Ben Kraws makes 41 saves as Idahowins at home.
The Idaho Steelheads (2-0-0-0, 4pts) downed the Toledo Walleye (2-1-0-0, four points Wednesday night 5-2 in front of a sellout crowd of 5,075 fans at the Idaho Central Arena.
The Steelheads had a 2-1 lead after the first period despite being outshot by Toledo 14-13.
Hank Crone would pot his first goal in a Steelheads jersey at 7:17 from Ty Pelton-Byce and Thomas Caron to give Idaho a 1-0 lead.
Caron sent a backhand saucer feed to Pelton-Byce, who drove through the right circle, directing it to his left where Crone sent a quick shot near side on Walleye goaltender Jan Bednar.
Just 4:49 later, Connor MacEachern would increase the lead to 2-0 with A.J. White and Matt Register collecting assists. From behind his own net, Register snapped the puck up the right side for MacEachern, who led a two-on-one with White and slid the puck to the Captain in the high slot. White fed MacEachern back in the right circle for a one-timer into the back of the net.
Trenton Bliss got the Walleye on the board on a wraparound goal with 4:12 remaining in the first period.
Idaho went on their second power-play of the game 3:43 into the second frame. It took just 25 seconds into the man advantage for Caron to notch his first goal of the night at 4:08 for a 3-1 lead.
Idaho’s third power-play of the contest came at 11:56 of the second period. Brendan Hoffman scored his first as a Steelhead 29 seconds into the man advantage when the Walleye turned the puck over to A.J. White right in the left circle where he fed Hoffman backdoor.
Just 39 seconds later Casey Dornbach threw a shot toward the net that went off the backside of Josh Nodler, pulling Toledo back within two at 4-2.
Crone netted his second of the night for a 5-2 Idaho advantage just 42 seconds later. Kudla dumped the puck into the offensive zone, where A.J. White went in on the forecheck in the right corner. White spun and rifled a behind-the-back, backhand pass for Crone in the high slot where he sent a wrist shot off the near post into the net.
The Steelheads led 5-2 after 40 minutes of play despite being outshot by the Walleye 16-8 in the middle frame. Both goalies stiffened in the third without allowing a goal for the 5-2 final.
Ben Kraws made 41 saves on 43 shots in the victory while Bednar made 22 saves on 27 shots in the loss.
Idaho went 2-for-5 on the power-play while Toledo was 3-for-3. The Steelheads outshot Toledo 43-27.
The two teams will meet again this Friday and Saturday at 7:10 Pm In Idaho.