ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Steelheads complete near perfect road trip with 4-3 win over Texas

Published on March 20, 2005 under ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Beaumont, TX - The Idaho Steelheads have moved into the fourth place playoff position in the Pacific Conference, West Division with a 4-3 victory over the Texas Wildcatters at Ford Arena Sunday evening. Idaho finishes the season-long eight-game road trip with a 6-0-2 record and 14 of a possible 16 points.

Idaho's captain Dan Vandermeer tallied at 7:26 when he roofed a wrist shot from the right circle over Phil Osaer's glove. Texas answered back quickly at 8:38 with a goal by Mark Gianetti who picked up a rebound from Brian Stacey after Colin Zulianello made the original save. Idaho outshot texas 9-5 in the first period, and the first 20-minutes ended tied at one apiece.

Texas scored the next two in the second period both even-strength goals, with Gianetti's second of the game at 3:01 and another by Andrew Ianiero at 6:59 as a Steelhead penalty was expiring. After the Wildcatters' third goal, Zulianello was replaced in net by Frank Doyle. Idaho's offense woke up and applied tremendous pressure on Texas' net. Andrei Vasilyev fresh off the injured list sunk two, the first at 8:04 and the second on the power play 4:06 later to tie the game.

Brett Draney notched the game-winner, with his 16th of the season, in the third period as Idaho had a man-advantage. Draney wristed the puck past Osaer from the left circle at 4:08 with assists coming from Bobby Russell and Vandermeer, who each tallied two points in the game.

Idaho returns home to play perhaps the most important series of the season against the fifth-place Fresno Falcons who now trail Idaho by one-point for the final playoff spot. (Fresno will play Tuesday night at home against Gwinnett.) The three-game series against the Falcons kicks off Thursday night and runs through Saturday night. Tickets are still available for all games.

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