Sweep, Komm, and Carry On- Steelheads Sweep Glads in Sunday Matinee
January 31, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release
Duluth, GA - Branden Komm made 35 saves to earn his first win as a Steelhead (23-18-5), as Idaho's three-goal third period cemented their first three-game series sweep of the season in a 5-2 win over the Atlanta Gladiators (25-17-3). The Steelheads have won four in a row and six of their last seven.
Jefferson Dahl and Andre Morrisette scored in the third period to break a 2-2- tie after 40 minutes, with Shawn Boutin adding an empty netter to seal the win.
The Steelheads had to overcome an early deficit for the second consecutive game to find a way to win. Just 22 seconds into the game, the Gladiators opened the scoring. Joe Stejskal's dump-in from the neutral zone hit a stanchion in the glass, popping the puck out to the slot. Komm made the initial save on a Derek Nesbitt blast, but Thomas Frazee buried the rebound for his first goal in 25 games to make it 1-0.
That deficit could have been larger if not for several acrobatic saves by Komm. Twice the Gladiators had opportunities for back-door tap-in goals, but Komm was able to somehow make post-to-post stretching saves to deny both Frazee and Garry Nunn.
The Steelheads would answer back on the power play at 17:55 with Kyle Jean's seventh goal of the year. Jean carried the puck down the boards from the left point into the corner before throwing it back out to Yuen at the blue line. Jean kept skating behind the Atlanta net and collected the rebound of the Yuen point shot just above the goal line in the right-wing corner. Jean fired it past Kent Patterson to tie the score.
At 4:49 of the second the Steelhead power play struck again with great puck movement and a tic-tac-toe passing play. At the blue line, Yuen dished the puck to Dahl in the left wing corner. Without hesitation, Dahl whipped the puck through the penalty killing box to Molin at the right face-off dot for a one-timer. It was Molin's 19th goal of the year to make it 2-1.
The Steelhead defense and shot-blocking was a theme all weekend, but Atlanta finally broke through it at 18:24 of the second when, after several blocks, Brock Higgs found a loose puck in a soft area between the circles and tied the game with his 17th of the year and fourth of the season against Idaho.
Branden Troock helped fuel the offense in the third period, first with an excellent stretch pass through the neutral zone to send Dahl in on a breakaway for his 18th goal of the season at 9:06. Just over five minutes later, Troock again moved the puck to the neutral zone and sent Jean and Morrissette in together on a 2-on-1, with Morrissette finishing off the play with his seventh of the season for a 4-2 Idaho lead.
Boutin's empty-netter was his second of the year. Boutin and defense partner Corbin Baldwin have now gone 18 consecutive games without a minus rating.
The Steelheads were 3-for-3 on the penalty kill. They have killed off 28 consecutive power plays, and 42 of 44 in January.
The Steelheads are now five games over .500, their high-water mark for the season.
The Steelheads host the Alaska Aces on Wednesday night at CenturyLink Arena, the first game of a three-game set. Puck-drop is schedule for 7:10pm MT, with the game available on 1350AM KTIK, CableOne, and ECHLTV.
STEELHEADS STATS:
Goals: Jean (7), Molin (19), Dahl (18), Morrissette (7), Boutin (2)
Branden Komm: 35 saves on 37 shots
Power Play: 2-for-3
Penalty Kill: 3-for-3
CENTURYLINK THREE STARS OF THE GAME
1. Jefferson Dahl IDH
2. Kyle Jean IDH
3. Branden Troock IDH
COORS LIGHT OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME
Jefferson Dahl: 1 goal, 2 assists, plus-1 rating
PLAY OF THE GAME:
The Steelheads and Gladiators were locked 2-2 at the start of the third period, and it remained to be seen if this would be more reminiscent of Friday's game in which one team pulled away or last night's game that turned into a war of speed and scoring chances that needed to be decided in a shootout. The Steelheads decided to pull away, and took the first step on a dagger goal by Jefferson Dahl. Brad Navin had a solid scoring opportunity for Atlanta just moments before, whistling the puck wide of the Idaho net from between the circles. Branden Troock quickly collected the rebound off the end-boards and found Dahl streaking behind the defense for his second goal in two games. Every time this weekend that Atlanta appeared ready capitalize, it was the Steelheads who came up with the big play. Dahl's tally was another back-breaker for the Gladiators that sent Idaho on their way to another win.
ECHL Stories from January 31, 2016
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- Mallards Rally, Fall in O.T. in Toledo - Quad City Mallards
- Third Period Surge Pushes Komets Past Wings - Kalamazoo Wings
- Fielding Strong in First Start But Beast Drop OT Decision to Nailers - Brampton Beast
- Sweep, Komm, and Carry On- Steelheads Sweep Glads in Sunday Matinee - Idaho Steelheads
- Nailers Rally for Overtime Win in Brampton - Wheeling Nailers
- Steelheads Complete Sweep of Gladiators with 5-2 Win - Atlanta Gladiators
- ECHL Transactions - January 31 - ECHL
- Stingrays Claim Forward Casey Thrush - South Carolina Stingrays
- Oilers at Americans Today: Preview - Tulsa Oilers
- Michalek Returns to Mallards After Shining in AHL Debut - Quad City Mallards
- Axel Blomqvist Re-Assigned to Tulsa - Tulsa Oilers
- Game Day Preview: Tulsa at Allen - Allen Americans
- ECHL Today - January 31 - ECHL
- Dodero Returned from AHL Syracuse - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Nailers at Beast Game Day Snap Shot - Wheeling Nailers
- Mallards Game Day - Quad City Mallards
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