Idaho Steelheads lead National Conference

BOISE , ID – The Idaho Steelheads hold onto the lead position in the National Conference after 26 games, and are in second place in the league with 40 points.  Idaho currently has a 19-5-0-2 record for the season. 

The Steelheads have a good mix of players in their ranks.  The team is led by veteran Captain Marty Flichel in his seventh year on the team.  Flichel has four goals and 13 assists and has appeared in all 26 games. 
Rookie left wing Evan Barlow has brought in significant scoring skills, and leads the team in points with 24 (11 goals and 13 assists), with a plus 12.  Barlow is fourth among the rookie’s league wide and leads in shots on goal.  There are five other forwards with 15 or more points to date, including Mark Derlago (9 goals, 9 assists), rookie John Swanson (7 goals, 10 assists) and Ashton Rome (11 goals and 4 assists).
As with any developmental team, there are players that were strong on the team early in the season that received a call-up to AHL levels including center Tyler Spurgeon.  Spurgeon was loaned to Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins and at the time of his call-up had 23 points (4 goals, 19 assists) and was leading the team with a plus 14.  Mathieu Tousignant was called up in early December to the Texas Stars.  He had 17 points (6 goals and 11 assists).
Idaho ’s defense has been key to their wins.  Among the scoring defenders, rookie Brendan Milnamow is the teams defensive point leader with 14 points (2 goals, 12 assists).
In the net, the combination of Richard Bachman and Rejean Beauchemin has been their best asset.  Bachman, in 12 games, is 9-2, with 2.12 goals against average, and a .916 save percentage.  Bachman received a call-up to the Texas Stars earlier in the week and in his first AHL game made 33 saves on 34 shots.
Beauchemin, was named Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the week in October and again in late November.  He has appeared in 13 games with the Steelheads and has a 9-3 record, 2.52 goals against average and a .908 save percentage.
Steelheads Coach Derek Laxdal is in his fifth year coaching and was excited about this season.  He noted that the skill level of players available at the opening of the season was better than in the past five years.  As more teams are shutting down, there are fewer openings and the jobs are getting tougher to get and hold for new rookies as well as veterans.  
Laxdal was the coach when Idaho won the coveted Kelly Cup in 2006-07.  Flichel was also a member of that team and is now serving part-time as an assistant coach. Laxdal said he knows that Flichel has respect in the locker room and is able add a little extra during practice and between periods when the team needs extra support. 
The season is one-third over and there’s still plenty of hockey to play.  All the teams still have chances, it’s just a matter of which ones will continue to work hard and come out on top.
Contact the writer at Shellie.lima@prohockeynews.com  
Contact the photographer at Jack.lima@prohockeynews.com