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ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Steel Streaking: Steelheads Win Fifth Straight over Utah

December 29, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Salt Lake City, UT - The Idaho Steelheads (13-14-5) moved within three points of the West Division lead and are now 6-0-1 in their last seven games after defeating the Utah Grizzlies (16-10-2) at Maverik Center, 4-1.

It was the Steelheads fifth straight win over the division-leading Grizzlies and third straight win at Maverik Center.

Following a scoreless first period, the Steelheads extended their power play goal-scoring streak to seven straight games when Emil Molin hammered a cross-ice pass from Jefferson Dahl past an outstretched Ryan Faragher. Molin's tenth of the season was Idaho's 13th power play goal in seven games and made it 1-0.

Utah answered back with a power play goal of their own 5:34 later when Roberts Lipsbergs found a soft spot in the high slot and wristed a Shayne Taker feed past Philippe Desrosiers to make it 1-1. That tie was short-lived, as Andre Morrissette continued a resurgent month of December less than two minutes later.

At 17:18 of the second, and off a neutral zone face-off, Kyle Jean threw a puck on the Utah net from just beyond the blue line. Timing it just perfectly as to stay on side, Morrissette raced in on goal, beating Jason Binkley and Phil Pietroniro to the front of the net. Faragher bobbled the Jean shot, with Morrissette right there to pop in his fifth of the season, and fourth in December.

In the third period, Tommy Fallen hammered his second goal of the season to give the Steelheads some breathing room. At 9:53 of the third, Jean and Zack Kamrass scissored high in the offensive zone, with Kamrass pulling the Utah winger low while Jean held the puck. Jean had time and space to slide the puck for Fallen's one-timer, a low hard drive to Faragher's blocker side to make it 3-1.

Molin added his second of the game into an empty net to seal the 4-1 win.

Jean now has a seven game points streak (3-10-13), Rob Linsmayer's point streak has reached five games (4-5-9), and Jefferson Dahl has a five game streak as well (4-3-7). Emil Molin's two markers give him five goals and 11 points in the last eight games.

Ryan Faragher came into the weekend's back-to-back series with just one regulation loss all season, but Desrosiers outdueled him both nights, stopping 24 of 25 shots Monday night for his eighth win of the season. Desrosiers is 5-0-1 in his last six appearances, with a goals-against average of 2.01 over that span

The Steelheads jumped into second place in the West Division, one point ahead of the Colorado Eagles, who have one game in hand. The Steelheads open a three-game set with the Eagles at CenturyLink Arena on Wednesday night, with puck-drop scheduled for 7:10pm MT. The game is available on radio on 1350AM KTIK and seen on CableOne and ECHLTV.

STEELHEADS STATS:

Goals: Molin (10,11), Morrissette (5), Fallen (2)

Philippe Desrosiers: 24 saves on 25 shots

Power Play: 1-for-4

Penalty Kill: 2-for-3

CENTURYLINK THREE STARS OF THE GAME

1. Emil Molin IDH

2. Andre Morrissette IDH

3. Kyle Jean IDH

COORS LIGHT OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME

Andre Morrissette: Game-winning goal, plus-2 rating, 6 shots

PLAY OF THE GAME:

Kyle Jean said the morning of Monday's game that the Steelheads are playing with the kind of confidence where they "know they are going to score". With Philippe Desrosiers holding the fort for Idaho with several strong saves in the early minutes of the third period, Jean fed Tommy Fallen for his one-timer after a nifty 'play action fake' along the far boards. That made it 3-1 and essentially sealed the win for the Steelheads, who have been impenetrable in their last seven games with a second period lead. The Steelheads are getting offense from up and down the line-up, and Fallen's goal was the turning point to cement the win.

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