ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Steelheads Quiet the Rush

Published on December 31, 2016 under ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Steelheads Quiet the Rush - Komm Stops 47 Shots for First Shutout as a Steelhead
Steelheads Quiet the Rush - Komm Stops 47 Shots for First Shutout as a Steelhead
(Idaho Steelheads)

Rapid City, SD- Branden Komm made 47 saves on Friday night, including 19 in the second period, to earn the second shutout of his professional career and his first with Idaho, as the Steelheads (17-11-3) defeated the Rapid City Rush (10-15-5), 3-0 at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

The victory is Idaho's first shutout win of the season, and Komm's first shutout since December 27th of last season when he was a member of the South Carolina Stingrays. Komm stopped 13 shots in the final frame, including several point-blank chances from Dysin Mayo and Triston Grant to secure the win.

Idaho opened the scoring at 9:03 of the first period when Miro Karjalainen netted his first goal as a Steelhead and his first pro goal in North America. Kellan Lain won a clean face-off from the right circle, as Anthony Luciani moved in to help swat the puck back to the blue line. Karjalainen collected the pass and fired a wrist shot through a Lain screen that banked in off the post for a 1-0 Steelheads lead.

At 12:00 of the first period, Travis Ewanyk extended the Steelhead lead. With 1:26 left on a Rush minor for too many men, Ewanyk carried the puck over the blue line and snapped a shot from the right circle over Morrison's glove. The goal was Ewanyk's team-leading 13th goal of the season and his fifth in the last seven games. Ewanyk has notched four goals and nine points against the Rush this season.

With an assist on the play, Kyle Jean now has seven points in his last seven contests.

Branden Troock was in the lineup for the first time since December 3rd, a nine-game absence due to an upper-body injury. Troock returned in style, scoring at 12:58 of the second period to give Idaho a 3-0 lead.

The Steelheads hadn't registered their first shot of the second period until the midpoint, but good forecheck work by Ewanyk and Joe Basaraba forced Rapid City's Brayden Low to cough the puck up to Troock in the high slot. Troock hesitated before rifling a wrist shot over Morrison's blocker. Troock has scored three goals in his four games with Idaho.

The Steelheads improved to 9-2-1 this season on Friday, winning their first game this season at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center. The penalty kill was a perfect 3-for-3, a solid response against a Rush power play that entered the game 7-for-18 during the first five games of the season series.

The Steelheads and Rush will meet on Saturday night for the rubber-match of their three-game series, the final game of 2016. Puck-drop is scheduled for 7:05pm MT, with the game available on 1350KTIK and on ECHLTV.

STEELHEADS STATS:

Goals: Karjalainen (1), Ewanyk (13), Troock (3)

Branden Komm: 47 saves on 47 shots

Power Play: 1-for-3

Penalty Kill: 3-for-3

CENTURYLINK THREE STARS OF THE GAME

1. Branden Komm IDH

2. Miro Karjalainen IDH

3. Travis Ewanyk IDH

COORS LIGHT OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME

Miro Karjalainen: First ECHL goal, plus-1 rating

PLAY OF THE GAME:

Branden Komm made several big stops to preserve his first Steelheads shutout, perhaps none better than a save on Brayden Low in the third period. With the Rush cycling in the Idaho zone, Anthony Mastrodicasa got the puck behind the Steelheads net by himself. He slid a pass out to the slot where Brayden Low was breaking down alone. Komm came right out to challenge Low as the puck got to him, stopping the point-blank chance with his left pad and keeping the Rush off the board.

Check out the Idaho Steelheads Statistics

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Steelheads Quiet the Rush - Komm Stops 47 Shots for First Shutout as a Steelhead
Steelheads Quiet the Rush - Komm Stops 47 Shots for First Shutout as a Steelhead
   



ECHL Stories from December 31, 2016


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