Idaho Steelhead | CONNOR MACEACHERN RECORDS HAT-TRICK IN 6-2 WIN

BOISE, ID – The Idaho Steelheads (9-7-1-0, 19 points) defeated the Tahoe Knight Monsters (8-5-1-2, 18 points) Friday night with a final score of 6-2 in front of a sellout crowd of 5,235 fans at Idaho Central Arena, the ninth sold-out home game of the season and 42nd^nd Back-to-back regular season sellouts. Idaho and Tahoe will complete the three-game series tomorrow night at 7:10 p.m

Nate Kallen gave the Knight Monsters a 1-0 lead with just 1:12 left in the first period but 19 seconds later Connor MacEachern (7^Th) equalized after the first 20 minutes of the game when the score was 1-1. Ty Pelton-Byce sent a rebound wide to the backboard, where AJ White collected the puck behind the net and fed it to MacEachern in the left circle. Each team went 0-1 on the power play, while the Steelheads defeated the Knight Monsters 12-8.

The Steelheads asserted themselves offensively in the second period and took a 5-1 lead in the final frame. Just 46 seconds into the quarter MacEachern (8^Th) gave Idaho its first lead of the game when Pelton-Byce sent it from the left half wall for a one-timer in the right circle. Lynden McCallum (7^Th) extended the lead to 3-1 at 10:34, scoring on a two-on-one with a wrist shot from the right circle. 2:57 left in the verse Brendan Hoffmann (6^Th) buried a one-timer in the high slot with a setup from Matt Register. Six seconds later, the Steelheads found themselves outnumbered, but 16 seconds after Hoffmann’s first goal Hoffmann (7^Th) was jumped after a breakaway by White to make it 5:1. Shots were 15-9 steelhead.

Simon Pinard reduced the Tahoe deficit to 5-2 after just 4:39 minutes in the third period. Idaho started its third power play of the night at 10:11 and after failing to convert, MacEachern (9^Th) capped the hat trick five seconds after the man advantage ended with a wrist shot from the top of the right circle into the top left corner, completing the 6-2 victory.

Tomas Sholl Made 26 saves on 28 shots in the win Jesper Vikman made 35 saves on 41 shots in the loss.

BOX score

ICCU Three stars
1) Connor MacEachern (IDH, 3-0-3, +2, 6 shots)
2) Brendan Hoffmann (IDH, 2-0-2, +3, 8 shots)
3) Tomas Sholl (IDH, 26 saves)

GAME NOTES

• Idaho went 0-for-3 on the power play while Tahoe went 0-4.
• Tahoe defeated Idaho 31-27.
• Blake Swetlikoff (DNP), Romain Rodzinski (DNP) and Slava Demin (INJ) did not dress for Idaho.
• Brendan Hoffmann’s two goals, 16 seconds apart, are the fastest two goals the Steelheads have scored this season.
• Idaho reached 40 shots for the fourth time this season and recorded its third four-goal period, its second against Tahoe.
• Connor MacEachern recorded his first professional hat trick, Idaho’s first of the season.
• AJ White extended his point streak to four games with his second three-assist game of the season.
• Brendan Hoffmann extended his point streak to four games by leading all field players with eight shots in his second multi-goal game of the season.
• Ty Pelton-Byce extended his point streak to four games with an assist.
• CJ Walker extended his point streak to three games with an assist.
• Patrick Kudla and Matt Register each had two assists.
• Mark Olver recorded an assist for his second straight contest.

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