Steady Steelheads Top Stockton
March 29, 2014 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release
Stockton, CA - Jason Bast and Justin Mercier each registered three points, including teaming up for a back-breaking, third-period short-handed goal as the Idaho Steelheads registered a 4-1 win over the Stockton Thunder on Friday night.
Idaho (35-25-7) has now picked up wins in five of its past seven games and, coupled with Colorado's loss to Utah, has moved into fourth place in the ECHL's Western Conference standings. The top four seeds will have home-ice advantage in the opening round of the Kelly Cup playoffs in April.
After an even start to the contest, Idaho would net a pair of goals late in the frame to seize control. The first tally came as a result of quick passes from Bast to Luke Judson near the left edge of the trapezoid and then Judson through the slot to a streaking Mercier and Mercier blasted home his 12th of the season at 16:03 to give Idaho a 1-0 lead. Moments later, following a Stockton penalty, Tommy Grant took a quick wrist shot from the right-wing half wall. As he took the shot, Brett Robinson skated in front of Parker Milner to create a screen, allowing the puck to sneak by Milner and into the net for a power-play tally at 18:33 to give Idaho a 2-0 lead after one period.
Stockton cut the lead in half early in the second period as Joe Diamond created a loose puck with an aggressive forecheck hit on Idaho's Dalton Reum. Diamond picked up the puck and fed Ryan Hayes for the tap-in goal at 3:24 of the second to make it 2-1. Idaho answered quickly, though, with another power-play marker when Mercier fed Bast in the slot for a one-timer under the crossbar at 7:29 to up the lead to 3-1. Idaho had chances to extend the lead but Milner stoned two breakaways and a two-on-one rush before the end of the second period to keep the Thunder within shouting distance.
The Thunder generated some early pressure in the third and picked up a power-play opportunity near the midway mark of the third, still down 3-1, but Idaho delivered the knockout punch when Landon Oslanski lost the puck to Mercier, triggering a two-on-one, short-handed rush. Mercier led the rush up the right-wing side before delivering a perfect pass to Bast near the left edge of the crease for his second goal of the night, fifth in eight games with the team, to extend the lead to 4-1. Stockton didn't seriously threaten after that.
Josh Robinson picked up the win in net for Idaho with a steady, 21-save performance in net to collect his 11th win of the season. Milner played better than his final line would indicate in the loss, allowing four goals on 23 shots.
Idaho's power play unit converted twice on five chances while the penalty-kill unit was a perfect four-for-four against the league's top-ranked power-play unit.
Bast (two goals, assist), Mercier (goal, two assists) and Luke Judson (two assists) all registered multi-point nights for Idaho.
Idaho wraps up its road trip to the Central Valley of California with another game in Stockton on Sunday. Puck drop is 5 PM (Mtn) with the St. Luke's Pre-Game show hitting the air at 4:45 on KTIK (1350 AM) in the Treasure Valley.
The Steelheads have two home games left, April 4 and 5 against the same Colorado Eagles. Tickets are available by calling the CenturyLink Arena box office at 208-331-8497.
• Discuss this story on the ECHL message board...
ECHL Stories from March 29, 2014
- Grizzlies Score at Buzzer to Beat Colorado 2-1 - Utah Grizzlies
- Eagles Fall in the Final Second to the Grizzlies 2-1 - Colorado Eagles
- Gladiators Overcome Early Deficit to Overpower Road Warriors - Atlanta Gladiators
- Peter Boyd's Hat Trick Powers Stingrays Past Komets - South Carolina Stingrays
- K-Wings punch playoff ticket with shootout loss to Walleye - Kalamazoo Wings
- Royals Finish Regular Season Series Perfect for Elmira, 6-3 - Reading Royals
- Cepis, Goggin Each Score Twice in Solar Bears' 5-4 Victory - Orlando Solar Bears
- Everblades Blank Cyclones, 4-0 - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Elmira Falls to Royals - Elmira Jackals
- Road Warriors Score Three in First Three Minutes But Lose to Gwinnett - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- ECHL Transactions - March 29 - ECHL
- Thunder Renew Rivalry with Ontario - Stockton Thunder
- Game Preview - Ontario Reign vs. Stockton Thunder - Ontario Reign
- Cyclones Game Preview - Cincinnati at Florida - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Game Preview: Solar Bears vs. Evansville IceMen - March 29 - Orlando Solar Bears
- Royals Sign Forward Greg Wolfe - Reading Royals
- Elmira Jackals Game Preview vs. Reading - Elmira Jackals
- Countdown to Face-Off: Kalamazoo Wings vs Toledo Walleye - Kalamazoo Wings
- Preview: Star Wars, Cure Childhood Cancer, $5 Fan Gear Frenzy Night - Atlanta Gladiators
- IceMen Sign Mark Anthoine - Evansville IceMen
- Jason Missiaen Recalled to Hartford - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- ECHL Today - March 29 - ECHL
- Stingrays Game Preview: the Stanley Cup Visits Today as Stingrays Faceoff against Fort Wayne - South Carolina Stingrays
- Aces cruise to fourth straight Mountain Division title - Alaska Aces
- Hayes Scores Again But Thunder Fall 4-1 - Stockton Thunder
- Steffes Scores Twice But Condors Fall 3-2 in a Shootout - Bakersfield Condors
- Reign Hang on to Beat Condors 3-2 - Ontario Reign
- Steady Steelheads Top Stockton - Idaho Steelheads
- Wranglers Can't Climb out of Early Hole, Fall to Aces 5-1 - Las Vegas Wranglers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
