ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Steelheads Game Preview

Published on May 25, 2007 under ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


The ECHL's 19th season began in late October with 25 teams hoping to become champions. Now, seven months later, the Idaho Steelheads and Dayton Bombers tangle in the Kelly Cup Finals to fight for league supremacy. After winning six-game series against the National Conference's fifth seed, the Stockton Thunder and the number one seed, the Las Vegas Wranglers, the Steelheads ousted the defending Kelly Cup Champions, and second-seeded Alaska Aces in five games to win the National Conference. Back in the Kelly Cup Finals for the second time in four ECHL seasons, and coming off a 42-24-2-4 regular season, the Steelheads take on a Bombers squad that finished the campaign at 37-26-2-7 while claiming the regular season North Division title. The Bombers playoff journey began with a three-game sweep of the Trenton Titans in a best-of-five North Division Semi-Finals. Then, the Bombers erased a three-games-to-one series deficit to top the Cincinnati Cyclones in a decisive game seven of the North Division Finals. In the American Conference Finals, the Bombers used a 3-1 win in another seventh game to eliminate the Florida Everblades and reach the Kelly Cup Finials for the second time in franchise history.

SERIES SCHEDULE (all games listed in Mountain Time):

Game 1: Idaho vs. Dayton - Wednesday, May 23; Dayton 2, Idaho 1

Game 2: Idaho vs. Dayton - Friday, May 25; 7:10 p.m.

Game 3: Idaho @ Dayton - Sunday, May 27; 6:00 p.m.

Game 4: Idaho @ Dayton - Tuesday, May 29; 5:00 p.m.

Game 5: Idaho @ Dayton - Thursday, May 31; 5:00 p.m. **

Game 6: Idaho vs. Dayton - Saturday, June 2; 7:10 p.m. **

Game 7: Idaho vs. Dayton - Tuesday, June 5; 7:10 p.m. **

** If Necessary

GAME RECAPS:

GAME ONE: DAYTON 2, IDAHO 1

Trevor Frischmon scored with 2:36 left in regulation to snap a 1-1 tie and give the Bombers a 2-1 win over the Steelheads in Game One from Qwest Arena. Converting off a two-on-one rush, Frischmon, who was sliding onto the ice next to the left post, swept home a pass by Petr Pohl for his second game-winner of the playoffs. The only goal for either team in the first two periods came off the stick of Bombers' center Yannick Tifu, who took advantage of an odd-man rush late in the first period to put the visitors in front 1-0. With less than six minutes left in regulation, Francis Wathier drew the Steelheads even when he deflected home Colin Peters' right point shot for his first goal of the playoffs. Wathier's even-strength goal came in just his third game and looked like it would force overtime until Frischmon's tally minutes later. Steve Silverthorn made 21 saves in a losing cause for the Steelheads, while Bombers' netminder Adam Berkhoel, the reigning ECHL Goaltender of the Year, finished with 29 saves to earn his 12th win. Neither side converted on the power play, with the Steelheads having a playoff-low, one opportunity, and the Bombers going zero-for-four.

STEELHEADS' NOTES:

The Steelheads are 5-0 in the 2007 playoffs following a loss, scoring 18 goals and allowing five...The Steelheads are 3-0 in Game Two's this postseason and 7-2 all-time...Lance Galbraith has not found the back of the net in eight games, while Derek Nesbitt has not scored in 10 outings. However, those two have combined for seven assists during their collective goal droughts...Steve Silverthorn has not had to make more than 25 saves in any of the last nine games and has only allowed more than two goals once in the last seven tilts...With their Game One defeat the Steelheads fell to 7-3 in one-goal games in the postseason.

BOMBERS' NOTES:

Ten of the Bombers' 12 playoff wins have come when they score first...The Bombers are 9-0 when leading at the second intermission...Yannick Tifu has at least one point in four of the last five games, including a goal in Game One of this series...Petr Pohl's assist on the game-winning goal snapped his four-game scoring drought...The Bombers have won four of their last five games and have held their opponent to two goals or fewer in all four wins...Brad Farynuk had his three-game scoring streak (2g, 2a) ended in Game One...Since returning from an injury that caused him to miss13 games, Matt Herneisen is scoreless in three contests.

STEELHEADS' PLAYOFF LEADERS:

- Goals: Lance Galbraith (9)

- Assists: Lance Galbraith, Marty Flichel & Lars Helminen (11)

- Points: Lance Galbraith (20)

- +/-: Derek Nesbitt (+8)

- PIM: Lance Galbraith (60)

- Wins: Steve Silverthorn (12)

BOMBERS' PLAYOFF LEADERS:

- Goals: Paul Kelly (8)

- Assists: Brent Walton (11)

- Points: Brent Walton (17)

- +/-: Paul Kelly (+14)

- PIM: Paul Kelly (34)

- Wins: Adam Berkhoel (12)

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

BOMBERS' RECENT TRANSACTIONS: - 5/17/07: ADD Matt Herneisen (F) activated off the 30-day IR - 5/17/07: DELETE Mike Berry (RW) placed on the 3-day IR - 5/17/07: DELETE Bryce Anderson (F) transferred to the 7-day IR

REGULAR SEASON TALE OF THE TAPE:

Record: Idaho 42-24-2-4 (90 pts.), Dayton 37-26-2-7 (83 pts.)

Offense: Idaho 10th (3.33 GF/GP), Dayton 19th (2.96 GF/GP)

Defense: Idaho 7th (2.89 GA/GP), Dayton 3rd (2.65 GA/GP)

Shots For: Idaho 8th (33.96 SF/GP), Dayton 9th (33.85 SF/GP)

Shots Against: Idaho 2nd (27.96 SA/GP), Dayton 1st (27.22 SA/GP)

Average PIM: Idaho 6th (22.5 PIM/GP), Dayton 20th (18.7 PIM/GP)

PP: Idaho 7th (18.1%), Dayton 10th (16.5%)

PK: Idaho 18th (82.4%), Dayton 12th (83.4%)

REGULAR SEASON - HEAD TO HEAD:

These two clubs did not meet during the 2006-2007 regular season. In their lone ECHL contest all-time, the Steelheads went on the road and defeated the Bombers 5-3 on February 15, 2004. On that day, the Steelheads jumped out to a 4-1 lead in part due to two goals by Darrell Hay and a tally by former Bomber, Lance Galbraith. Blair Allison made 32 saves for the win, as the Steelheads picked up their first of three victories on their six-game, non-conference road trip.

REGULAR SEASON TEAM LEADERS:

STEELHEADS:

- Goals: Marty Flichel (39)

- Assists: Derek Nesbitt (51)

- Points: Marty Flichel (87)

- +/-: Travis Wight (+27)

- PIM: Lance Galbraith (238)

- Wins: Steve Silverthorn (36)

BOMBERS:

- Goals: Yannick Tifu (28)

- Assists: Yannick Tifu (60)

- Points: Yannick Tifu (88)

- +/-: Ryan Reid (+31)

- PIM: Lane Manson (166)

- Wins: Adam Berkhoel (23)

Check out the Idaho Steelheads Statistics

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