The Idaho Steelheads' season is over. There will be no championship this year for a championship-calibre team that racked up more wins and points than any other team in the ECHL regular season.
The Steelies lost to the Cincinnati Cyclones 2-1 in Game 5 of the Kelly Cup Finals at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati on Friday night.
Cincinnati wins the best-of-seven series 4-1. Every game of the finals was decided by one goal.
In Game 5 the Cyclones jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a first period goal by Dustin Sproat.
The Steelheads answered back when Matt McKnight scored at 5:51 of the second period.
Five minutes later Cyclones forward Brett Robinson scored the go-ahead goal. Cincinnati made it stand up, even though they were outshot for the game 23-16.
Idaho could not find an answer for Cyclones goalie Robert Mayer, who along with goalie-mate Jeremy Smith, was named co-Most Valuable Players of the playoffs. Mayer played every game of the finals, notching a shutout to go along with his 1.68 goals-against average and .933 save percentage.
When the Game 5 final buzzer sounded, confetti floated down from the rafters of U.S. Bank Arena to the delight of a record crowd of 13,483. The Cyclones took turns hoisting the Cup, long after the Steelheads players left the ice.
