ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Steelheads Game Preview

Published on May 15, 2007 under 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; Idaho 3, Alaska 2 O.T.

Game 3: Idaho vs. Alaska - Friday, May 11; Alaska 5, Idaho 2

Game 4: Idaho vs. Alaska - Sunday, May 13; Idaho 7, Alaska 2

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 to tie him for the ECHL-lead with three in 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.

GAME TWO: IDAHO 3, ALASKA 2 O.T.

With just over five minutes left in sudden death overtime, Taggart Desmet collected his own rebound and beat Derek Gustafson (33 saves) with a backhander to lift the Steelheads to a 3-2 win, giving them a commanding two-games-to-none series lead. With the game scoreless heading into the second intermission, the two teams rattled off four combined markers in the third period, beginning with a five-on-three power play goal by Steelheads' defenseman Lars Helminen 1:14 into the frame. However, the Aces responded with two goals in 37 seconds, which marked their first tallies of the series. The first one, a power play tip-in by Joe Talbot, ended Steve Silverthorn's (25 saves) shutout streak at 164:22, dating back to Game Six of the Conference Semi-Finals against Las Vegas. At the 4:59 mark, Mike Scott beat Silverthorn from the right circles to give the Aces a 2-1 lead. The lead would be short-lived, with Scott Burt netting his first of the playoffs on a snap shot from the left circles midway through the third period to force overtime. The Steelheads managed eight shots in overtime, including Desmet's game-winner, which was the first playoff goal of his career. The win pushed the Steelheads to 3-0 in overtime and 6-2 on the road in the postseason, while sending the Aces to their first 0-2 series hole since Davis Payne took over as head coach in 2003-2004 (11 playoff series).

GAME THREE: ALASKA 5, IDAHO 2

Despite allowing an even-strength tally by Steelheads' winger Tuomas Mikkonen just over four minutes into the game, the Aces rallied for four unanswered tallies, before winning 5-2 over the Steelheads in Game Three. The Aces were led by Joe Talbot (2g) and Julian Talbot (1g, 3a) plus 26 saves by Derek Gustafson to help cut the Steelheads' series lead to 2-1. The victory was the Aces' fifth away from home in the playoffs and their sixth game in the last seven that they've allowed two or fewer goals against. Midway through the third period, Marty Flichel potted a power play goal to get the Steelheads within 4-2, but Joe Talbot's second of the evening, and the club's third power play goal of the night, sealed the win for the Aces putting an end to the Steelheads' three-game winning streak. The final shots favored the Aces 30-28, while the five goals allowed by the Steelheads were the most they've surrendered to date in a single game during the 2007 postseason.

GAME FOUR: IDAHO 7, ALASKA 2 John Lammers led the way with four points (1g, 3a) as the Steelheads ripped off five consecutive markers in a 7-2 rout of the Aces in Game Four. Midway through the second period the home team scored three times in just under four minutes to break a 2-2 tie. Two more insurance tallies in the third period helped put away their fifth home win of the playoffs, while pushing the Aces to the brink of elimination for the first time in 2007. The Steelheads buried a postseason-high, three power play goals, while out-shooting the Aces 35-16 overall, and 16-2 in the third period alone. Trailing 2-0 late in the first period, the Aces scored once on the man advantage before intermission and then got a four-on-four goal by Julian Talbot seven minutes into the second period to draw even. But Lammers fifth of the playoffs, assisted by Francis Wathier, turned out to be the start of the onslaught and the eventual game-winner, equaling the club's largest margin of victory in these playoffs. Wathier, in his first game since being reassigned by Iowa (AHL), was one of 13 skaters to pick up at least one point, as the Steelheads improved to 5-0 following a loss in the postseason.

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: - 5/13/07: DELETE Alexander Naurov (F) placed on the 3-day IR - 5/13/07: ADD Francis Wathier (C) reassigned from Iowa (AHL) - 5/13/07: DELETE Steve Chabbert (D) transferred from the 3-day IR to the 30-day IR

ACES' RECENT TRANSACTIONS: - NONE

STEELHEADS' NOTES: The Steelheads are 5-0 in the playoffs following a loss; having allowed just five goals...John Lammers four-point effort in Game Four tied a Steelheads' ECHL playoff-high (Lance Galbraith - 4/13/04 vs. LV, 4-3 W)...Game Four also marked the most goals scored in a single game by the Steelheads in their Kelly Cup Playoffs history...Marty Flichel has three goals in the last two games...Darrell Hay has at least one assist in three straight game.

ACES' NOTES: Tonight marks the first time the Aces face elimination since the 2006 Conference Finals (Game Seven vs. FRE), a span of 19 games...Julian Talbot has a goal in two straight games...Joe Talbot had just nine penalty minutes through 13 games until Game Four, when he racked up 27 PIM...Rookie Matt Robinson is scoreless in his last six games...Kimbi Daniels has not found the back of the net in seven straight contests...Barrett Heisten recorded two assists in Game Four, the most he's had in any playoff game this season.

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)

Check out the Idaho Steelheads Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



ECHL Stories from May 15, 2007


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central