Steelheads top Grizzlies
April 17, 2010 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release
BOISE, ID- The Idaho Steelheads snapped an eight-game playoff losing streak in defeating the Utah Grizzlies by a 7-2 score in game one of the National Conference Semifinal. Mark McCutcheon and Matt McKnight each scored twice to lead the way for Idaho. Idaho leads the second-round series 1-0, with game two scheduled for Saturday night, April 17th, at Qwest Arena; a 7:10 puck drop.
McKnight opened the scoring with his first of the playoffs at 13:02 of the first period as he snapped a puck high toward Utah goalie Mike Morrison's glove side from the left circle, immediately after a faceoff. Mathieu Tousignant assisted on McKnight's goal, as Tousignant made his return to the Idaho lineup, where he played 20 games to start the season before spending the duration of the regular season with the American Hockey League's Texas Stars.
McCutcheon added to Idaho's lead when he also snapped a puck high to the right side of the net; McCutcheon's shot came from the high-slot. Brendan Milnamow and Marty Flichel were credited with assists on McCutcheon's first of the playoffs.
Before the first period could end, Malcolm MacMillan put Utah on the board, banging home his own rebound to cut Idaho's lead to 2-1, which is how the score would remain into the second period.
At 13:02 of the second period, John-Scott Dickson, playing in his first game as an Idaho Steelhead, fired a pass from the right boards to the front of the net, where John Swanson pulled Morrison down to the ice with a nifty move, and fired the puck top-shelf to give Idaho a 3-1 lead. The goal was Swanson's first of the playoffs.
Mark McCutcheon scored his second of the game, and second of the playoffs, at 15:29 of the second period, with an assist going to his former Cornell teammate Evan Barlow. McCutcheon's goal was the result of a second effort, and it was of the power play variety.
With less than 30 seconds remaining in the second period, the ECHL's MVP runner-up, Ryan Kinasewich, cut Idaho's lead to a pair with his sixth of the playoffs on a snap-shot from the slot; a power play goal, which would prove to be Utah's final tally in the game.
The Steelheads added three insurance tallies in the third period. Evan Barlow tapped home a rebound from an Aaron Dawson shot for his first of the playoffs, and Dawson's first point in a Steelheads uniform, at 5:54 of the final frame.
At 6:35, Matt McKnight scored his second of the game and second of the playoffs when Kevin DeVergilio found McKnight open for a one-timer in the left circle that beat Morrison.
Less than a minute later at 7:27, Dickson scored as he broke up the right wing, sent one on the goal, and the puck took an Idaho bounce off a Utah defender following Morrison's initial save. Flichel assisted on Dickson's first goal as a Steelhead.
Richard Bachman stopped 24 saves on 26 shots in earning his first professional playoff win; he is 1-0-0 in the playoffs. Mike Morrison stopped 35 of 42 shots before giving way to emergency backup goalie Tamio Stehrenberger with 12:33 remaining in the third period. Morrison falls to 1-2-0 in the playoffs. Stehrenberger stopped all 10 shots sent his way in his first professional hockey action.
Game two of this series between Idaho and Utah will resume Saturday night, April 17th, at Qwest Arena. The puck drops at 7:10 PM. The series shifts to Utah for game three, which will be Tuesday night.
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