The Allen Americans, ECHL affiliate of the Ottawa Senators (NHL), and Belleville Senators (AHL), dropped the first of three against the Idaho Steelheads on Wednesday night by a score of 7-4, in front of a sellout crowd of 5,061 in Boise.
The Idaho Steelheads jumped on the Americans early on Wednesday night scoring just 2:04 into the opening frame. Ty Pelton-Byce with his sixth of the year to make it 1-0. The Steelheads added to their lead six minutes later as Jade Miller knocked one into the Allen net past Luke Peressini to make it 2-0 after the first period.
Idaho would score quickly in the second just forty seconds into the period and added another at the 1:58 mark of the second making it 4-0 Steelheads. The Americans finally got on the board at 5:04 of the second period as Jared Bethune netted his first of the season shorthanded from Joe Widmar. It was Widmar’s first point with Allen. The hottest player in the Allen lineup cut the lead to two goals as Liam Finlay took a pass from Hank Crone and fired one top shelf into the Steelheads net to cut the lead to 4-2, but Idaho wasn’t done in the second period either, as Justin Misiak gave the Steelheads their three-goal lead back 5-2. That’s the way the period ended with Allen outshooting Idaho 14-12 in the second period.
The teams traded goals in the third period. Allen cut the lead to two goals for the second time in the game on Jack Combs 8th of the year, but Idaho would spoil the comeback plan adding an empty-netter late in the third period to give Idaho the 7-4 win taking game one of the three-game series.
Zach Pochiro had a milestone goal in defeat scoring his 100th professional goal but the end result was a loss, as the Americans dropped to under 500 at 5-6-1-0.
The two teams will take Thanksgiving Day off and resume the series on Friday night at Idaho Central Arena. Puck drop is 8:10 pm CST
Three Stars:1. IDH – T. Pelton-Byce2. IDH – O. Headrick3. IDH – J. Miller
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