ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Steelheads Top Bakersfield, 7-3

Published on March 6, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Boise, ID- The Idaho Steelheads (39-13-5) received two-goal efforts from Mark Derlago and Tyler Spurgeon en route to a 7-3 win over the Pacific Division-leading Bakersfield Condors (31-21-5) in front of a sellout crowd of 5,279 fans at Qwest Arena. The win caps off a six-game homestand for the Steelheads during which Idaho emerged with five wins, and 10 of a possible 12 points.

The Steelheads opened the scoring at 1:47 of the opening period when John Swanson waited patiently behind the Bakersfield net, and found Adam Huxley open in front for the one-timer goal. Huxley's fifth of the season was also assisted by Marty Flichel.

At 5:22 with the Condors on the power play, Gino Guyer cut from behind the Idaho net, and tried to stuff a puck over the goal line. Richard Bachman made the initial save for the Steelheads, but Guyer's second attempt put the puck over the goal line to even the game at 1-1.

At 14:56, Brandan Kushniruk gave Idaho a 2-1 lead when he followed an Adam Huxley shot and forced the rebound into the net for his ninth of the season.

Less than three minutes later at 17:41, Mark Derlago netted his 30th of the season on the power play when a shot from the right circle took a bounce off a pair of Condors into the net. Marty Flichel and Dustin Friesen earned the assists on the goal.

Tyler Spurgeon scored the only two goals of the second period to give Idaho a 5-1 lead. The first of the pair came when Spurgeon released a one-timer from the right circle after receiving a pass from Mark Derlago at 6:48. Brendan Milnamow also registered an assist on the goal; Spurgeon's 20th of the season.

At 18:10, Spurgeon picked up a rebound in front of the net and fired the puck behind Bakersfield's J.P. LaVasseur for his 21st of the season. Derlago and Evan Barlow assisted on Spurgeon's second goal of the night.

Just 24 seconds into the third period, Derlago buried his 31st of the season and 2nd of the game after a series of passes from Spurgeon and Barlow set Derlago up in front of an empty net.

Bakersfield answered 23 seconds later when Ken Morin's point shot found its way through the traffic in front of Richard Bachman to cut Idaho's lead to 6-2.

At 17:51 Nick Kemp marched on the Idaho goal and sent the puck upstairs on Bachman to cut the Idaho lead to 6-3.

With 42 seconds remaining, Spurgeon found Barlow streaking to the front of the net for a one-timer into the goal to make the score 7-3, which is how the game would end. The goal was the 27th for Barlow; Derlago also assisted on the goal.

Richard Bachman stopped 20 of 23 shots in the win for the Idaho Steelheads, as Bachman won his second start in as many nights to improve to 17-5-3. LaVasseur stopped 28 of 35 in the loss for Bakersfield. He is now 2-3-0.

Next up for the Steelheads is a trip to Victoria for a three-game set against the Victoria Salmon Kings, the second-place team in the West Division. The Steelheads return home for back-to-back games agains the Utah Grizzlies on March 16th and 17th.

Check out the Idaho Steelheads Statistics

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ECHL Stories from March 6, 2010


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