Wednesday kicks off a three-game series between Mountain Division rivals, the Kansas City Mavericks and the Idaho Steelheads. This game marks their first meeting of the season, with Kansas City coming off an overtime win against the Wichita Thunder on Saturday, March 1, 2025. Jack LaFontaine started in net for the Mavericks, with a 2.17 GAA and a 0.915 save percentage, while Ben Kraws began in goal for the Steelheads, starting with a 3.30 GAA and a 0.900 save percentage.
First Period
The Steelheads dominated the first period, outshooting the Mavericks 11-8 and scoring two goals in less than three minutes. The first goal was posted at 1:10 by Demetrios Koumontzis, with assists by Jason Horvath and Pito Walton. The second goal scored by the Steelheads was Kaleb Pearson (2:27), assisted by Ty Pelton-Byce and Fracesco Arcuri. Despite the eight shots on goal, the Mavericks failed to score, and the period ended with the Steelheads leading 2-0.
Second Period
The Mavericks outshot the Steelheads 11-8 during the second period and were still unable to get the puck past the Steelheads’ defense. However, the Steelheads were able to score three goals, taking a 5-0 lead. The first goal by Steelheads Kaleb Pearson found the back of the net at 10:17, assisted by Connor Punnett and Ryan Gagnon. The second goal of the period came at 14:40 by Steelheads A.J. White, assisted by Matt Register and Klaeb Pearson. Goal three came from Steelheads Francesco Arcuri at 17:32, assisted by Jason Horvath.
Third Period
In the third period, the Mavericks made a goalie change, with Alex Aslanidis taking the net for his debut outing. Aslanidis saved all five of the Steelheads’ shots. Although the Mavericks managed eight shots on goal, they were unable to penetrate the Steelheads’ defense to score. The Steelheads’ goalie, Kraws, managed to stop all 27 shots taken by the Mavericks, earning a shutout for his team and securing a 5-0 win. The Mavericks get a chance at a rematch on Friday.
Standings
Despite Wednesday’s loss to the Steelheads, the Mavericks remain in first place in the Mountain Division. The Mavericks hold a seven-point lead over the second-place team, the Tulsa Oilers. The Mavericks dropped to second place in the Western Conference, one point behind the Toledo Walleye.
ITR 45: Everything Is Happening – Inside The Rink
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