Steelheads lead Las Vegas 3-1

Steelheads Beat Las Vegas 4-2
Idaho Leads Series 3-1
April 16, 2006


By Chris Langrill
The Idaho Statesman

BOISE, Idaho - The Idaho Steelheads are one game away from winning a playoff series for the first time since winning the Kelly Cup in 2004.

After three games in which the road team won, the Idaho Steelheads defeated the Las Vegas Wranglers 4-2 to take a 3-1 lead in their first-round ECHL playoff series in front of 4,748 rowdy fans at Qwest Arena on Saturday night.

Idaho can close out the best-of-7 series with a win in Game 5, which starts at 7:10 Monday night at Qwest Arena. If the Wranglers extend the series, Games 6 and 7 are scheduled for Las Vegas.

The first period couldn't have gone much better if Steelheads coach Derek Laxdal had scripted it. He said after Game 3 that he wanted his team to work on the power play. Whatever work they did Saturday paid off.

"Power plays are key in the playoffs," Laxdal said. "The power play has to click for us to do well."

Idaho, which was 0-for-11 on power-play opportunities in Friday night's Game 3, went 2-for-2 in the first period of Game 4.

The first goal was scored when Vegas tried to clear the puck, but Idaho veteran Marty Flichel was in between the top of the two circles waiting for it. Flichel sent the puck back where it came from — and then some — for his first goal of the playoffs. It was a critical goal in a pivotal game.

"After going 0-for-11 on the power play last night, to get the power play going right away was huge for us," Flichel said.

Idaho center David Bararuk (pictured) cashed in on the Steelheads' second power-play opportunity to make it 2-0. Flichel took a shot that sailed wide right and around the back of the net. When the puck came out on the left side, Bararuk was able to put it in off of Las Vegas goalie Mike McKenna's leg.

Bararuk was one of four Steelheads to score, and he said that balance is a welcome sight in the game summaries.

"The key to our success is we've been getting goals from everyone," Bararuk said.

For the rest of the first period, the Steelheads relied on rookie goalie Steve Silverthorn to keep the score 2-0. He showed he was up to the task in his first playoff game as a pro, however, as he made several impressive stops.

While Idaho went 2-for-2 on power plays in the first period, Las Vegas went 0-for-3, and Silverthorn was a big reason why the Wranglers couldn’t get a special teams score.

The Wranglers outshot the Steelheads 19-10 in the second period, but had to settle for just one goal, and the Steelheads countered with one of its own.

Idaho actually scored first. Rookie Greg Rallo, who just a few weeks ago was playing at Ferris State in Michigan, made a great play, taking a pass from defenseman Jarad Bourassa, fighting through a defender and beating Marc Magliarditi, who relieved McKenna at the beginning of the second period.

Rallo said it was a memorable experience for him.

“Looking up, seeing the crowd, teammates coming in and putting their gloves in your face — it’s a great experience,” Rallo said.

A series of great passes allowed Matt Dzieduszycki to finally get the Wranglers on the board.

The Wranglers thought they scored again with 2:30 left in the period, but referee Matt Biolota ruled that the puck didn’t cross the line.

That was a crucial call, because Las Vegas would have tied it up with Adam Pardy’s goal about midway through the period. Steelheads fans and players vociferously argued that the goal shouldn’t have counted because Vegas forward Dan Tudin interfered with Silverthorn, but the goal stood.

Idaho’s Garett Bembridge sealed the deal with his fourth goal of the playoffs, an empty-netter with 45 seconds left.

Idaho needs just one win to close out the series, but the Steelheads know it won’t be easy to take out the team that had the second-best record in the ECHL’s regular season.

“The fourth game is the hardest one to win,” Bararuk said.

The good news for Steelheads fans is that Idaho will get three chances to win that fourth game. The first chance comes Monday.