Steelheads Game Preview
May 7, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release
After dispatching the sixth-seeded Stockton Thunder and number one seed, the Las Vegas Wranglers, in two, six game series, the Idaho Steelheads (8-4 playoffs) advance to the National Conference Finals to take on the defending Kelly Cup Champions, and two-time, West Division winners, the Alaska Aces (8-2 playoffs). The Aces, who are in the ECHL's "Final Four" for the third straight season, enter the third round after a six-game series with the seventh-seeded Victoria Salmon Kings and a four-game sweep of the third-seeded Bakersfield Condors. These two teams have collided once before in the Kelly Cup playoffs, as the Steelheads beat the Aces 3-1 in a best-of-five second round series in 2004, en route to a Kelly Cup Championship.
SERIES SCHEDULE (all games listed in Mountain Time):
Game 1: Idaho @ Alaska - Sunday, May 7; 9:15 p.m.
Game 2: Idaho @ Alaska - Monday, May 8; 9:15 p.m.
Game 3: Idaho vs. Alaska - Friday, May 11; 7:10 p.m.
Game 4: Idaho vs. Alaska - Sunday, May 13; 7:10 p.m.
Game 5: Idaho vs. Alaska - Tuesday, May 15; 7:10 p.m. **
Game 6: Idaho @ Alaska - Saturday, May 19; 9:15 p.m. **
Game 7: Idaho @ Alaska - Sunday, May 20; 9:15 p.m. **
** If Necessary
REGULAR SEASON TALE OF THE TAPE:
Record: Idaho 42-24-2-4 (90 pts.), Alaska 49-16-3-4 (105 pts.)
Offense: Idaho 10th (3.33 GF/GP), Alaska 3rd (3.75 GF/GP)
Defense: Idaho 7th (2.89 GA/GP), Alaska 1st (2.44 GA/GP)
Shots For: Idaho 8th (33.96 SF/GP), Alaska 16th (32.04 SF/GP)
Shots Against: Idaho 2nd (27.96 SA/GP), Alaska 3rd (28.42 SA/GP)
Average PIM: Idaho 6th (22.5 PIM/GP), Alaska 1st (27.4 PIM/GP)
PP: Idaho 7th (18.1%), Alaska 2nd (19.1%)
PK: Idaho 18th (82.4%), Alaska 2nd (86.8%)
STEELHEADS' RECENT TRANSACTIONS: - 4/25/07: ADD Greg Rallo (C) reassigned by Iowa (AHL)
ACES' RECENT TRANSACTIONS: - NONE
STEELHEADS' NOTES: The Steelheads have yet to lose back-to-back games in the 2007 playoffs and they are 25-16 in the Kelly Cup Playoffs all-time...Defenseman Lars Helminen has at least one assist in six of the last eight games...Lance Galbraith currently leads the league with 16 postseason points (9g, 7a)...Marty Flichel ranks first in the playoffs with 11 assists...Greg Rallo's game-winning goal in Game Six against the Wranglers was his third career playoff goal and second game-winner, all of which have come versus Las Vegas...The Steelheads are currently in a 0-for-20 skid on the power play following a stretch where they picked up at least one power play goal in nine of their first 10 playoff outings.
ACES' NOTES: The Aces have won five straight games, while allowing two goals or fewer in all of those contests and just five total goals against over that span...This series marks the third straight season the Aces have advanced to the ECHL's "Final Four"...Five skaters have recorded the Aces' eight game-winning goals this postseason and Julian Talbot, Kimbi Daniels and Ryan MacMurchy each have two game-winners... Talbot leads the Aces with 14 points (7g, 7a) in 10 games, which ranks him first among all ECHL rookies in playoff scoring...The Aces have not allowed a power play goal in the last 283:15, going back to Game Six of their quarter finals series with Victoria.
REGULAR SEASON - HEAD TO HEAD:
The Steelheads posted a 3-3-0-0 record against the Aces in 2006-2007, including two wins after regulation expired. In three games at Anchorage in late December, the Steelheads won the middle game, 4-3 in overtime, but lost the other two tilts by a combined score of 8-1, including their first shutout loss of the season on December 20. In a three-game series at Qwest Arena in late March, the Steelheads again dropped the first game, 5-2, after an on-ice brawl in the midst of a 2-2 third period deadlock led to seven minutes of power play time for the Aces. However, the Steelheads responded the next two nights, gathering a 2-1 shootout win on March 23 and a 4-2 victory in the series finale on March 24.
REGULAR SEASON TEAM LEADERS:
STEELHEADS:
- Goals: Marty Flichel (39)
- Assists: Derek Nesbitt (51)
- Points: Marty Flichel (87)
- +/-: Travis Wight (+27)
- PIM: Lance Galbraith (238)
ACES:
- Goals: Olivier Filion (29)
- Assists: Kimbi Daniels (63)
- Points: Kimbi Daniels (81)
- +/-: Matt Shasby (+43)
- PIM: Hans Benson (205)
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