BOISE, Idaho – The Idaho Steelheads (10-14-4) responded to a 4-0 first period deficit by rattling off eight consecutive goals of their own, taking down the Utah Grizzlies (14-8-2) with their highest scoring effort of the season, 8-5 at CenturyLink Arena.
Rob Linsmayer had a two-goal night and Kyle Jean added two goals his own and two assists for the Steelheads’ fourth four-point effort of the season. The Steelheads outshot the Grizzlies 29-17 over the final two periods, and the Idaho power play scored four times, including three times in the second period to fuel the comeback effort.
The Grizzlies got things going in the first period. Utah’s Matt Berry entered the game with seven points in his prior four games, and Alex Krushelnyski had racked up nine points in his prior six. Both were a factor in the first period as Krushelnyski opened the scoring and Berry pushed the lead to 2-0 in the first 8:18 of the first period. After Jon Puskar’s third of the season chased Steelheads’ starter Maxime Lagace from the nets, Krushelnyski’s second of the period, this on Philippe Desrosiers, made it 4-0 Utah.
The Steelheads needed a response before the period wound down and got it from Linsmayer, who deflected an Andrew Panzarella point shot past Utah’s Taran Kozun to put the Steelheads on the board at 16:05 of the first.
The second period, and most of the rest of regulation, was all Steelheads. After killing off a Utah power play to start the second, McMillan rifled a power play goal off the crossbar at 2:18. Just over two minutes later, Andrew Carroll pounced on a loose puck in the Utah crease to make it 4-3, as a buzz returned to CenturyLink Arena. Jefferson Dahl tied the game just a 1:28 later on another power play, cashing in a rebound off a Zach Yuen shot that hit the post.
Linsmayer would give the Steelheads the lead for good with their fourth goal in 4:51 when he one-timed a beautiful cross-ice feed in the offensive zone from Emil Molin and chased Kozun from the net, making it 5-4.
Former-Steelhead Chris Rawlings entered the game for Utah in net and didn’t have much better luck, giving up three more goals in the third period. Andre Morrissette found a Utah turnover right on his stick in front of the Utah net for his third of the season. Jean netted the final two, including another power play marker, to cap the Steelheads’ scoring. He now has three goals and 3 assists in the past three games.
Utah would add a fifth goal in the final minute from Roberts Lipsbergs, but the outcome was already cemented. The Steelheads have now won three in a row, their longest win streak of the season.
Idaho’s home stand continues on Friday night with the first of two games with the Allen Americans at CenturyLink Arena. Puck-drop is scheduled for 7:10pm MST.
With Idaho Steelheads team release