Steelheads Game Day Storylines at South Carolina
March 16, 2018 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release
Steel Reel
The Steelheads earned their fifth shutout victory of the season on Thursday night at North Charleston Coliseum with a 3-0 victory over the South Carolina Stingrays, just the second time this year that the Stingrays have been held without a goal. The Steelheads look for a South Carolina sweep when they hit the ice on Friday night, with their magic number to clinch a playoff spot now at seven points.
Tomas Sholl stopped all 32 shots he face on Thursday, including eleven in the third period. Eric Sweetman put Idaho in front late in the second period with his seventh goal of the season, and Connor Chatham offered insurance in the third period with his 12th of the year. Jack Nevins would seal the deal late in the game with an empty-net goal, his first tally as a Steelhead.
Backing It Up...
Tomas Sholl was named the ECHL's Goaltender of the Week on Tuesday, and he proved that decision right on Thursday with his first ECHL shutout. Sholl's work load wasn't easy, making several post-to-post saves in close on Stingrays captain Joe Devin and a desperation stick save along the goal line in the second period against rookie Conor Lemirande. Sholl remain unbeaten in regulation through his first eleven ECHL appearances with a record of 7-0-2. The rookie goalie has stopped 86 of 89 shots he has faced in a Steelheads uniform, including 24 of 26 when the Steelheads have been shorthanded.
Taking the Lead...
Prior to Eric Sweetman's goal late in the second period, the Steelheads had been finding ways to collect points in comeback fashion. The Steelheads had not played with a lead for 253:40 of hockey dating back to last Wednesday's game against the Allen Americans at CenturyLink Arena. Despite that, the Steelheads still managed to secure five points in the standings during that stretch with two overtime wins and a shootout loss. Once Sweetman did put the Steelheads in front in the closing minutes of Thursday's second period, the Steelheads held true to form in closing out the win and improving to 25-1-1 this season when leading after 40 minutes.
Take The Sting Out of Losing...
The Steelheads will hope to accomplish something few teams have done this season, which is take four points from a back-to-back set with the Stingrays. South Carolina has only gone winless in consecutive games five times this season, one of them a three game winless streak and none of them comprised of consecutive regulation losses. Only the Atlanta Gladiators and Orlando Solar Bears have managed to beat the Stingrays in consecutive games, both times needing overtime to do it. The Stingrays have also lost consecutive games at North Charleston Arena only twice this year, with three of those four games requiring overtime.
Idaho Leaders Stingrays Leaders
Goals: McParland (28) Goals: Devin (19)
Assists: J. Dahl (36) Assists: Whitney (32)
Points: J. Dahl (56) Points: Whitney (49)
Plus/Minus: McParland (+21) Plus/Minus: Freschi (+26)
Power Play Goals: McParland (9) Power Play Goals: Zajac (8)
Goals-Against Average: Sholl (1.70) Goals-Against Average: Milner (1.94)
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ECHL Stories from March 16, 2018
- Sholl Earns Second Straight Shutout over Stingrays - Idaho Steelheads
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- Horn's Hat Trick Helps Admirals Skate Away with 6-3 Victory on Friday - Norfolk Admirals
- Oilers Spread Around Scoring in Win over Kansas City - Tulsa Oilers
- Railers Score Season High Six Goals in Big Win over Nailers - Worcester Railers HC
- Steelheads Hold Rays at Bay with 1-0 Win - South Carolina Stingrays
- Thunder Shine in 3-2 Overtime Win over Komets - Adirondack Thunder
- Monarchs Bear Down on Grizzlies, 5-4, in Overtime - Manchester Monarchs
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- ECHL Transactions - March 16 - ECHL
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- Walleye Bring in College Forward - Toledo Walleye
- Stingrays Sign J.C. Brassard, Jake Kamrass - South Carolina Stingrays
- Game Day: Final Three-In-Three Kicks off against Greenville - Norfolk Admirals
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- Monarchs Game Day Capsule, March 16 - Manchester Monarchs
- ECHL Announces Fine, Suspension - ECHL
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