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ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Steelheads Can't Complete Sweep, Fall 5-3 To Aces

February 11, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Anchorage, AK - Four skaters registered multiple points for the Steelheads, who trailed for most of the contest, before eventually falling to the Aces 5-3 in front of 4,004 fans at Sullivan Arena on Sunday.

The loss ended the Steelheads (27-15-7) three-game winning streak and kept them from sweeping the Aces (22-19-5). With two games left in the season series, the Steelheads are now 5-1-2 against the Aces in 2007-2008.

For the first time in this series and for just the third time in the last nine games the Aces took a 1-0 lead on a power play goal by Michael Lambert at the 4:15 mark of the first period. Peter Metcalf and Bo Cheesman set up the tally, as Lambert moved the puck out from the goal line and slipped a backhander past Steelheads' goaltender Kellen Briggs (28 saves).

Felipe Larranaga made it 2-0, potting his first of the campaign, an even-strength goal at 9:46. Kimbi Daniels and Corbin Schmidt gained the helpers.

Matt Craig pulled the Steelheads within one heading into the first intermission, netting a power play goal at 12:53. Taking Marty Flichel's pass, Craig ripped a shot from the high slot low to the blocker side of Aces' goaltender Mike Brown (24 saves) for his seventh of the year. Darrell Hay earned the second assist.

In the second period, Metcalf, a former Steelhead, went coast-to-coast before beating Briggs with a wrist shot to give the Aces some breathing room. His fifth of the season, a five-on-five marker, was unassisted.

At 12:50 of the middle stanza John Lammers' slap shot from the top of the right circle kicked off the short side goal post and past a screened Brown for his sixth goal of the series and 11th in 13 games this season to make it 3-2. Taggart Desmet grabbed the primary assist, while Flichel also gained a point.

With two minutes left in the second period Hay's center breakout pass from deep in his own zone was deflected by Cheesman over to Lambert, who sent the disc back to Cheesman and he swept it past Briggs for his 23rd of the campaign and second overall against the Steelheads.

That marker gave the Aces a 4-2 lead heading into the third period. Through two periods the Aces led in shots 20-18.

Early in the third period Desmet popped a rebound past Brown off a scramble in the Aces crease for his 17th of the season. Lammers, who finished the three-game set with seven points, and Craig got the assists.

With the Steelheads attempting to tie the contest later in the third, the visitors got a favorable bounce off a dump-in and Mike Sullivan fired a shot towards an open net, but he was denied by a sliding Metcalf thus keeping the Aces in front.

Olivier Filion rounded out the scoring with an unassisted, empty-netter in the game's final minute to cement the 5-3 win for the home team.

The final shots favored the Aces 32-27, as they out-shot the Steelheads in every game of the series. The Steelheads ended two-for-five on the power play, while the Aces finished one-for-six. Briggs is now 12-8-1, while Brown snagged his second win in four appearances with the Aces.

The Steelheads return home to take on the Phoenix RoadRunners for a three-game series on Wednesday, February 13. The puck drops at 7:10 p.m. MST. All the action can be heard live on 1350 AM, KTIK "The Ticket" or via the B2 Networks. Don't forget, Steelheads' single-game tickets can be purchased via www.idahosteelheads.com (using the print-at-home feature), by calling 331-TIXS or from the Qwest Arena box office.

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