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ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Rookies Lead Steelheads Past Falcons 3-2

November 24, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Fresno, CA - Steelheads' rookie center Greg Rallo scored twice in the third period and rookie goaltender John Daigneau made 24 saves to earn his first professional win, as the Steelheads bested the Fresno Falcons 3-2 at the SaveMart Center on Saturday night.

The Steelheads (10-3-1-1) are now 2-2-0-0 on their current five-game road trip, while the Falcons (9-6-0-0) have lost three straight, all on home ice.

With the game tied at one after 40 minutes of play, Rallo scored his first of the night at 1:51 of the third, with assists from Marty Flichel and Derek Nesbitt. Then at 7:05, Rallo got his fifth of the season and his first professional game-winning goal, on a shot from the right circles that beat Falcons' goaltender Scott Stirling (27 saves). The goal came off a neutral ice turnover by the Falcons, as Flichel gathered the puck and hit Nesbitt on the left wing side. Nesbitt wasted no time in sending the puck to Rallo along the right wing, who took a snap shot that glanced off Stirling and into the back of the net.

The Falcons cut the deficit to 3-2 with a power play goal at 14:41 of the third by defenseman Cory Murphy. Luke Curtin and John Morlang assisted on Murphy's fourth of the season, which came from the left point and flew over the head of Daigneau.

After a scoreless first stanza, the two teams traded goals in the second frame, with the Falcons striking first. Moments after a Steelheads' power play expired, the Falcons carried the puck deep into the Steelheads' zone and eventually threw the puck into the crease where defenseman Vince Macri swept it past Daigneau. The goal at 11:50 of the period was Macri's second of the season, as Colin Shields and Tyler Kindle got the assists. That goal ended the Falcons' scoreless streak at 99:54, dating back to their 4-3 loss to the Steelheads on Sunday, November 19.

The Steelheads tied the game at 14:41 of the second on Tuomas Mikkonen's fifth marker of the campaign. Veteran winger Lance Galbraith sent a pass along the right wing side to the hard-charging Mikkonen, who shielded the puck from a Falcons' defenseman before releasing a backhander from the right circles that eluded Stirling. Steelheads' defenseman Mike Gabinet drew the other assist.

For the contest, the Steelheads out-shot the Falcons 30-26. The Steelheads are now 7-2-1-1 in one-goal games this season and 5-0-0-0 in Fresno since the start of last season.

The Steelheads conclude their five-game road trip against the Stockton Thunder on Saturday, November 25. Faceoff is at 8:00 p.m. MST. The Steelheads will return home for a three-game series against the Las Vegas Wranglers beginning on Wednesday, November 29. Steelheads' single-game tickets can be purchased via www.idahosteelheads.com (using the all-new, print-at-home feature), by calling 331-TIXS or from the Qwest Arena box office.

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