Steelheads Tie It Late But Fall To The Thunder In Overtime 4-3
November 10, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release
Boise, ID - Steelheads' forward Marty Flichel tied the game at three with 1:51 remaining in regulation, but Stockton Thunder forward Tyler Spurgeon scored 2:29 into overtime as the Steelheads fell 4-3 on Friday night in front of 4,804 fans at Qwest Arena.
On the overtime winner, Spurgeon came untouched through the middle of the ice as Steelheads' defenseman Mike Gabinet fell down at his own blue line. Spurgeon was then able to beat Steelheads' goaltender Steve Silverthorn (32 saves) with a snap shot low to the blocker side for a breakaway goal at 2:29 of the extra session. The win allows the Thunder (6-0-0-1) to remain unbeaten in regulation, while the Steelheads stand at 7-1-1-0.
Neither team registered a shot through the first six minutes of play, as both teams were held off the score sheet through the early part of the first period. At 7:51 however, the Thunder would take advantage of their first power play of the contest, to take a 1-0 lead. Forward Stephen Slonina picked up a loose puck from the right side of the crease and swept the puck past a slew of bodies for his second goal of the season. Thunder center Brendon Hodge got the lone assist.
With time winding down in the first period, the Steelheads answered with a power play goal of their own. Defenseman Darrell Hay threw the puck from the right point towards the net and it caromed off the foot of Tuomas Mikkonen and right to the blade of Francis Wathier who blasted a one-timer over the shoulder of Thunder goaltender Devan Dubnyk (41 saves) and into the top shelf. The time on the scoreboard showed seven tenths of a second remaining in the period, and after a brief conference between the officials, the goal stood.
The shots in the first period were nine to seven in favor of the Steelheads.
In the second period the two sides again traded goals. Midway through the period the Thunder took their second lead of the night at the 9:05 mark, as Stephane Goulet picked up his second of the year. Once again Hodge drew the lone assist.
Just 25 seconds later, Steelheads defenseman Travis Wight got his first professional goal when he raced into the Thunder zone along the right wing side and backhanded the puck off of Thunder defenseman Beau Geisler and into the net, evening the score at two. Wathier and Justin Williams were credited with the assists.
Early in the third period, the Thunder took their third, one-goal lead of the game as Goulet redirected Geisler's point shot past a screened Silverthorn for his second of the evening. Defenseman Tyler Hanchuck picked up the other assist on the even-strength tally at 5:44.
With less than two minutes to go in regulation, Wight's individual effort helped lead to the tying goal. The rookie from the University of Maine lugged the puck down the right wing wall from deep in his own zone, before firing a backhander that Dubnyk kicked aside. However, Wight got to his own rebound and as he was moving behind the net, he shoveled the puck to the near side of the cage where Flichel smacked it past a stunned Dubnyk for his team-leading seventh marker. On the goal, Flichel extended his scoring streak to an ECHL-best and season-long nine games, while the play helped Wight register his first multiple point game as a pro.
Spurgeon's overtime winner was the lone shot for the Thunder in the extra session, while the Steelheads had no shots in overtime. The Steelheads 44 shots in regulation set a season-high, as they out-shot the Thunder 44-36. The overtime defeat moves Silverthorn to 7-0-1-0 on the year, while Dubnyk improves to 5-0-0-0.
The three-game series with the Thunder continues on Saturday, November 11. The puck drops at 7:10 p.m. MST. Single-game tickets can be purchased via www.idahosteelheads.com
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