Idaho earns 5-3 win over Victoria.

For Immediate Release

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Victoria, BC – In a Saturday night series finale the Victoria Salmon Kings took on the Idaho Steelheads at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre. The Salmon Kings started Matt Keetley, while the Steelheads gave Rejean Beauchemin the call in net.

Idaho scored the lone goal of the first period at the 8:30 mark. A pass from the right sideboards by Mark McCutcheon found the stick of Mark Derlago in the slot who wristed a shot past the glove of Keetley. The teams went into the intermission with the Steelheads in front 1-0.

The Steelheads extended their lead in the middle frame at the 4:48 mark. Keetley made a stabbing glove save to stop the initial shot by McCutcheon, but on the rebound Derlago scored his second of the game and 36th of the season. Just over a minute later Idaho added another goal as Steve Oleksy registered his first goal of the season with a shot from the high slot. Idaho’s power play gave them a 4-0 lead when Marty Flichel’s wrist shot from the right faceoff circle beat the Salmon Kings’ goaltender. The goal was Flichel’s 12th of the campaign. Victoria got on the board at the 15:53 mark when Jeff Lynch slammed Olesky behind the Steelheads’ net. The rookie then pulled the puck from the behind the net and went forehand to backhand and lifted the puck past the pad of Beauchemin. The goal was Lynch’s first as a professional. The Salmon Kings trailed the Steelheads 4-1 after two periods of play.

The Salmon Kings cut the deficit in half early in the third period while on the man advantage. Beauchemin stopped a shot by Chad Painchaud, but Randall Gelech was on the doorstep to bury his 19th of the season. Idaho responded under a minute later as Tyler Spurgeon collected his 24th goal of the season off a 3-on-2 rush. Victoria brought the Idaho lead down to two goals at the 4:19 mark. Painchaud intercepted a pass from Beauchemin and fired the puck past the Idaho netminder. The goal gave Painchaud 27 on the season. That was as close as the Victoria would get. Steelheads 5 Salmon Kings 3.

Victoria went 1/3=33.3% on the power play, while Idaho was 1/3=33.3%. The Steelheads outshot the Salmon Kings 26-22.

The Salmon Kings now hit the road for their final road trip of the regular season with two games against Bakersfield, one against Stockton, and three against Idaho. The Salmon Kings return home March 31st for a three-game series against the Utah Grizzlies. For tickets, call 250-220-7777 or visit www.selectyourtickets.com

-30-

For further information contact:

Jeff Harris

Director of Media and Community Relations

and Assistant General Manager

Victoria Salmon Kings Hockey Club

250-220-2612

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

www.salmonkings.com