ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Steelheads snap losing streak with 6-3 victory

January 6, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


BOISE, Idaho - Riley Riddell's hat trick led the Idaho Steelheads to snap its five-game losing streak with a 6-3 victory over the Long Beach Ice Dogs Wednesday night before 3,479 fans at the Bank of America Centre. The victory also puts an end to the West Division's first place Ice Dogs league-leading winning streak of six-games.

Steelheads' goalie Colin Zulianello's record improved to 3-4-1, while Long Beach's netminder Chris Madden fell to 12-2-0. The Steelheads' had a season-high 42 shots-on-goal; the Ice Dogs recorded 31 attempts.

Long Beach notched the first point after Marco Rosa took a shot on Idaho's net, and Bill Lindsay gathered the rebound beating Zulianello short side. Long Beach also had the first power play opportunity, but Idaho's fourth ranked penalty killing stopped any good scoring chances. Idaho went down by two goals when Rosa won the face off in the Steelheads zone and fed Cory Urquhart. Urquhart snapped a long slap shot from just inside the blue line that somehow got past Zulianello at 12:40. But, Idaho rallied back and closed the gap late in the period. Riddell skated the puck in from the neutral zone on a Long Beach turnover and beat the Ice Dogs' almost unstoppable Madden, five-hole, with just 1:24 remaining in the first period.

Scott Burt stirred the crowd early in the middle frame with a great pass to Matt Elich who scored glove side to tie the game at 3:03. But, Long Beach ended the celebration quickly as Evan Cheverie got a breakaway and gave his team the lead just :24 later. Idaho would soon knot the game again, however, when newcomer Josh St. Louis scored in his first game in a Steelheads sweater. The even-strength tally came at 6:13, beating Madden glove side. The first forty-minutes ended squared up at three-apiece.

Warren Peters gave Idaho its first lead of the game just 1:01 into the final period. Burt, created a turnover on the forecheck, took it to the front of the net and passed to Peters who knocked it home. Riddell tallied his second of the night on a beautiful pass from Jonathan Zion at 5:14 increasing Idaho's lead to two goals. The final tally from Riddell came after the Ice Dogs pulled Madden to add the extra attacker. Riddell's empty-netter was recorded at 19:54.

The two teams square off for the second of the three-game series Friday night at 7:10 pm.

Check out the Idaho Steelheads Statistics



ECHL Stories from January 6, 2005


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