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ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Steelheads Victorious in Home Finale

March 29, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


BOISE, Idaho - The Idaho Steelheads concluded the best home-ice season in West Coast Hockey League history with a 4-3 win over the San Diego Gulls Saturday night before a sold out crowd of 5,303. With the win, Idaho wraps up the home portion of their season with an all-time WCHL record of 32-3-1. On a night when Idaho was awarded the Founders Trophy for the regular-season championship, they rallied to improve their overall record to 51-14-4 (106 points).

Midway through the first period San Diego's Dean Tiltgen nearly put the Gulls on the board when he got a breakaway on a center ice turnover, but Steelheads netminder Jason Cugnet made the save. However, it was Idaho who scored first with a power play goal. Newcomer Ben Ondrus centered the puck out to Marty Flichel who got a slap shot off from inside the blue line and Joe Rybar redirected in past goaltender Trevor Koenig at 19:45.

The Gulls tied the score at one at 4:28 of the second period when Miguel Delisle scored his first goal since joining the team last night. The shot caught the edge of Cugnet's skate and trickled in. San Diego took a one-goal lead when R.J. Enga got a breakaway and put one up and over Cugnet at 8:47. Idaho's Adam Copeland answered back just 9 seconds later when he skated the puck in from the blue line, deked out Koenig and scored with a backhander. Idaho regained their one-goal lead when they scored a shorthanded goal. Ben Keup came in on Koenig who was set up to make the save, but Keup passed it to Burt who got it in on the open net. Mike Garrow scored the equalizer on a screened Cugnet with 30 seconds left in the period, their second power play goal of the night. The second period ended tied at three apiece.

Just 1:55 into the third period, Adam Copeland scored what turned out to be the game winner. Matt Oates got a pass along the boards to Copeland, who seemingly had Koenig's number tonight as he knocked his second in on the night. Though San Diego pulled Koenig with a minute left in the game, they came up empty handed.

The Steelheads finish out the regular season next week in California, playing Fresno on April 2nd, and Bakersfield on April 4th and 5th.

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