ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Second Period Rally Lifts Steelheads To 4-3 Win Over Wranglers In Game Four

April 26, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Las Vegas, NV - Lance Galbraith scored twice in the second period and the Steelheads picked up three markers in the stanza overall to help earn a 4-3 win over the Las Vegas Wranglers in Game Four of the National Conference Semi-Finals in front of 3,814 fans at Orleans Arena on Thursday night.

The Steelheads (7-3) have now won the last three games of this series and for the second straight season, they have the Wranglers (5-3) on the brink of elimination, as they lead the best-of-seven series, three games to one.

For the third time in the semi-finals, the Wranglers got the game's first goal, converting on the power play at the 13:14 mark to give the home team a 1-0 lead at the first intermission. After defenseman Aaron Power had his shot from the slot blocked, the puck came free to fellow defenseman Jason Jozsa who smacked the puck in for his first of the playoffs. Derek Edwardson grabbed the second helper.

The Steelheads three-goal outburst in the second period began at 6:01 of the frame on a deflection by Galbraith from just outside the Wranglers' crease. His first of two straight goals came after Marty Flichel won an offensive zone draw back to defenseman Blake Forsyth, who snapped the puck from the left point, where Galbraith angled it past the glove of Wranglers' goaltender Mike McKenna (26 saves).

Then off a rush into the Wranglers' zone, Flichel found Galbraith on the left wing side and he fired a shot from just above the goal line. McKenna got a piece of the offering, but the puck bounced up into the air and skipped into the back of the net for Galbraith's ECHL-leading ninth of the postseason. Defenseman Darrell Hay picked up the second assist.

On a power play late in the second period, the Steelheads took a 3-1 lead on a tip-in by BJ Crombeen, his second tally in as many nights. Defensemen Lars Helminen and Kory Scoran registered the assists.

The Steelheads out-shot the Wranglers 15-8 in the second period and the led in shots 22-17 through 40 minutes.

The Wranglers made it a one-goal game just 2:49 into the third period on a tally by Tyler Mosienko. With Greg Rallo trying to clear the puck out of his defensive zone, Aki Seitsonen batted down the aerial feed and Mosienko grabbed the puck in the slot and fired a shot over the head of Steelheads' goaltender Steve Silverthorn (27 saves) for his team-leading fifth of the playoffs.

However, with 57 seconds left in regulation, Flichel buried an unassisted, empty-net goal from neutral ice to give the Steelheads a 4-2 advantage. With McKenna still pulled for an extra attacker the Wranglers would again close the deficit to one with just 4.5 seconds left in the tilt on Jozsa's second of the contest. However, the Brabham Cup champions were never able to complete their comeback as time expired before they could work the ensuing neutral ice face-off into the Steelheads' zone.

For the contest, the shots were even at 30, while the Steelheads went one-for-three on the power play and three-for-four on the penalty kill.

Game Fiveof this series is set for Friday, April 27 with the opening face-off at 8:05 p.m. MDT. For tickets to second round home games at Qwest Arena, call (208) 331-TIXS, check out the Steelheads' web site (using the print-at-home feature) or go to the Qwest Arena box office.

Check out the Idaho Steelheads Statistics



ECHL Stories from April 26, 2007


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