ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Steelheads Game Day Storylines at Allen

April 7, 2018 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Steel Reel

The regular season comes to a close on Saturday night for both the Idaho Steelheads and the Allen Americans, with one game left to play at Allen Event Center. The Americans snapped Idaho's eight-game winning streak on Friday night with a third period comeback that was capped by Mathieu Foget's first professional goal in overtime. The victory clinched a playoff spot for the Americans for the ninth time in nine seasons in Allen. The Steelheads did earn an overtime point, extending their unbeaten streak to nine games.

Idaho jumped out to a 3-1 lead on Friday, led by two goals from Cole Ully. The Americans stormed back in the third period with goals from Bryan Moore, Spencer Asuchak, and Braylon Shmyr, but the Steelehads would tie the game with 3.6 seconds left on a shootout goal by Max French. Foget's goal in overtime dealt Tomas Sholl just his second defeat in a Steelheads uniform, both beyond regulation and both to the Americans.

Season Finale...

Although both teams are playoff bound, and the Mountain Division's four playoff berths have been secured, there are still playoff implications for Game 72. The Americans and Wichita Thunder are both in the playoffs but are not locked into their current seeds, with Allen in third and Wichita in fourth. An Allen win or overtime loss on Saturday would guarantee that they begin the first round of the playoffs on April 13th at CenturyLink Arena. An Allen regulation loss coupled with a win by the Thunder would align Wichita to face the Steelheads in Round 1. The Steelheads have not lost consecutive games since March 7th, and they are 9-3-2 in the ECHL era on the final day of the season.

Double-Barreled Attack...

For much of the last two weeks, the duo of Max French and Cole Ully have led the offensive charge for the Steelheads. Cole Ully netted two goals against the Americans on Firday, giving him goals in five of his last six, and three two-goal games in that span. Ully also has five multipoint games in that stretch. Linemate Max French netted the penalty shot goal in the final seconds of the weekend-opener, earning a three point night and extending his goal-scoring streak to seven games. French has nine goals and 13 points during his seven game streak.

Young Guns...

The Americans can thank some of their young new additions for pushing them into the playoffs on Friday. Mathieu Foget's first career goal in his professional debut finished the job, after he joined the Americans following a 61-point season with Ottawa and Mississauga of the OHL. That winner was set up by Braylon Shmyr, who scored a goal of his own and notched three points in his eighth game of the season with Allen. Shmyr had 88 points in 72 games this season with the WHL's Saskatoon Blades. Jared Bethune, playing his eighth game with Allen since joining the team from Prince George of the WHL, added an assist and has five assists since turning pro.

Idaho Leaders Americans Leaders

Goals: McParland (31) Goals: Guptill (27)

Assists: Parizek (32) Assists: Pierro-Zabotel (50)

Points: Parizek (59) Points: Pierro-Zabotel (69)

Plus/Minus: McParland (+24) Plus/Minus: Makowski (+27)

Power Play Goals: McParland (9) Power Play Goals: Chouinard (8)

Goals-Against Average: Sholl (1.54) Goals-Against Average: Brodeur (3.15)




ECHL Stories from April 7, 2018


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