ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Sholl Shines for First ECHL Shutout in Charleston

Published on March 15, 2018 under ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Idaho Steelheads Goaltender Tomas Sholl stops the South Carolina Stingrays
Idaho Steelheads Goaltender Tomas Sholl stops the South Carolina Stingrays
(Idaho Steelheads, Credit: Sarah Hobday)

North Charleston, SC - Tomas Sholl stopped all 32 shots he faced on Thursday night to earn his first ECHL shutout and guide the Idaho Steelheads (36-20-7) to a 3-0 win over the South Carolina Stingrays (39-14-7) at North Charleston Coliseum.

Sholl made eleven saves in the final period, including several in close on South Carolina captain Joe Devin. Protecting a 1-0 lead in the third, Devin took a feed from defenseman Paul Geiger who slid the puck from the right point to the bottom of the left circle. Sholl snow-angeled across the crease from left post to right and kicked the Devin shot away his left pad, following with another save as rookie Conor Lemirande spun the rebound back into his body. Minutes later Sholl robbed Taylor Cammarata from between the circles and saw the rebound attempt flicked wide.

Sholl made another save on Lemirande midway through the second period while Idaho was shorthanded. Steven Whitney slid a pass through the Idaho crease from the right of Sholl to Lemirande, who tapped it towards the open net. Sholl reached back with the paddle of the stick to drag the puck away from the goal line, at that time keeping the game scoreless.

Idaho took a 1-0 lead following another side-to-side save by Sholl on Devin, the rebound fired out to the neutral zone by Brady Brassart. Cole Ully raced in 2-on-2 and wheeled wide on Geiger, breaking in alone on Stingrays goaltender Parker Milner. Milner made the initial save, but Eric Sweetman finished the rebound for his seventh goal of the season at 18:49 of the second period.

The Steelheads made it 2-0 at 8:39 of the third, shortly after Sholl's snow-angel save on Devin. AJ White went into the far corner of the Stingray zone hard on the forecheck, ripping the puck away from rookie defenseman Derek Pratt and feeding Connor Chatham between the circles. Milner made the initial save, but Chatham followed up to finish the rebound for his 12th goal of the season, and second in as many games, for a 2-0 lead.

Jack Nevins would get his ninth goal of the season, and first as a Steelhead, with an empty-net goal with 1:18 remaining, sealing just the seventh regulation loss on home ice this season for the Stingrays. Nevins also earned his first fighting major as a Steelhead at 1:56 of the first period, dropping the gloves with Marcus Perrier.

Connor Chatham and AJ White both posted two-point nights.

Sholl is undefeated in eleven ECHL appearances with Adirondack and Idaho this year. He has stopped 86 of 89 shots faced as a Steelhead.

This was Idaho's first visit to North Charleston Coliseum since January 2013. The win reduced Idaho's magic number to clinch a playoff spot to seven points, either gained by Idaho or lost by the Oilers.

The Steelheads and Stingrays meet again on Friday night at North Charleston Coliseum, with puck-drop scheduled for 5:05pm MT. The game is available on 1350AM KTIK and ECHLTV.

STEELHEADS STATS:

Goals: Sweetman (7), Chatham (12), Nevins (9)

Tomas Sholl: 32 saves on 32 shots

Power Play: 0-for-1

Penalty Kill: 4-for-4

CENTURYLINK THREE STARS OF THE GAME

1. Tomas Sholl IDH

2. Eric Sweetman IDH

3. Parker Milner SC

COORS LIGHT OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME

Connor Chatham: Goal, assist, 2 shots, plus-2

PLAY OF THE GAME:

The Stingrays were buzzing in the Idaho zone in the second period and may have thought they were coming close to breaking through Tomas Sholl after a Tim Davison shot rang the crossbar and a Kelly Zajac try hit the outside of the post. Sholl tuned that momentum around with his penalty-killing save on Conor Lemirande, reaching back with the paddle of his stick to protect a wide-open net and pull the puck away from the goal line, denying Lemirande his first pro goal.

Check out the Idaho Steelheads Statistics

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Images from this story

Idaho Steelheads Goaltender Tomas Sholl stops the South Carolina Stingrays
Idaho Steelheads Goaltender Tomas Sholl stops the South Carolina Stingrays
(Sarah Hobday)		   



ECHL Stories from March 15, 2018


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