Sports stats

ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Steelheads Win Game 5 to Send Series Back to Boise

April 23, 2018 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Steve McParland of the Idaho Steelheads vs. the Allen Americans
Steve McParland of the Idaho Steelheads vs. the Allen Americans
(Idaho Steelheads, Credit: Lauren Lyssy)

Allen, TX - Max French netted the game-winning power play goal and Philippe Desrosiers turned aside 41 shots, as the Idaho Steelheads overcame a first period deficit at Allen Event Center for the second straight game to earn a 2-1 win victory over the Allen Americans in Game 5 of the Mountain Division Semifinals. The win forces Game 6 at CenturyLink Arena on Tuesday night.

Desrosiers stopped all 21 shots he faced in the third period, as well as the final 38 shots on the night to earn his fifth career playoff victory with the Steelheads. Desrosiers' best stop came late in the third period, when Tristan King snuck behind the Idaho penalty kill for a back-door redirect that Desrosiers swatted away with the glove.

With the game tied 1-1 in the second period, the Steelheads earned a two-man advantage when Gordie Ballhorn was whistled for interference and Joel Chouinard was called for slashing 52 seconds later. The Steelheads would convert with two seconds left on their 5-on-3, when Cole Ully found Max French for a one-timer from the left face-off dot past goaltender Jake Paterson. French's second goal of the playoffs, both power play goals, gave Idaho a 2-1 lead at 14:17 of the second period.

The Steelheads have netted a power play goal in four of the five games in the series.

[Steve McParland, 4/22; Lauren Lyssy]Idaho trailed in the first period when David Makowski fired a wrist shot from the left circle off the post and in for his third of the series at 12:00. The Americans have scored first in all five games of the series.

Eric Sweetman would even the score at 8:01 of the second with his first professional playoff goal, carrying the puck coast-to-coast and sliding a wrist shot past Jake Paterson. Sweetman has four points in five games.

Desrosiers earned an assist on the Sweetman goal, giving the goaltender points in back-to-back games. Desrosiers is the first Steelheads goaltender in team history with multiple points in the same post-season.

The Steelheads and Americans head to CenturyLink Arena for Game 6 of the Mountain Division Semifinals on Tuesday night, with puck-drop scheduled for 7:10pm MT. The game will be available on 1350AM KTIK and seen on Cable One and ECHLTV.

STEELHEADS STATS: Goals: Sweetman (1), French (2) Philippe Desrosiers: 41 saves on 42 shots Power Play: 1-for-5 Penalty Kill: 2-for-3

CENTURYLINK THREE STARS OF THE GAME

1. Max French IDH

2. David Makowski ALN

3. Braylon Shmyr ALN

COORS LIGHT OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME Max French: Game-winning goal, 2 shots, plus-1

PLAY OF THE GAME: After over a minute of work on the 5-on-3 was unsuccessful for Idaho in the second period, the Steelheads finally found a passing lane to set up their shot. Justin Parizek had an attempt blocked and Cole Ully was stopped on a shot from the right face-off dot, but Ully did find a passing lane from right face-off dot to left that gave Max French an open path for a one-timer past Jake Paterson, the eventual game-winning goal.

Check out the Idaho Steelheads Statistics




Images from this story

Steve McParland of the Idaho Steelheads vs. the Allen Americans
Steve McParland of the Idaho Steelheads vs. the Allen Americans
(Lauren Lyssy)		   



ECHL Stories from April 23, 2018


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Idaho Steelheads Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central