Idaho Steelheads Report: Colorado Forces Game Six Tonight

Austin Fyten celebrates a Steelheads goal with his teammates. (Credit: Idaho Steelheads)

Contributor John Mulhern recaps Game 5...

Five straight goals. Exactly how you would draw it up. 3-0 lead after the first and a 5-1 lead after two. The perfect way for the Colorado Eagles to set up their way to advance to a game 6 in Boise on Friday. The final would be 7-4 and the Eagles would stave off elimination at the hands of the Idaho Steelheads and force a game 6 to be played this Friday night back at Century Link Arena in Boise, Id.

Game 5: Colorado Wins 7-4

It was a game where Idaho actually had the first good chance to get an early lead as just 17 seconds into the game the Steelheads were able to put their power play unit on the ice. Unfortunately, the Colorado Eagles were able to kill off the power play and then respond with their first of 3 goals in the first period. Chad Costello got that goal and from there the floodgates seemed to open up. Kevin Ulanski and Kyle Ostrow would tack on a goal each, and the Eagles went into the locker room up 3-0.

The end of the first also sounded the end of the game for Steelheads goaltender Tyler Beskorowany as he allowed 3 goals on 12 shots after having played two brilliant games (3 and 4).

Josh Robinson came in at the start of the second and was not a whole more successful as the Eagles tacked on a 4th and 5th goal as Jake Marto and Trent Daavettila earned the goals. However, the Steelheads did at least break the ice late in the 2nd as Austin Fyten was able to score off an offensive faceoff win.

The third period turned what was a blowout/statement win for the Eagles, into a game where Steelheads fans should take away a lot of positives and Eagles fans should be a bit leery. The Eagles got what appeared to be a “tack on” goal from Brock Nixon to make it 6-1 at the 4:38 mark of the 3rd period. Here is where the tides start to change. The Steelheads start their climb up that large mountain of deficit. Austin Smith made it 6-2 at the 5:56 mark, then he made it 6-3 just 28 seconds later. Again, nothing to really make Eagles fans nervous. That changed at the 10:38 mark when Ben Ondrus made it 6-4. That goal now made it a 2 goal game with over 9 minutes to go, not an insurmountable lead to overcome with that much time remaining. However, that’s as close as the Steelheads got before Costello would add an empty net goal to make the final score 7-4.

Josh Robinson ended up being tagged with the loss in relief. The Eagles power play went 2 for 4 with both goals coming in that first period to set the tone for the game. In both wins for the Eagles, their power play has clicked. Back in game two the Eagles went 3 for 5 en route to the win. Tyler Beskorowany will be back in net for Game 6 and probably 7 as Robinson has been called up to Texas due to Kari Lehtonen’s injury on Tuesday night.

I don’t think this is a statement win for the Eagles. The Steelheads did enough in that third period to show themselves that even when the Eagles are playing their best (this was the best game the Eagles have played all series) they can hang with them. It also reinforces the idea to me that Colorado’s goaltending is a tremendous weak point as both Kyle Jones and Adam Brown are beatable. If the Steelheads can take away time and space from the Eagles and increase the physical play, I like the Steelheads to close out this series in game 6 and not have to worry about having to play a game 7.

Until next time…