This last week, the Steelheads returned home and hosted the Victoria Salmon Kings for three games (Wednesday, Friday and Saturday). Despite outscoring the S-Kings 10-2 in the three games, Idaho was unable to come up with the sweep, dropping a 1-0 game to Victoria on Friday.
To start the series on Wednesday, the Steelheads came out blasting. On the strength of a hat trick by John Swanson and a 36-save, shutout performance in net by Rejean Beauchemin, Idaho cruised to a 5-0 victory.
Apparently the Salmon Kings took good notes on Wednesday, though, as they were able to keep the Steelheads off the scoreboard on Friday. The Salmon Kings mustered just a lone goal in a 28-save night for Stars prospect Richard Bachman, but it was enough to give them the win, as Idaho was unable to slip anything past Victoria netminder Glenn Fisher.
The two teams wrapped up their regular season series on Saturday night. Fisher was unable to duplicate his success from the previous night between the pipes for Victoria, as Idaho lit the lamp five times. Bachman was in net once again for the Steelies, and again allowed just one goal, recording 23 saves. The Steelheads walked away with a 5-1 win, and a dominant season record of 8-3-0 against the Salmon Kings. With an assist on Swanson’s goal that night, Mark Derlago recorded his 88th point of the season. The mark sets an Idaho record for most points by a Steelheads player in the modern ECHL era (since the 2003-04 season).
Although they lost the game on Friday, an overtime loss by Kalamazoo to Wheeling clinched the Brabham Cup for the Steelheads. The Brabham Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the ECHL team that finishes with the most points in the regular season. The recipient is guaranteed home-ice advantage throughout its participation in the Kelly Cup Playoffs.
The Steelheads will wrap up the regular season this week on a 4-game road trip. After heading up to Alaska for two games against the Aces on Tuesday and Wednesday, they will finish up in Bakersfield against the Condors on Friday and Saturday. The next home games for Idaho will be in the second-round of the playoffs, on April 16th and 17th.
Last Week’s Transactions:
3/23/10 Brett Blatchford, F – signed contract
3/23/10 Ashton Rome, F – returned from Hershey (AHL)
3/25/10 Dustin Friesen, D – loaned to Bridgeport (AHL)
3/25/10 Ashton Rome, F – loaned to Hershey (AHL)
3/25/10 Tyler Spurgeon, F – loaned to Abbottsford (AHL)
3/25/10 Michael Neal, F – activated off IR
3/25/10 Matt McKnight, F – placed on the 3-day IR
3/26/10 Ryan Funk, D – signed amateur tryout agreement
3/26/10 Doug Melvin, G – added as emergency backup goaltender
3/27/10 Doug Melvin, G – released as emergency backup goaltender
3/29/10 Adam Huxley, F – transferred to the 7-day IR
