ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Steelheads Game Preview: West Division Semi-Finals, Game Five

Published on April 17, 2006 under ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


GAME RECAPS:

GAME 1: 4/11/06 - STEELHEADS 1 @ WRANGLERS 0 (2 O.T.)
Steelheads' defenseman Tyler Kindle scored shorthanded with 2:33 remaining in double overtime, as the Steelheads took Game One of the series, 1-0. With defenseman Blake Forsyth in the penalty box for tripping, rookie defenseman Kory Scoran sent an outlet pass to Kindle who found rookie forward Dan Hacker alone on the right wing side. Hacker skated into the Wranglers' zone, before throwing a pass through the slot that center David Bararuk tipped over to Kindle who had jumped into the rush. The Portage, MI native rifled a snap shot just underneath the crossbar and over the blocker of Wranglers' goaltender Marc Magliarditi (43 saves) for his first career playoff tally. Matt Yeats stopped all 49 shots fired his way to pick up his fifth career ECHL playoff victory, and his first with the Steelheads. The shutout was the second in Yeats' Kelly Cup Playoffs career, and the fifth for the club in their three-year existence. The contest lasted 97:27, the longest game in both the Steelheads' and the Wranglers' ECHL history. This marathon from Orleans Arena was 6:13 away from becoming the sixth longest game in ECHL history and it was also the league's longest scoreless battle before Kindle's heroics. Furthermore, since the 2002 Kelly Cup Playoffs, there hasn't been a double overtime contest longer than Game One of this series.

GAME 2: 4/12/06 - STEELHEADS 4 @ WRANGLERS 2
Four different skaters scored for the visitors, including Garett Bembridge's game-winner in the second period, as the Steelheads won 4-2 to take a commanding 2-0 series lead in the best-of-seven semi-finals. For the second straight night, Steelheads goaltender Matt Yeats was phenomenal, stopping 42 shots to give him 91 saves in the two games at Orleans Arena. Trailing 3-1 at the second intermission, Wranglers' forward Sean O'Connor netted an even-strength goal at the 1:55 mark of the third period to draw his squad within one goal. Then, Steelheads' forward Justin Cox scored an insurance goal 6:38 into the third period, blasting a slap shot over the head of Marc Magliarditi to give the Steelheads some breathing room and a 4-2 advantage. Bembridge finished with three points, as did David Bararuk, while Paul Caponigri chipped in two assists. The Wranglers first goal, scored by Chris Neiszner midway through the opening period, broke a playoff scoreless drought of 169:35 for the Wranglers, dating back to the 2004 Kelly Cup Playoffs.

GAME 3: 4/14/06 - STEELHEADS 4 vs. WRANGLERS 5 (O.T.)
Trailing 3-0 midway through the third period, the Steelheads pulled off a miraculous comeback, before bowing out in overtime, 5-4, in Game Three of the West Division Semi-Finals. Wranglers' forward Todd Alexander won the game 6:07 into sudden death overtime, getting the Wranglers their first win of the series. It was a slow start for the Steelheads, as Steve Crampton opened the scoring at 5:17 of the first to give the Wranglers their first lead of the series. Then Dan Tudin potted two goals late in the first period, with one coming on the power play, giving the Wranglers a comfortable 3-0 advantage after one period of play. Dan Hacker started the rally at 9:30 of the third period with the Steelheads' second shorthanded goal of the series. Eleven seconds later Garett Bembridge made the score 3-2 with another shorthanded marker. With under three minutes left in regulation, Wranglers' forward Chris Neiszner gave his team some much needed insurance, stripping Jarad Bourassa of the puck and beating goaltender Matt Yeats (20 saves) for his second of the postseason. However, with Yeats at the bench for an extra attacker, and both teams having one skater in the penalty box, David Bararuk and Bembridge scored 30 seconds apart (18:23 & 18:53) to send the game to overtime. In the extra session, both teams had chances, with Bembridge ringing the crossbar minutes before Alexander's winner. Wranglers' goaltender Mike McKenna picked up the win, making 38 saves, in his professional playoff debut. The Steelheads out-shot the Wranglers for the first time in the series, but the home team's power play didn't help their cause, going a dismal zero-for 11.

GAME 4: 4/17/06 - STEELHEADS 4 vs. WRANGLERS 2
First-year goaltender Steve Silverthorn turned aside 39 shots, and fellow rookie Greg Rallo potted the game-winning goal early in the second period, as the Steelheads built an early lead and then hung on for a 4-2 victory in Game Four, putting the Wranglers on the brink of elimination. Silverthorn was tremendous in his first playoff start, as made 18 saves in the second period alone. The Steelheads jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first period on a couple of power play goal. Marty Flichel opened the scoring with his first of the postseason at 2:19, and minutes later he assisted on David Bararuk's man advantage marker. Rallo's goal at 4:45 of the second period came against Marc Magliarditi (11 saves), who took over for rookie Mike McKenna (6 saves) after the first period. Leading 3-0 with 35 minutes left in the match, the Steelheads held off the Wranglers' charge, as the visitors finally got to within a goal halfway through the third period. Garett Bembridge buried an empty-net goal in the game's final minute to seal the win, his third straight game with a goal. Bararuk's two-point effort (1g, 1a) helped extend his scoring streak to four games, while Tyler Kindle (2a) and Dan Hacker (1a) found the score sheet to extend their point streaks to four games. Matt Dzieduszycki and Adam Pardy scored for the Wranglers in the loss.

TONIGHT'S TILT:
The Wranglers enter tonight in a win-or-go-home situation. A victory for the visitors will extend the series back to Las Vegas and give the Wranglers home ice advantage. Should this series go to a Game Six, both teams would fly out to Orleans Arena tomorrow morning and play later that evening. The Steelheads will try to continue their special teams dominance in this series, as they seemed to right their power play in Game Four, with a two-for-three performance. Through the first four games, the Steelheads have three power play goals and three shorthanded tallies, to the Wranglers two man advantage markers. Steve Silverthorn will get the nod between the pipes again for the Steelheads, and Aaron Slattengren will be reinserted into the lineup. Slattengren was a healthy scratch in Game Three. The Wranglers get a big boost on the blue line tonight, as Tim Hambly was returned from Omaha (AHL) today. Hambly played in 45 AHL games with the Ak-Sar-Ben Knights and in 31 tilts with the Wranglers.

STEELHEADS' NOTES: The Steelheads are 4-1 in Kelly Cup Playoff games where their opponent faces elimination...Garett Bembridge (4g, 4a) has recorded multiple point efforts in three straight games...Game Four's victory snapped a three-game, home losing streak in the playoffs for the Steelheads...The Steelheads are now 7-6 on home ice in the Kelly Cup Playoffs...Eight different skaters have scored in the first four games of this series, as the Steelheads roster boasts four of the top 20 playoff scorers in Bembridge, David Bararuk, Dan Hacker and Tyler Kindle.

WRANGLERS' NOTES: Defenseman Tim Hambly will make his series debut tonight, after being reassigned from Omaha earlier today...The Wranglers are 0-3 in this series when they out-shoot the Steelheads...The Wranglers have thrown 16 more shots on net in this series, yet they've allowed four more goals...Winger Steve Crampton has at least one point in two straight games.

STEELHEADS' RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
4/11/06: ADD Greg Hornby (LW) - Activated off the 7-day IR
4/10/06: DELETE Alex Dunn (D) - Transferred from the 7-day IR to the 30-day IR
4/10/06: DELETE Matt Reid (LW) - Placed on the 7-day IR
4/10/06: DELETE Mike Adamek (F) - Released from contract
4/09/06: ADD Justin Cox (RW) - Returned from San Antonio (AHL)
4/08/06: ADD Garett Bembridge (RW) - Returned from Portland (AHL)
4/04/06: DELETE D'Arcy McConvey (C) - Recalled to Iowa (AHL)

WRANGLERS' RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
4/17/06: ADD Tim Hambly (D) - Reassigned from Omaha (AHL)
4/15/06: ADD Adam Pardy (D) - Reassigned from Omaha (AHL)
4/11/06: ADD Dan Tudin (LW) - Returned from Omaha (AHL)
4/09/06: DELETE Marco Peluso (F) - Placed on the 7-day IR
4/09/06: DELETE Mike Kautz (D) - Placed on the 30-day IR
4/08/06: DELETE Steve Marr (D) - Recalled to Omaha (AHL)

THE MATCHUP:
This best-of-seven series pits the 2nd seeded Las Vegas Wranglers against the 3rd seeded Idaho Steelheads. The first team to win four games in this semi-final round will advance to the West Division Finals and take on the Alaska Aces who swept the Utah Grizzlies in the other West Division Semi-Final.

REGULAR SEASON - HEAD TO HEAD:
The Steelheads went 2-3-2 against the Wranglers in 2005-2006, while winning one of three contests on the road. Out of the seven games in the season series, the Steelheads and Wranglers played four, one-goal games. On January 27, the Steelheads thumped the Wranglers 9-5, which was arguably the most lopsided defeat the 2nd placed Wranglers suffered in 2005-2006. In ECHL play, the Steelheads hold a 14-8-4 regular season mark against the Wranglers. In their only playoff meeting back in 2004, the Steelheads ousted the Wranglers three games to two, in the best-of-five Pacific Division Semi-Finals. The Steelheads actually trailed in the series 2-0, before winning the final three games of the series, en route to the 2004 Kelly Cup in their inaugural ECHL season.

REGULAR SEASON TEAM LEADERS:

IDAHO

- D'Arcy McConvey: 39g, 47a = 86 pts.
- Garett Bembridge: 36, 39a = 75 pts.
- David Bararuk: 25g, 46a = 71 pts.
- Steve Silverthorn: 22-14-3, 2.90 GAA, 90.1%, 3 SHO

LAS VEGAS

- Matt Dzieduszycki: 34g, 44a = 78 pts.
- Dan Tudin: 33g, 44a = 77 pts.
- Steve Crampton: 20g, 29a = 49 pts.
- Marc Magliarditi: 34-11-5, 2.47 GAA, 90.9%, 3 SHO

SCHEDULE (all times MST):

Game 1: Idaho 1 @ Las Vegas 0 (2 O.T.) - IDH Leads Series, 1-0
Game 2: Idaho 4 @ Las Vegas 2 - IDH Leads Series, 2-0
Game 3: Idaho 4 vs. Las Vegas 5 (O.T.) - IDH Leads Series, 2-1
Game 4: Idaho 4 vs. Las Vegas 2 - IDH Leads Series, 3-1
Game 5 @ Idaho - Monday, April 17 (7:10pm) - Qwest Arena
Game 6 @ Las Vegas - Tuesday, April 18** (8:05pm) - Orleans Arena
Game 7 @ Las Vegas - Wednesday, April 19** (8:05pm) - Orleans Arena
** If Necessary

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