Idaho got its largest margin of victory in a 7-0 win in West Valley City Monday night.
In the lone contest on Monday’s ECHL schedule, the Idaho Steelheads thoroughly dominated in a 7-0 victory in West Valley City over the Utah Grizzlies.
Steelheads goaltender Ben Kraws recorded the first shutout of his pro hockey career, and the seven goals tied a team high this season and the largest margin of victory.
Brendan Hoffmann and Connor MacEachern each tallied two goals and an assist in the win, which moved Idaho’s record to 23-15-5-0. The Grizzlies fell to 14-23-4-1.
The Steelheads quickly set the tone for the game, scoring three goals in a span of less than seven minutes in the first period. Demetrios Koumontzis scored his second of the year at 8:29 from the left circle. Hoffmann and Andrew Bellant each earned an assist.
Two minutes later, Hoffmann got his 17th of the season and first of two on the night off a rebound, with Matt Register and Koumontzis picking up assists.
The Steelheads increased the lead to 3-0 when Patrick Moynihan rifled in a one-timer below the left circle at the 15:26 mark.
Things only got worse for Utah in the middle frame, as the Steelheads put three more goals on the board in a stretch of 5:37. Wade Murphy put in a one-timer from the left circle at 10:04 for his first of the season for a 4-0 lead.
MacEachern struck just 16 seconds later, getting a rebound at the crease after an initial shot from the center of the blueline from Nick Canade was stopped.
Utah pulled goaltender Jake Barczewski at that point in favor of Vinny Duplessis.
Idaho went up 6-0 38 seconds into their third penalty-kill of the period. Hoffmann scored the shorthanded goal after Trevor Zins blocked a shot in the defensive zone, leading to a two-on-one rush.
The Steelheads’ final tally came at the 6:39 mark of the third period. MacEachern notched his second of the night and 16th of the year on a breakaway from Jade Miller.
Kraws was outstanding in net, making 34 saves for his first professional shutout, while Barczewski made 20 saves on 25 shots in 30:20 of play. Duplessis saved 16 of 18 shots in the loss.
Idaho outshot the Grizzlies 43-34. The Steelheads are on a five-game point streak (3-0-2) and have a point in seven of their last eight games. The shutout was the club’s first of the season.