ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Rosie Robbery! Steelheads Top Eagles Behind Desrosiers' 52 Saves

January 14, 2017 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


osie Robbery - Steelheads Top Eagles Behind Desrosiers' 52 Saves
osie Robbery - Steelheads Top Eagles Behind Desrosiers' 52 Saves
(Idaho Steelheads, Credit: Creative Expressions Photography)

Boise, ID- Philippe Desrosiers won his fourth consecutive game with a career-high 52 saves, and the Idaho Steelheads (22-11-4) extended their points streak to seven games, defeating the Colorado Eagles (21-12-4) 3-1 on Friday night in front of 4,680 fans at CenturyLink Arena. With the victory, the Steelheads overtook the Eagles for sole possession of second place in the Mountain Division.

Desrosiers improved to 5-2-1 this season with the Steelheads, stopping 23 shots in the second period and 14 shots in the third period. Even the only shot to beat Desrosiers needed an extra push, as a Mason Geertsen point shot squeezed behind Desrosiers at 1:52 of the third period and Casey Pierro-Zabotel nudged it over the line for his 14th of the season to break up the shutout bid. Desrosiers would not be beat again.

The Steelheads are 14-4-1 this season in games in which they score the first goal. They opened the scoring on Friday for the fifth consecutive game when Branden Troock redirected a Corbin Baldwin point shot in behind Kent Simpson for a 1-0 Idaho lead at 7:56 of the first period, Troock's fifth goal of the season.

Anthony Luciani extended the lead at 14:09 of the second period off a great feed by Kellan Lain. Mike McMurtry rimmed the puck around the boards into the Colorado zone. Lain got to it first behind the net and immediately slid the puck to the slot for a Luciani one-timer. Luciani's 14th goal of the season was his fourth in five games and extended his points streak to seven games.

In the final minute of the second period, and moments after he emerged from the penalty box, Joe Basaraba made it 3-0 with a great individual effort at 19:19. Basaraba fought off a check form Eagles defenseman Teigan Zhan and fired an off-balanced wrist shot from the right circle that zipped over Simpson's glove to make it 3-0 Idaho. Basaraba's 11th goal of the season was his sixth in 11 games.

The Steelheads have scored 28 goals in their past six games.

Along with great goaltending, the Steelheads penalty kill was crucial in securing the win. Colorado was 0-for-5 with the man advantage, and 0-for-2 in the third period, after having gone 8-for-25 in the previous five games.

The Steelheads will go for their first three-game sweep of the season on Saturday night against the Eagles at CenturyLink Arena. Idaho leads the Eagles by two points in the division, and the Steelheads are tied at the top with the Allen Americans with 48 points. Puck-drop is scheduled for 7:10pm MT. The game is available on 1350KTIK, Cable One, and on ECHLTV.

Photo: Creative Expressions Photography

STEELHEADS STATS:

Goals: Troock (5), Luciani (14), Basaraba (11)

Philippe Desrosiers: 52 saves on 53 shots

Power Play: 0-for-3

Penalty Kill: 5-for-5

CENTURYLINK THREE STARS OF THE GAME

1. Philippe Desrosiers IDH

2. Joe Basaraba IDH

3. Branden Troock IDH

COORS LIGHT OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME

Joe Basaraba: 1 goals, plus-1 rating, 3 shots

PLAY OF THE GAME:

Joe Basaraba's goal at the end of the second period was a great individual effort and a momentum swing for Idaho. Shortly after his penalty expired, Basaraba was trying to carry the puck into the Colorado zone and had Teigan Zahn draped all over him. Basaraba dragged the puck through the feet of Zahn and, while falling to the ice, ripped a rising shot past Simpson. After the Eagles had attacked Philippe Desrosiers' net in waves for the entirety of the second period with no success, Basaraba's goal gave Idaho a three-goal cushion, a team now 14-1-2 when leading after two periods.

Check out the Idaho Steelheads Statistics




Images from this story

osie Robbery - Steelheads Top Eagles Behind Desrosiers' 52 Saves
osie Robbery - Steelheads Top Eagles Behind Desrosiers' 52 Saves
(Creative Expressions Photography)		   



ECHL Stories from January 14, 2017


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