Steelheads Game Preview
May 8, 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 - Monday, May 7; Idaho 1, Alaska 0
Game 2: Idaho @ Alaska - Tuesday, 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
GAME RECAPS:
GAME ONE: IDAHO 1, ALASKA 0
B.J. Crombeen deflected Lars Helminen's point shot into the back of the net late in the second period for the only goal in Game One, a 1-0 Steelheads victory from Sullivan Arena. Crombeen's third of the playoffs came on the power play at 16:05 of the middle frame, and occurred moments after Aces' forward Ryan MacMurchy picked up a major boarding penalty and a game misconduct for checking Marty Flichel from behind into the end boards. The Steelheads held the Aces to just 15 shots in Game One to pick up their second straight one-goal, shutout win of the postseason. The 15 chances for the defending champs was their fewest shot total in over three years and the 35 combined shots was the lowest total of their season. With the win, Steelheads' goaltender Steve Silverthorn earned his second consecutive blanking and his ECHL-leading third of the playoffs. Derek Gustafson finished with 19 saves for the Aces, who despite the defeat, held their opponent to less than three goals for the sixth straight outing. The Game One victory was the first series opening win for the Steelheads in the 2007 postseason and their second in the last five series overall.
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 T-2nd (86.8%)
STEELHEADS' RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
4/25/07: ADD Greg Rallo (C) reassigned by Iowa (AHL)
ACES' RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
NONE
STEELHEADS' NOTES:
With their Game One win, the Steelheads are now 1-2 in series openers in the 2007 playoffs and 2-3 in their last five best-of-seven openers...Goaltender Steve Silverthorn is riding a 120:00 shutout streak entering Game Two, while the Steelheads as a whole have not allowed a goal in the last 131:43, dating back to Game Five of the Conference Semi-Finals...Two of B.J. Crombeen's three playoff goals have come on the power play...Lance Galbraith's assist in Game One snapped his two-game scoreless streak...The Steelheads power play goal in Game One snapped an 0-for-23 skid...The Steelheads are now 4-1 against the Aces in Kelly Cup Playoff games...The Steelheads' 20 shots in Game One was the fewest they've mustered in this postseason and the 15 shots against is the fewest they've given up to an opponent through 13 games.
ACES' NOTES:
Despite their shutout defeat in Game One, the Aces have still allowed two goals or fewer in six straight outings...Captain Mike Scott has 12 shots in the last three games, including four chances in Game One...The Aces are 3-0 under head coach Davis Payne when losing Game One of a Kelly Cup Playoffs series and 1-0 this year (Victoria - Quarter Finals)...Barrett Heisten had his two-game assist streak snapped in the Game One loss...Their 15 shots in Game One was the fewest the Aces have claimed in over three seasons...Goaltender Derek Gustafson has turned aside 146 of the last 150 shots he's faced.
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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