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Idaho Steelheads

Steelheads win in OT, 4-3, to force game five

April 13, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


BOISE, Idaho - The Idaho Steelheads evened up their Pacific Division Semifinal series tonight with a 4-3 win in overtime over the Las Vegas Wranglers, forcing a deciding Game 5 Wednesday night in Vegas. Lance Galbraith's game-winning goal at :21 of overtime completed his hat trick and sent the 3,829 Steelheads fans home happy from the Bank of America Centre.

Idaho's Dan Ellis (2-0) recorded his second win in as many starts, and Las Vegas' Marc Magliarditi (2-1) suffered his first playoff defeat.

Galbraith opened the scoring when he beat Magliarditi just seconds after Idaho killed off the first penalty of the game. The goal came at 13:42 on a scrum in front of the net. Jan Kopecky and Zenon Konopka recorded assists. Idaho got its only power play of the frame with 1:48 left in the period, and kept the action in the Wranglers' zone, but couldn't capitalize.

The Wranglers tied the game on Chris Kenady's bullet from the right face off circle that beat Ellis glove side at 2:17 of the second. Idaho regained its one-goal advantage at 16:15 when Konopka took a pass from Galbraith and scored on a blistering slapshot.

In the third period, Jan Kopecky took advantage of Magliarditi's misplay of the puck behind his own net and passed to Galbraith who fired it in the upper right corner of the net. Idaho led 3-1 with less than nine minutes remaining in the game. The Steelheads failed on a clearing attempt and Las Vegas' Ryan Christie collected it and scored high with a backhander at 15:21 to draw the Wranglers to within one. With one minute to play, Las Vegas pulled its goalie to add the extra attacker. The move paid off, as with just 16 seconds remaining, the Wranglers pressured Ellis, who responded with two saves. He couldn't make a third as Justin Kelly poked the loose puck between Ellis' pads to tie the score, sending the game to the first overtime of the series.

Idaho won the opening face off of overtime and controlled the puck in the Wranglers' end. Defenseman Darrell Hay put a shot on net from just inside the Vegas blue line that didn't make it through traffic. Konopka took a whack at the puck and hit the post. In the ensuing scramble, Galbraith swooped in from the wing to bury the game-winner past the diving Las Vegas goalie.

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