Boise, Idaho – The Allen Americans, ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators, and Belleville Senators, played the middle game of a three-game series on Friday night at Idaho Central Arena and the Americans fell 4-2 in front of a crowd of 5,213.
Idaho struck first in the opening period as Nick Canade won a battle in the corner and walked the puck to the front of the net and put a backhander past Marco Costantini for his second of the season to give Idaho the 1-0 lead. The Americans would respond five minutes later as Bennett MacArthur kept the puck alive in front of the Steelheads net setting up a Johnny Walker rebound for his fourth goal of the season from Bennett MacArthur and Colin Jacobs at the 9:39 mark to tie the score 1-1. Idaho outshot the Americans 13-10 after the first period with Marco Costantini stopping 12 of 13 Idaho shots.
The Steelheads owned the second period outscoring the Americans 3-0 in that second frame. AJ White with the go-ahead goal, his 15th of the season on the power play. Then Mark Rassell, who leads Idaho with 23 goals got behind the Americans defense and slid home the third Idaho goal of the night to make it 3-1 Steelheads. Nick Canade found the back of the net for the second time in the game with his third of the season to increase the lead to 4-1. Idaho outshot the Americans 14 to 6 in the second period.
A wild third period with a combined 57 minutes of penalties saw the Americans score the only goal of the final frame. Colby McAuley scored his league-leading 11th power play goal of the season, his 20th goal of the year to cut the lead to 4-2 but that was as close as they would get. The Americans outshot Idaho 18 to 9 in the final frame.
“We’re disappointed that we couldn't get more goals on the long five-minute power play,” said Americans Head Coach Chad Costello. “We outplayed them and outshot them in the final period holding them to just two shots over the first 15 minutes of the period but couldn’t get any closer than two goals. We’re not going down without a fight.”
The final regular season meeting between the two teams is Saturday night at 8:10 PM CST. The Americans will look to salvage one win and grab three points out of six in the series.
Adirondack Thunder
Allen Americans
Atlanta Gladiators
Bloomington Bison
Cincinnati Cyclones
Florida Everblades
Fort Wayne Komets
Greenville Swamp Rabbits
Idaho Steelheads
Indy Fuel
Iowa Heartlanders
Jacksonville Icemen
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Kansas City Mavericks
Maine Mariners
Norfolk Admirals
Orlando Solar Bears
Rapid City Rush
Reading Royals
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Toledo Walleye
Trois-Rivières Lions
Tulsa Oilers
Utah Grizzlies
Wheeling Nailers
Wichita Thunder
Worcester Railers