NORFOLK, VA — The Idaho Steelheads (8-5-1) netted three power play goals, two of them from rookie Will Merchant, to outlast the Norfolk Admirals (1-8-3) at Norfolk Scope, a 6-4 win in the first meeting of this three game set.
It was the first two-goal performance of Merchant’s career, his first tally giving Idaho a 4-3 lead in the second period and his second goal serving as the eventual game-winner. Merchant’s five professional goals have all come via the power play.
With 4:13 left in the second period and the Admirals ahead 3-2, the Steelheads drew even with their first power play goal of the night. Coming into the game, the Steelheads had the league’s second ranked power play and Norfolk the fourth ranked penalty kill. There were no penalty killers to be found when Joe Faust received a feed from Merchant in the high slot and blasted home his fifth of the season to tie the game 3-3.
Shortly after, the Steelheads power play would get another chance when John Kurtz was whistled for a double-minor for roughing after he went after David Glen. During that double-minor kill, Norfolk’s Paul Rodrigues was whistled for slashing. On the ensuing 5-on-3, Faust let another shot go from the high slot that went wide, the rebound off the end boards coming right back into the crease for a Merchant tap-in and a 4-3 Idaho lead.
At the end of the second period, with Idaho still on the power play, both teams came together in a post-buzzer melee. 66 minutes in penalties were assessed, with Idaho’s Travis Ewanyk and Norfolk’s Samuel Noreau and Gabriel Verpaelst earning game misconducts. Verpaelst was also called for a third-man-in penalty, giving Norfolk an extra penalty in the scrum and Idaho a 5-on-3 power play to start the third period.
The Steelheads cashed in with Merchant’s second power play goal 29 seconds into the third period to make it 5-3. The three power play goals are the most Idaho has scored in a game this season. Jefferson Dahl added a back-door goal at 2:35 of the third. Dah’s 10-game points streak was snapped Saturday, but the Steelheads’ captain responded with a two-point game in Norfolk.
The Steelheads took a 1-0 lead just 15 seconds into the game on a high-zone blast from Travis Ewanyk. John Dunbar and Kurtz answered with goals of their own to give the Admirals their first lead at 5:11 of the first. Caleb Herbert would tie the score before the intermission with his second goal of the season.
Jeff DiNallo scored his first professional goal at 9:42 of the second for a short-lived Norfolk lead. Nick MacNeil scored a short-handed goal for the Admirals at 13:10 of the third period to make it 6-4, but the Admirals would come no closer.
The win was Idaho’s third in a row, their longest streak of this young season, and also their third straight win on the road.
The Steelheads and Admirals meet again on Friday, with puck-drop scheduled for 5:30pm MT at Norfolk Scope.
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