ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Wranglers Overpower Idaho, 5-1

Published on March 2, 2012 under ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


(Boise, ID) - A string of penalties late in the first period gave the Las Vegas Wranglers nearly seven full minutes of power-play time, which the visitors turned into two goals to spark a 5-1 victory over the Idaho Steelheads Friday night in Boise.

Penalties at the 13-minute mark, 13:40 (a four-minute double minor), 14:14, and 17:35 put Idaho down two men for over three full minutes and at least one man for almost seven to end the first period. Idaho's penalty killers killed off over three minutes of two-man advantage time before Mike Madill's shot from the top of the right-hand circle was ridirected over Jerry Kuhn's shoulder by an Idaho stick to make it 1-0 Wranglers. A minute later, Adam Miller scored on a breakaway as the power play marathon appeared to be about to end. However, Idaho was whistled for a delayed penalty on the play, putting the Wranglers right back on the power play as the visitors led, 2-0, after twenty minutes.

Barely 30 seconds into the second period, Las Vegas added to the lead on Jeff Hazelwood's first of the season off a rebound and then, at 11:30 of the second, Judd Blackwater scored his 14th of the season on a beautiful individual effort near the Idaho crease, leading to a backhand tally that made it 4-0.

Derek LeBlanc broke up the shutout bid at 7:40 of the third period, steering an Andrei Plekhanov pass from the right circle over the leg pad of Joe Fallon for his 16th goal of the season. Robbie Smith finished off the scoring for Las Vegas with his sixth of the season at the 16:23 mark of the third period.

Idaho (23-28-7) was dinged for ten penalties, leading to seven Wrangler power plays. Las Vegas (36-19-5) finished 2-7 on the power play, while Idaho was 0-1. Fallon stopped 28 of 29 Idaho shots to earn the victory, while Jerry Kuhn took the loss, making 31 saves on 36 shots.

The two teams wrap up their brief, two-game weekend series on Saturday, March 3. Idaho will once again wear specially-themed University of Idaho jerseys that will be auctioned off via silent auction to beneft St. Luke's Elks Childrens Rehab and Mountain States Tumor Institute. Tickets are available by calling the CenturyLink Arena box office (208.331.TIXS) or by logging on to www.idahosteelheads.com.

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