BOISE, ID — Brady Brassart tied the game late with his second power play goal and Justin Parizek netted his second shootout winner of the season, as the Idaho Steelheads (10-5-4) came from behind to defeat the Tulsa Oilers (6-7-6) 4-3 on Wednesday night in front of 3,203 fans at CenturyLink Arena. Idaho has won back-to-back games and six of their last eight contests.
The Steelheads improved to 2-1 in the shootout this season with their first win on home ice in the breakaway competition this season, while the Oilers fell to 0-3 in shootouts with all three defeats coming on the road.
The Steelheads overcame deficits of 2-0 and 3-1 before tying the game late in regulation. Ahead 3-2, the Oilers were called for too many men on the ice with two minutes left. Steelheads Head Coach Neil Graham decided to pull goaltender Philippe Desrosiers immediately for the 6-on-4 advantage. The Steelheads capitalized with Brassart in front to redirect a Steve McParland pass through goalie Jake Hildebrand for his 11th goal of the season to tie the game 3-3.
The Steelheads would take a too many men penalty of their own before the period ended, forcing them to kill off a 4-on-3 disadvantage in overtime. The Steelheads reached the shootout, where Cody Corbett and Parizek both beat Hildebrand and Desrosiers denied Charlie Sampair and Conner Bleackley.
Sampair opened the scoring at 17:24 of the first period with a shorthanded goal, a wrist shot from the right circle that sailed over Desrosiers’ shoulder. It was the first shorthanded goal surrendered by Idaho this season, and the league-leading seventh netted by the Oilers. It was Sampair’s seventh of the season, and fourth in six games.
Tulsa made it 2-0 at 8:03 of the second period, when Evan Richardson fed Kale Kessy in the low slot for his third goal of the year. The Steelheads answered back at 15:20 with Brassart’s first power play goal, another deflection in front of a pass from Corbett at the right-wing boards. It was Brassart’s second two-goal game of the season.
Joey Sides put the Oilers back up by two just 1:38 later, pulling Desrosiers out of the net before carrying the puck to the front from below the goal line for his fifth of the season. Idaho got it back at 19:06 of the second period with AJ White banging in a rebound for his third goal of the year.
The Steelheads are now 3-5-1 this season in games they trail entering the third period. Desrosiers improved to 6-0-1 this season in games on home ice. Justin Parizek saw his eight-game points streak come to an end.
The Steelheads and Oilers resume their series at CenturyLink Arena on Friday night. Puck-drop is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. MT.
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