OT Thriller Evens Idaho-Utah ECHL Playoff Series 1-1

Sometimes having the home ice advantage in the 2-3-2 playoff series format is somewhat deceiving. If the visiting team, in this case the Utah Grizzlies win the first game of the series, they have three of the next four games at home up 1-0.

That's exactly how the Steelheads began their first round Kelly Cup Playoff series, losing 7-1 to Utah Friday night and with the loss, there went the home ice advantage!

The only answer is to win gam two Saturday at Century Link Arena and that's what the Steelheads did 3-2 in an overtime thriller.

Kale Kessy scored a pair of goals including the game winner 12:04 into the overtime.

Tied 2-2 on OT,  Kessy tipped a puck away in the offensive end, and forward A.J. White centered a pass back to Kessy, who flipped the game-winning goal into the net at 7:56 for the 3-2 overtime win and an even series, 1-1.

It was the Steelheads first playoff overtime win since Apr. 15, 2015, also against the Grizzlies.

Now the best of 7 series moves to Salt lake City for the next three games starting Wednesday night.

With the win Saturday night the Steelheads need just one win in Salt lake to return the series back to Idaho for the final two games if necessary but because Utah took the series opener, they can close out the Steelheads by holding home ice advantage.