TULSA, Okla. – The Idaho Steelheads’ (23-12-5) special teams took over in the second period on Saturday night at BOK Center, potting two power play goals and a short-handed tally to help drive Idaho to a 5-2 win over the Tulsa Oilers (23-17-4).
The Steelheads scored three power play goals on the night, matching their highest single-game power play output for the season.
With the Steelheads already leading 1-0, Branden Troock helped get the Steelheads on the board early in the second period. Off an offensive zone draw, Troock raced across the ice to hold a clearing attempt just inside the blue line. Troock slid the puck down the wall to Will Merchant, who found Joe Faust in the high slot. Faust’s wrist shot beat Colin Stevens for his 11th goal of the season, a power play marker at 2:48 for a 2-0 Idaho lead.
At 7:00 of the second period, Troock did it himself with the man-advantage. Just after Jefferson Dahl emerged from the box for a short Steelheads power play, Troock carried the puck down the right wing wall and fired a wrist shot that hit off Stevens’ shoulder and rolled over the goal line for a 3-0 Idaho lead. Just 1:13 later, Connor Chatham won the race to a loose puck in the Oilers zone and cut in alone on a short-handed breakaway for a 4-0 lead, his fourth goal of the year and Idaho’s fourth shorthanded goal of the season.
The Oilers would draw within two goals, getting a redirection from Reid Halabi for his second of the year at 17:04 of the second period and a Danick Gauthier deflection in the slot at 12:36 of the third period for his eighth of the season.
With under three minutes left in regulation time, the Steelheads put the game away when the Oilers were penalized twice in 54 seconds, a bench minor for too many men and a high-sticking call on Shawn Bates. On the ensuing 5-on-3, Joe Basaraba chipped an Anthony Luciani feed through Stevens for a 5-2 Steelheads lead at 18:16. It was Basaraba’s 13th of the season, and his eighth in the past 11 games.
Luciani also earned an assist on the Steelheads opening goal at 3:52 of the first period. After the Oilers put pressure on the Steelheads in the Idaho zone, Travis Ewanyk chipped a puck past defenseman Jacob Poe at the blue line and raced ahead on a 2-on-1. After a give-and-go with Luciani, Ewanyk drove to the net and lifted a backhander past Stevens’ glove for his 15th of the year.
Luciani’s two assists extended his points streak to ten games, matching the longest streak by a Steelhead this season and matching the longest points streak of Luciani’s ECHL career. Luciani has six goals and 14 points during his ten-game run.
Brandon Komm made 38 saves for the win, improving to 10-6-2 on the season and 6-1-1 in his last eight outings. The Steelheads are 7-1-2 over their last ten games.
The Steelheads and Oilers hit the ice again on Sunday to wrap up their two-game set with a 3:05 MT start at BOK Center.
With Idaho Steelheads release
Contact the photographer: Les.Stockton@prohockeynews.com
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