TROIS RIVIERES, QUEBEC — After taking four of six points against the Newfoundland Growlers, the Steelheads came into Trois Rivieres with an opportunity to be the second team to clinch a Kelly Cup playoff spot, and they did.
In their first meeting in franchise history, the Steelheads beat the Trois Rivieres Lions 2-1 in overtime to punch their ticket to the playoffs. It was a standout game by goaltender Jake Kielly, who made 35 saves to give Idaho the victory. This was Kielly’s first start since the 6-2 loss to Newfoundland on March 8.
The game started slow, with another scoreless first period, much like Monday’s victory over Newfoundland. Both teams exchanged chances, but goaltenders Kielly and Zachary Emond locked down and held the game at 0-0 going into the second
With 7:18 left in the second period, Ty Pelton-Byce opened the scoring for the Steelheads, potting a net-front power-play goal off a fantastic spin pass by Will Merchant. Pelton-Byce’s goal would be the lone power-play goal of the game for either team. The Lions fought back, and while the Steelheads managed to fend them off for the next few minutes with less than two minutes left in the period, the Lions scored to tie the game at one going into the third.
Given the low-scoring game, the margin for victory was razor-thin going into the third. Both teams battled and tried to win it in regulation, but it was the second scoreless period of the night, with both defenses and goaltenders standing strong and pushing the game to overtime.
81 seconds into overtime, after a big save by Kielly, Patrick Kudla took the puck up the ice and into the Lions’ zone, giving the Steelheads an odd-man rush. Right before reaching the net front, Kudla sent the puck back to Francesco Arcuri, who buried it behind Emond, ending the game with a final score of 2-1 Steelheads and a final shot count of 36-26 in favor of the Lions. The game-winning overtime goal marks Arcuri’s third goal in his third consecutive games.
Idaho becomes the second team to clinch a playoff spot after the Kansas City Mavericks, a fellow Western Conference and Mountain Division opponent. This will be the 24th time the Steelheads have made the playoffs since their founding in 1997 and the 17th time qualifying since they joined the ECHL in the 2003-4 season.
The Steelheads will play their remaining two games against the Lions on Friday, March 15, and Saturday, March 16.
