ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Steelheads' winning streak snapped in overtime

Published on April 7, 2018 under ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Max French of the Idaho Steelheads vs. the Allen Americans
Max French of the Idaho Steelheads vs. the Allen Americans
(Idaho Steelheads, Credit: Arjeta Osmani)

Allen, TX - Max French's penalty shot in the closing seconds of regulation forced overtime at Allen Event Center on Friday night, but Mathieu Foget's first professional goal in the extra session powered the Allen Americans (35-28-8) to a 5-4 win over the Idaho Steelheads (43-20-8), snapping the Steelheads' winning streak at eight games and securing a playoff berth for the Americans.

[cid:image003.jpg@01D3CDFD.6449E260]Cole Ully scored two goals for Idaho and nearly had the hat trick in overtime with a shot that rang off the post. With 34 seconds left in overtime, Braylon Shmyr wrapped a puck to the front of the Idaho net, the puck deflecting in the air for Foget to bat in for the win.

With the goal, the Americans clinched a playoff spot for the ninth time in nine seasons and moved into third place in the Mountain Division.

The Americans overcame a two-goal deficit in the third period to take their first lead at 15:46 of the period. Braylon Shmyr won a puck battle along the right wing boards, skated to the front of the net and toe-dragged the puck around defenseman Zach Bell, and slid the puck behind Tomas Sholl for a 4-3 Allen lead on Shmyr's second of the season.

[Max French, 4/6; Arjeta Osmani]The Steelheads pushed for the tie in the final minute with the net empty. During a scramble in front, the Americans were whistled for delay of game when the net was pushed off the moorings with 3.6 seconds left, an automatic penalty shot because it occurred in the final two minutes. French was chosen to take the shot and beat goaltender Jake Paterson under the blocker for his eleventh of the season to tie the game 4-4 and send it to overtime.

French notched a three-point night and extended his personal goal-scoring streak to seven games, with nine goals in that stretch.

Ully opened the scoring at 3:06 of the first period, finishing a rebound in front of Paterson for his 17th of the season. David Makowski tied the game at 12:43 of the second period with a point shot past Sholl for his eleventh of the season, but Ully would answer back quickly. At 18:14 Ully put the Steelheads back in front on a shot off a left-circle faceoff win by French.

With the two-goal night, Ully has eight goals in the last six games and five multipoint games in his last six.

Zach Bell added to the lead with his second goal of the season, a wrister from the right-wing boards that deflected in off an Allen stick at 1:23 of the third period. The Americans climbed back with three goals in 4:07, turning a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 lead.

Bryan Moore started the comeback when he buried a rebound off the end-boards at 11:39 of the third for his 21st of the season to make it 3-2. Spencer Asuchak made it 3-3 just 59 seconds later when a Joel Chouinard point shot banked off his shin guard and in. Shmyr completed the comeback, part of a three-point night for the rookie.

Despite the loss, the Steelheads do have points in nine straight games. Sholl gave up more than two goals for the first time since joining the Steelheads, but remains unbeaten in regulation during his ECHL career.

The Steelheads and Americans meet again on Saturday night at Allen Events Center for the final game of the regular season, with Idaho's first round playoff opponent still to be decided between the Americans and the Wichita Thunder. Puck-drop is scheduled for 6:05pm MT, with the game available on 1350AM KTIK and on ECHLTV.

STEELHEADS STATS: Goals: Ully (17,18), Bell (2), French (11) Tomas Sholl: 20 saves on 25 shots Power Play: 0-for-4 Penalty Kill: 1-for-1

CENTURYLINK THREE STARS OF THE GAME

1. Jake Paterson ALN

2. Braylon Shmyr ALN

3. Spencer Asuchak ALN

COORS LIGHT OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME Max French: Penalty shot goal, 2 assists, 7 shots, plus-2

PLAY OF THE GAME: Despite losing a two-goal lead in the third period, the Steelheads salvaged a point thanks to a mad scramble in the closing seconds. With the Idaho net empty and the Steelheads trailing 4-3, the Steelheads swarmed the Allen crease and goaltender Jake Paterson. In the pandemonium, the Americans pushed the net off the moorings, incurring an automatic penalty shot for the Steelheads. Max French cashed in to extend his goal-scoring streak and Idaho's points streak with 3.6 seconds on the clock.

Check out the Idaho Steelheads Statistics

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Images from this story

Max French of the Idaho Steelheads vs. the Allen Americans
Max French of the Idaho Steelheads vs. the Allen Americans
(Arjeta Osmani)		   



ECHL Stories from April 7, 2018


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