ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Tuohimaa, Condors Stifle Steelheads

Published on December 6, 2014 under ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


Boise, ID - Frans Tuohimaa stopped 19 of 20 shots, including a handful of key saves when the outcome was in doubt before the Bakersfield Condors pulled away from the Idaho Steelheads Saturday night, 5-1, at CenturyLink Arena in Boise.

The game was the sixth in nine days for Idaho (13-8-2, 28 points) who now have five days off before hosting Alaska at CenturyLink Arena on Friday, December 12.

The Condors were handed an early two-man advantage on the power play for nearly two full minutes but the Idaho penalty-kill dug in and stymied the chance. Goaltender Henri Kiviaho made two big saves in the sequence to keep the visitors off the board. Bakersfield received a third power-play opportunity moments later but Kiviaho and the Steelheads killed that one as well. Idaho looked to counter on a two-on-one rush but Tuohimaa robbed Gaelan Patterson at point-blank range at the top of the crease to keep the game even after one period.

Bakersfield scored early in the second period when a long Gabriel Verpaelst shot found its way through traffic from the right point at the 35-second mark of the second, making it 1-0. Idaho nearly tied it moments later on a Colton Beck shot but, again Tuohimaa made the save. The Steelheads did even the game up at 4:38 as Ludwig Karlsson knocked a loose puck to Patterson below the goal line. Patterson found David deKastrozza in the slot near the hashmarks for the goal, his ninth, to tie the game at one goal apiece. At 11:14, a defensive zone turnover gave Jonathan Lessard a free look from the slot and he beat Kiviaho over the glove hand to snap the tie. Late in the second, Idaho had a power-play opportunity but turned the puck over on an errant pass at the blue line. Bakersfield picked up the puck as Kellen Jones sprung his twin brother, Connor, on a short-handed breakaway at 18:34 to make it a 3-1 game going into the third.

Idaho couldn't mount much in the third as Tuohimaa came up with timely early saves to thwart any Idaho comeback hopes. The Condors tacked on two late insurance goals to make the outcome wider than most of the game was played.

Kiviaho took the loss and Tuohimaa was the winner as neither team could score on the power play. Idaho was 0-4 on the man advantage but the team's penalty-killing unit was tremendous all night, successfully killing off all six power-play chances for Bakersfield. Bakersfield out-shot Idaho, 28-20.

The Steelheads and Condors battle again on Saturday, December 6, as the Steelheads will again wear special jerseys to be auctioned off to raise money for St. Luke's Children's hospital. Tickets are available online at www.idahosteelheads.com or by calling the CenturyLink Arena box office at 331-8497.

Check out the Idaho Steelheads Statistics

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