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ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Magee's OT Winner Snaps Steelheads' Skid

November 19, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Loveland, CO - Brandon Magee slayed several Steelheads demons on Wednesday night with a single flick of the wrists, zipping a wrist shot over the shoulder of goaltender Kris Lazaruk to give the Steelheads (5-7-3) a 2-1 overtime win over the Colorado Eagles (4-8-2) at Budweiser Events Center.

Magee's fourth goal of the season off a Zack Kamrass feed clinched the Steelheads' first win in seven games, breaking a 0-4-2 streak that stretched back to their November 2nd win in Utah. It was also the Steelheads first win in the new 3-on-3 overtime format this season after coming up short in their previous three extra-sessions. The Steelheads are 1-0 in the shootout this year as well.

The game was scoreless entering the third period, with the Eagles holding a 15-9 shot advantage in what was a particularly tight checking game with minimal scoring opportunities. The Eagles were getting the majority of puck possession time in the offensive zone, but Idaho continued their strong defensive zone play from their two-game series against the Florida Everblades last weekend. Early in the third, they were rewarded for it.

After a lengthy defensive zone shift, the Steelheads managed to force the puck to the neutral zone and surprisingly found themselves with numbers as Rob Linsmayer carried the puck into Eagles territory. He slid the puck from east to west at the top of the right circle to the top of the left, catching Colton Beck in stride to fire it past Lazaruk. It was Beck's 7th of the season and has him tied for second in the league scoring race with 17 points, one back of Florida's Matt Marquardt. Linsmayer now has 13 points in the past ten games.

The Steelheads tried to hang on in the third period as they were outshot 14-4, but Patrick D'Amico managed to bank a sharp-angled shot past Steelheads goaltender Maxime Lagace to tie the game with 3:59 to go in regulation.

It was perhaps Lagace's only mistake of the game as he tried to poke away a hard rebound off the end-boards and out of trouble. He couldn't quite get to it, and Joe Zarbo sent a pass behind the net to the opposite post that D'Amico banked in off of Lagace's back.

Other than that sequence, Lagace was rock solid in net for the third straight game. He made 29 saves, including several at the end of the third period after a heavy collision in his crease with Colorado's Darryl Bootland.

The Steelheads are now 5-3-1 against Western Conference opponents this season.

The Steelheads will look to make it two in a row against the Eagles on Friday night at Budweiser Events Center, with puck-drop scheduled for 7:05pm MT.

STEELHEADS STATS:

Goals: Beck (7); Magee (4)

Maxime Lagace: 29 saves on 30 shots

Power Play: 0-for-2

Penalty Kill: 1-for-1

CENTURYLINK THREE STARS OF THE GAME

1. Brandon Magee IDA

2. Patrick D'Amico COL

3. Colton Beck IDA

COORS LIGHT OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME

Brandon Magee: OT game-winning goal, two shots, plus-1 rating

Play of the Game:

Early in the 3-on-3 overtime, the Steelheads needed Lagace to come up big one last time. Utilizing the extra space on the ice, Colorado defenseman Collin Bowman wheeled to the wall in the Steelheads zone and drifted back towards the goal. With no one challenging him, Bowman, who was second in the ECHL last year among defensemen with 15 goals, made a quick move to his backhand and zipped a difficult shot on goal that Lagace was able to shrug away as he moved against the grain. With the threat turned aside, the Steelheads weaved back up the ice and got a line change, when Kamrass hopped on the ice and forced his way down the right wing board and behind the net, then found Magee in the high slot to end the game.

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ECHL Stories from November 19, 2015


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