ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Steelheads Fall to Rush in Series Opener

Published on December 15, 2016 under ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Steelheads Fall to Rush in Series Opener
Steelheads Fall to Rush in Series Opener
(Idaho Steelheads, Credit: Steve Conner Photography )

Boise, ID- Kellan Lain opened the scoring just 2:01 into the first period but that was the only lead Idaho would have as the Steelheads (13-9-3) dropped the first game of their three-game series with the Rapid City Rush (8-11-5), a 5-2 final at CenturyLink Arena.

Ryan Walters netted two goals for Rapid City, scoring one of three power play goals on the evening for the Rush. Wednesday night was the first time this season that Idaho's penalty kill surrendered three goals.

Just 3:35 after Lain opened the scoring with his fifth of the season from between the circles in the Rush zone, Josh MacDonald scored his 12th of the year on the power play to knot the score. MacDonald stripped the puck from Kyle Jean right in front of the Idaho net to tuck a backhander under the crossbar.

At 10:08, Walters scored his first goal to make it 2-1 Rush, a left-wing wrist shot off the far post that beat Philippe Desrosiers and ended his evening. Desrosiers gave up two goals on four shots, relieved by Branden Komm.

Rapid City scored twice on the power play in the second period to extend their lead. Justin Hache scored his second goal in three games with the Rush at 5:22 on a slap shot through a screen from the left circle. At 9:26, Walters and Brenden Walker capitalized off a give-and-go from the left wing wall, leaving Walters alone in front to bury his eighth of the season and second of the night.

The Steelheads pulled to within two goals when Joe Faust netted his seventh of the season from the slot off a Travis Ewanyk feed at 5:45 of the third. The Rush would put the game away with an empty-net goal from Walker, his fourth point of the night, to make it 5-2.

Komm stopped 21 of 23 shots for Idaho. Because of Faust's goal, Komm would take the loss. Adam Morrison made 22 stops to earn the win for Rapid City.

Lain's goal was his third tally and fourth point in the past five games. Faust finished the night with a goal and an assist.

With the win, the Rush snapped a five-game winless streak in which they were 0-2-3. Idaho is now winless in four straight games, going 0-3-1 over that stretch. The Steelheads are three points behind Alaska and five behind Colorado in the Mountain Division standings with both the Aces and Eagles winning on Wednesday.

The Steelheads and Rush are back at it on Friday night, with puck-drop scheduled for 7:10pm MT at CenturyLink Arena. The game is available on 1350AM KTIK, Cable One, and ECHLTV.

STEELHEADS STATS:

Goals: Lain (5), Faust (7)

Philippe Desrosiers: 2 saves on 4 shots; Branden Komm: 21 saves on 23 shots

Power Play: 0-for-3

Penalty Kill: 1-for-4

CENTURYLINK THREE STARS OF THE GAME

1. Ryan Walters RCR

2. Dysin Mayo RCR

3. Joe Faust IDH

COORS LIGHT OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME

Joe Faust: 1 goal, 1 assist, plus-1 rating, 5 shots

PLAY OF THE GAME:

The Steelheads controlled the game for much of the opening five minutes, earning four of the first five shots on goal and scoring the first goal of the game from Kellan Lain. That energy was somewhat sapped on the first penalty kill of the game, when the Steelheads tried to pass the puck out in front of their own net and then proceeded to turn the puck over on that same play to Josh MacDonald. MacDonald scored, giving him three goals in the last three games. Ryan Walters' long-range wrist shot made it 2-1 shortly after, and a Steelheads team that was energized out of the gate found itself behind and never drew even again.

Check out the Idaho Steelheads Statistics

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Images from this story

Steelheads Fall to Rush in Series Opener
Steelheads Fall to Rush in Series Opener
(Steve Conner Photography )		   



ECHL Stories from December 15, 2016


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