BOISE, ID. – The Idaho Steelheads (21-10-3-0) defeated the Greensboro Gargoyles (8-17-5-1), 7-4, on Saturday night inside Idaho Central Arena. The Steelheads hit the road for the next series, with three games against the Orlando Solar Bears coming up next week Thursday-Saturday.
Idaho struck first in the contest as Grant Silianoff netted his second goal of the series after a feed from Mason Nevers at 11:39 of the opening frame. 28 seconds later Kaleb Pearson made a dazzling dangle and deposited the puck into the top right corner for his 12th goal of the year and the first in his return from injury to give the Steelheads a 2-0 lead.
Later in the frame, Greensboro cut the deficit in half as Deni Goure found the back of the net after a net front scramble and put the puck past Idaho netminder Jake Barczewski to bring the Gargoyles within one.
In the middle frame the Steelheads extended the lead to 3-1 as Brendan Hoffmann jammed a puck through Nikita Quapp for his 19th goal of the season at 4:29 of the period. 90 seconds later, with the Steelheads on the power play, Pearson lit the lamp for the second time after ripping a one-timer from the top of the right faceoff circle to extend Idaho’s lead to 4-1.
At 11:22 of the frame Ty Pelton-Byce extended the lead to four as he collected a pass from Liam Malmquist and blasted a one-timer from the right circle past Quapp to chase the Greensboro goaltender.
Idaho added one final tally in the second period at the 17:52 mark as Jade Miller buried a backhand shot by a diving Ruslan Khazheyev for his eighth goal of the season.
In the third Greensboro drew life as Tyler Weiss buried a stretch pass from Bryce Montgomery by Idaho goaltender Jake Barczewski to make it a 6-2 game. The Gargoyles struck once more a few minutes later as Ryan Richardson secured his eighth of the season with a shot from high in the zone to bring Greensboro within three.
After Idaho stabilized the game for most of the third, Greg Smith brought Greensboro within two with just 2:36 remaining as Barczewski battled traffic in his crease. The play was reviewed for goaltender interference, but the goal was upheld.
With the Gargoyles’ net empty late in the game, Nick Portz iced the contest after he forced a turnover in the defensive zone and went streaking down the left side to nab a game-sealing empty net goal with 54 seconds left, securing a 7-4 Idaho win.
Idaho’s Jake Barczewski made 22 saves in the win, while Greensboro’s Nikita Quapp earned the loss with 14 saves, and Ruslan Khazheyev turned aside 13 shots in relief.
ICCU THREE STARS
1. Kaleb Pearson (IDH, 2-0-2, -1, 7 shots)
2. Jade Miller (IDH, 1-1-2, +1, 2 shots)
3. Ty Pelton-Byce (IDH, 1-1-2, 0, 3 shots, GWG)