ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Shields And Silverthorn Lift Steelheads Over Salmon Kings 2-1

February 7, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Boise, ID - Colin Shields netted his first game-winning goal of the season early in the third period and Steve Silverthorn (30 saves) earned his 20th victory, as the Steelheads edged the Victoria Salmon Kings 2-1 in front of 3,385 fans at Qwest Arena on Wednesday night.

The Steelheads (24-17-2-1) are now 4-1-1-0 in their last six games, while the Salmon Kings (19-27-0-1) saw their four-game road winning streak snapped, as they've lost two straight contests overall.

Shields' third period marker was his 11th of the campaign and his fourth since being acquired from Fresno on December 26. At 1:15 of the frame, Shields gathered a Salmon Kings' defensive zone turnover and swept the puck past a stunned Bryan Bridges (19 saves) for an unassisted, even-strength marker.

Just 1:56 into the opening stanza the Salmon Kings took a 1-0 lead on defenseman Seamus Young's eighth goal of the campaign. Young crept into the offensive zone and took a pass from F.P. Guenette before beating Silverthorn with a wrist shot that found daylight just inside the right post. Marc-Andre Bernier gathered the second assist, as the Salmon Kings scored the fastest goal by an opposing team to open a contest on Qwest Arena ice this season.

Winger Tuomas Mikkonen got the Steelheads even at 16:23 of the first period with an even-strength goal, his ninth of the season and his second in the last seven outings. Mikkonen started the play through the neutral zone taking a pass from defenseman Kory Scoran and carrying the puck into the Salmon Kings' end. The Finnish native eventually worked it out to Lance Galbraith, who screened the Salmon Kings defense and nudged the puck back to Mikkonen who pushed it past Bridges for the equalizer.

In the scoreless second period, the Salmon Kings out-shot the Steelheads 13-7, setting up a tied match entering the third.

Silverthorn, who turned 26 today, earned his 20th win, giving him 42 career victories with the Steelheads to move him into a tie for second place in franchise history with Jason Cugnet. Bridges suffers the loss, dropping to 8-16-0-0. The Steelheads went zero-for-two on the power play on the evening, with their two chances tying a mark for the fewest opportunities this season. The visitors finished zero-for-four. The final shots were 31-21 in favor of the Salmon Kings.

The Steelheads continue their three-game series against the Salmon Kings on Friday, February 9. The puck drops at 7:10 p.m. MST. 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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ECHL Stories from February 7, 2007


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