Matchup: Victoria Salmon Kings at Idaho Steelheads. Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Game time each night 7 PM at Qwest Arena.
At Stake: Though the team has already sewn up a playoff spot, the West Division title, and the no. 1 seed in the upcoming National Conference playoffs, the Idaho Steelheads are still seeking the best overall record in the ECHL. That would earn the squad the coveted Brabham Cup and home-ice advantage throughout the ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs. Meanwhile, Victoria is engaged in a heated battle for playoff positioning.
Under the radar: While teammate Mark Derlago assaults the team’s record book, fellow forward Tyler Spurgeon is quietly having an All-ECHL-caliber season. Despite missing nearly 20 games during a callup to the American Hockey League earlier this season, the 23-year-old Spurgeon is among the ECHL leaders in plus/minus rating (2nd, plus-32), points (14th, 61), and goals (17th, 25). The Edmonton, Alberta, native has been called the best center in the ECHL by others in the National Conference.
The Idaho Steelheads (46-15-5) struck first less than two minutes into tonight’s matchup with the Victoria Salmon Kings (32-29-6), and never looked back as Idaho won its second straight game behind a hat trick from John Swanson and Rejean Beauchemin’s second shutout of the season.
Swanson put Idaho on the board first on his 19th of the season, a wrist shot that beat Victoria goaltender Matt Keetley, assisted by Marty Flichel and Matt McKnight at 1:44 of the opening period.
At 8:19, Mark Derlago scored on a wrist shot from the left circle for his 39th of the season. Evan Barlow and Flichel assisted on the power play goal; a goal that vaulted Derlago into a tie for the Steelheads’ record for goals in an ECHL season. Previously, D’Arcy McConvey scored 39 goals in 2005-06, and Flichel fell one-short of 40 goals in 2006-07. The goal also gave Derlago 87 points, which ties him with Flichel’s team record for points in an ECHL season. Flichel had 87 points in 2006-07.
Derlago’s goal marked the end of the night for Victoria goalie Matt Keetley, who played just 8:19 before he was relieved by Glenn Fisher in the Salmon Kings’ net. Fisher lasted the duration of the game.
At 14:05 of the first period, Ashton Rome carried a puck into the offensive end, found Barlow in the right circle, and Barlow quickly dished a pass to a trailing Kevin DeVergilio in the high slot for the one-timer goal. The tally was DeVergilio’s 17th of the season.
After a scoreless second period, Swanson was back at it in the third period, scoring top-shelf at 9:31 for his 20th of the season, assisted by Brandan Kushniruk. At 13:53, Swanson tallied one more to complete the hat trick, again going upstairs to beat goalie Glenn Fisher. Flichel and Steve Oleksy earned assists on the goal; Swanson’s 21st.
Rejean Beauchemin stopped 36 of 36 shots, earning his second shutout of the season. His 36 saves is a new season-high, surpassing the 35 saves he made on October 23, 2009 in Utah. Beauchemin is now 25-9-2.
Matt Keetley suffers the loss, as he stopped six of eight shots in 8:19 of work. Keetley is 2-6-0 for the Salmon Kings. In 51:41 of work, Glenn Fisher stopped 26 of 29 shots.
The Steelheads and Salmon Kings will play the middle game of this three-game set on Friday night at Qwest Arena. The puck drops at 7:10 PM.