ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Steelheads Make Early Lead Hold Up In 4-2 Win Over Wranglers

April 25, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Las Vegas, NV - Four different skaters tallied and goaltender Steve Silverthorn finished with 33 saves as the Steelheads defeated the Las Vegas Wranglers 4-2 in Game Three of the National Conference Semi-Finals in front of 4,076 fans at Orleans Arena on Wednesday night.

The Steelheads (6-3) are now 3-1 on the road in the postseason and 3-0-2 in Orleans Arena this season, including the regular season. Meanwhile the Wranglers (5-2), who had their 18-game winning streak snapped in a 4-1 Game Two loss at Boise, have lost two in a row in regulation for the first time since mid December.

At 5:47 of the first period, the Steelheads took a 1-0 lead on Tuomas Mikkonen's first ECHL playoff goal and his first point of the postseason. On their first power play of the contest, Mikkonen got to a rebound off Greg Rallo's stuff attempt and he flipped the puck over Wranglers' goaltender Mike McKenna (17 saves) to give the Steelheads their first opening goal of the series.

The Wranglers tied the game with a power play goal of their own, coming off the stick of Nick Anderson at 13:36. Jason Josza and Marco Peluso snagged the assists on Anderson's second of the playoffs, which came off a scramble in the crease of Silvethorn.

The Steelheads regained their lead late in the frame, converting on another power play. With the Wranglers trying to clear the puck out of their defensive zone, Marty Flichel blocked Anderson's opportunity and the carom came right to Lance Galbraith, who feathered a pass to John Lammers at the right circles. Lammers settled down the bouncing puck and snapped a shot past the right pad of McKenna for a 2-1 advantage.

After one period of play, the shots favored the Steelheads 15-9 and they held a 2-1 lead.

Just over five minutes into the second period the visitors went up by two goals on Flichel's third goal of the playoffs, an even-strength marker. Off a Wranglers' turnover below the goal line, Galbraith stuffed the puck through the crease and it bounced off McKenna and over to Flichel, who slammed the puck home from the left post for the eventual game-winner.

Despite being out-shot by the Wranglers 12-3 in the second period, the Steeelheads led by two at intermission.

Midway through the third period, Adam Cracknell cut the Wranglers' deficit to one with a slap shot from about 45 feet out on the right wing side that beat a screened Silverthorn. Defenseman Aaron Power registered the only assist on Cracknell's second marker.

However, just over thee minutes later, B.J. Crombeen tracked down a loose puck in the Wranglers' zone and squeaked a shot through the legs of McKenna to make it a 4-2 game and deflate the home team. The second-year pro's first of the postseason was unassisted and it rounded out the scoring.

The final shots favored the Wranglers 35-21, as the Steelheads mustered just six shots over the final two periods en route to their lowest shot total of the postseason. The Steelheads finished two-for-three on the power play, while the Wranglers went one-for-six.

Game Four of this series is scheduled for Thursday, April 26, with the opening face-off at 8:05 p.m. MDT. For tickets to second round home games at Qwest Arena, call (208) 331-TIXS, check out the Steelheads' web site (using the print-at-home feature) or go to the Qwest Arena box office.

Check out the Idaho Steelheads Statistics



ECHL Stories from April 25, 2007


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