Postgame recap presented by AleworX Stateline
After winning 7-3 against Idaho on Wednesday, the Tahoe Knight Monsters were handed a taste of their own medicine in game two on Friday, losing 6-2 to the Steelheads at the Idaho Central Arena.
They surrendered four second period goals and a Connor MacEachern hat trick in the loss, and the six goals allowed are tied for the most they have given up all season long.
The first period was back-and-forth for the most part, with Idaho shading Tahoe in terms of shots on goal 12-8. But it was the Knight Monsters who struck first, as a fortuitous bounce off a Nate Kallen shot fluttered over the head of Idaho netminder Tomas Sholl to make it 1-0
But just 19 seconds later, MacEachern would tally his first of the day with a backdoor one-timer to even things out.
And then in the second, things got out of hand quickly.
Just 46 seconds into the frame, MacEachern would notch his second strike of the contest. And Idaho scored three more times throughout the frame, with a Brendan Hoffman shorthanded goal with under three minutes to go being a true backbreaker.
While Simon Pinard did score around four minutes into the third period in his first game back with the Knight Monsters, it was too little, too late. MacEachern finished off the hat trick with a ripping wrist shot late in the third, and that was it for Tahoe.
Knight Monsters goaltender Jesper Vikman was saddled with his first regulation loss of his ECHL campaign, allowing all six goals on 41 shots seen, both of which were season highs.
Tahoe will look for the series win on Saturday against Idaho at 6:10 pm. And don’t forget, after every Knight Monsters home game check out a postgame party at AleWorX Stateline for wood-fired pizza, self-serve beer, and great scenery.