Thunder's Three Unanswered Goals Sink Steelheads In 5-2 Loss
January 6, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release
Boise, ID - Four goals by the visitors over the final two periods helped break a 1-1 tie, as the Stockton Thunder took their second straight game from the Steelheads, winning 5-2 in front of 4,335 fans at Qwest Arena on Saturday night.
The loss is the Steelheads (17-14-1-1) third straight, as they finish a four games in five nights stretch at 1-3-0-0, while the Thunder (17-7-2-3) earned their eighth road win with the victory.
With 53 seconds left in the opening period, the Thunder potted a power play goal by Mike Lalonde, his 11th of the season to open the game's scoring. Moments after Steelheads' goaltender John Daigneau (23 saves) made a tremendous save on Troy Bodie, Nathan Martz found Lalonde, whose shot went through traffic before finding the back of the net. Bodie was credited with the second assist on the goal at 19:07.
At 4:17 of the second period, Colin Shields got his ninth goal of the season and second with the Steelheads to tie the game at one. Just as the Steelheads' power play expired, defenseman Kyle Peto made a perfect pass to the right post where Shields banged it home past Thunder goaltender Devan Dubnyk (36 saves). Tuomas Mikkonen gathered the other helper on the goal that ended the Steelheads' goal less streak at 138:36. The marker was also the first regulation goal Dubnyk allowed in the last 83:22 of playing time.
However, the Thunder would rattle off two goals 28 seconds apart to break the tie and give themselves some breathing room. At 12:22, Tim Sestito wristed a shot over the glove of Daigneau to make the score 2-1, as Lalonde and Martz got the assists. Then, defenseman Tim O'Connell converted off a three-on-two rush at 12:50 with Lalonde and Sestito setting up the goal. Those two tallies were the quickest back-to-back goals scored by a Steelheads' opponent on Qwest Arena ice this season.
After two periods of play, the Steelheads were out-shooting the Thunder 23-21 but found themselves in a 3-1 hole.
Early in the third period, O'Connell blocked a shot just inside the Thunder blue line and raced the other way on a semi-breakaway. His wrist shot glanced off Daigneau and in for his second of the contest and a 4-1 Thunder advantage.
Midway through the third, Steelheads' rookie center Greg Rallo cut the deficit in half as he fired a shot into the top shelf off a feed from Marty Flichel. The goal, Rallo's 11th, came at 9:29 and was via a Thunder defensive turnover.
In the final minute of regulation, former Steelheads' winger Tim Verbeek iced the contest with an empty net goal putting the Thunder up 5-2.
The Steelheads ended the evening with no power play goals in 10 chances, while the Thunder were scoreless in five opportunities. With the victory, Dubnyk picks up his 10th win, while Daigneau suffers his fourth loss.
With three games left before the all-star break, the Steelheads travel to Phoenix to tangle with the RoadRunners on Monday, January 8. Face-off is at 7:11 p.m. MST. The game can be viewed exclusively on the B2 Networks for $6. Don't forget, Steelheads' single-game tickets and all-star game tickets can be purchased via www.idahosteelheads.com (using the all-new, print-at-home feature), by calling 331-TIXS or from the Qwest Arena box office. The 2007 RBK ECHL All-Star Game at Qwest Arena is a two-night event beginning on Tuesday, January 16. Tickets to both events start at just $25.
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