pace Eagles in 3-1 Win - Colorado Eagles
- Solar Bears Ring in New Year with 5-3 Victory over Everblades - Orlando Solar Bears
- Solar Bears Claw Past Everblades 5-3 - Florida Everblades
- 2016 Opens with a Loss for the Americans - Allen Americans
- Komets Nab Back Half of Home-And-Home from Fuel - Indy Fuel
- Mavericks Start 2016 with 4-1 Win over Americans - Kansas City Mavericks
- Gameday: Adirondack at Reading - Adirondack Thunder
- ECHL Transactions - January 1 - ECHL
- Harstad Recalled to Manitoba - Tulsa Oilers
- Forward Jesse Mychan Earns Call-Up to AHL - Colorado Eagles
- Rodewald Returned to Solar Bears by Marlies - Orlando Solar Bears
- McPherson Recalled by Rochester - Elmira Jackals
- ECHL Today - January 1 - ECHL
- 3-Goal Third Period Propels Utah Past Alaska - Alaska Aces
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