ECHL Idaho Steelheads

STEELHEADS: Game Day Storylines- vs Cincinnati

Published on March 11, 2017 under ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Steel Reel

The Idaho Steelheads saw their four-game winning streak snapped on Friday night in their first game back at CenturyLink Arena in nearly a month, as the Cincinnati Cyclones earned a 5-2 win to extend their own winning streak to four games .On Saturday night the Steelheads and Cyclones complete their brief two-game set, with the Steelheads looking to avoid consecutive regulation losses for the first time since February 3rd and also vying for their ninth win this season over Eastern Conference opponents.

The Steelheads never led on Friday night, with the Cyclones scoring first and then holding serve in the back-and-forth pace of the first 40 minutes. Jefferson Dahl's 16th goal of the season answered Nick Huard's tally in the first period, and Brian Nugent's eighth of the year matched Brandon McNally's goal early in the second. With the game tied 2-2- after two periods, it was the Cyclones who would find a way in the third with three unanswered goals, one from Shane Walsh and two from Shawn O'Donnell, to earn a 5-2 win. Landon Bow stopped 16 of 20 shots in a losing effort.

Nothin' but Nuge...

Brian Nugent continues to produce for the Steelheads, his tying goal in Friday's second period standing as his sixth tally in the last eight games, as well as his eighth point in that stretch. Nugent's current run is his most productive eight-game stretch since the end of his rookie season, when he had nine points in seven games with five of those points coming in one contest. Nugent is showing an offensive touch since joining a line with Anthony Luciani and Kellan Lain. Lain earned an assist on the Nugent goal, his 11th point in his past 12 outings.

Ruffle Rumpel...

The Steelheads put 35 shots on Joel Rumpel, 26 in the final two periods, but it seems they will have to do more should they see the reigning Goaltender of the Week again in this series. Rumpel has only appeared in eight games this season, but he's won his last four outings and has stopped a combined 130 of 134 shots in March.

Final Frame Fights...

The Steelheads held Cincinnati to 21 shots, tied for the lowest total surrendered by Idaho this season, but the Cyclones broke through for three third period goals, their most in a third period since January 4th. The Cyclones have a minus-13 goal differential in third periods this season, compared to Idaho's plus-7, yet they are still 24-1-2 when leading after 40 minutes. The Steelheads are 12-13-4 this year in games in which they surrender the first goal, but against a strong defensive Cyclones team that is fourth in the ECHL in goals-against per game, the Steelheads will be well-served to get on the board first and work with a lead late in the second period.

Idaho Leaders Cyclones Leaders

Goals: Luciani (25) Goals: Walsh (16)

Assists: Dahl (37) Assists: Sims/Walsh (25)

Points: Luciani (54) Points: Walsh (40)

Plus/Minus: Glen (+13) Plus/Minus: Atwal (+11)

Power Play Goals: Merchant (11) Power Play Goals: Huard (7)

Goals-Against Average: Bow (2.24) Goals-Against Average: Visentin (2.93)

Check out the Idaho Steelheads Statistics

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