Steelheads Win Regular-Season Finale in Allen
April 8, 2018 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release
The Idaho Steelheads celebrate Cole Ully's goal
(Idaho Steelheads, Credit: Arjeta Osmani)
Allen, TX - AJ White put the Steelheads in front for good with 3:25 left in regulation time on Saturday night at Allen Event Center, scoring the game-winning goal to push the Idaho Steelheads (44-20-8) to a 4-2 win over the Allen Americans (35-29-8) in the final game of the regular season. The Steelheads finished the season with a ten-game unbeaten streak, going 9-0-1.
With the score tied 2-2, Connor Chatham poked a puck past Allen defenseman Dalton Thrower in the neutral zone and led a 3-on-1 rush into the Allen zone. From the left wing, Chatham fed a pass across to White at the bottom of the right circle. White beat goaltender Jake Paterson for his 10th goal of the year to make it 3-2.
Shortly after White scored, David Makowski was whistled for interference to send the Steelheads to their second power play. Brady Brassart cashed in on that power play, beating Paterson from between the circles for his 23rd of the year and a 4-2 Steelheads lead at 18:39 of the third.
The Americans opened the scoring at 10:45 of the second period when Joe Faust fanned on a breakout pass, the loose puck rolling to Thomas Frazee. Frazee beat goaltender Michael Bitzer with a slap shot from the right circle for his 18th goal to make it 1-0 Allen. [Cole Ully, 4/7; Arjeta Osmani]
Jack Nevins responded for Idaho at 18:53 of the second, netting his tenth of the year and second with the Steelheads. Cole Ully's point shot was blocked in front, but Nevins beat Paterson up high with a turnaround shot on the rebound.
At 1:51 of the third, Max French forced a turnover behind the Allen net and fed Ully between the circles for his 19th of the season. Ully has goals in six of his last seven games, netting nine goals in that span, and six multipoint games in his last seven outings. French saw his goal-scoring streak end at seven games, but did finish with an eight-game points streak.
The Americans tied the score again at 4:58, with Josh Thrower finishing a 2-on-1 with Frazee for his first pro goal.
Bitzer stopped 15 shots for his second professional win.
The Steelheads finish the season with 96 points, their fourth-best finish in 15 ECHL seasons.
With the Wichita Thunder's loss in Colorado on Saturday, the Allen Americans finish the season in third place in the Mountain Division and will face the Steelheads in the first round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs.
The full schedule for the Mountain Division Semifinals will be released this week, with Game 1 already announced for April 13th at CenturyLink Arena.
STEELHEADS STATS: Goals: Nevins (10), Ully (19), White (10), Brassart (23) Michael Bitzer: 15 saves on 17 shots Power Play: 1-for-2 Penalty Kill: 1-for-1
CENTURYLINK THREE STARS OF THE GAME
1. AJ White IDH
2. Thomas Frazee ALN
3. Josh Thrower ALN
COORS LIGHT OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME Cole Ully: Goal, assist, 4 shots, plus-1
PLAY OF THE GAME: In a tie game, a third period Allen turnover at the Idaho blue line became the turning point. Gordie Ballhorn made a pass from the left point across the blue line to the right point, but defense partner Dalton Thrower had already vacated the zone. Thrower tried to step up and recover, but Connor Chatham had already poked the puck around him and skated in on a 3-on-1. Chatham fed a pass through Ballhorn to AJ White in the right circle, and White hit the open net to put Idaho in front on their way to their final win of the regular season.
Images from this story
 The Idaho Steelheads celebrate Cole Ully's goal (Arjeta Osmani) |
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