The Grizzlies hit the road for the Thanksgiving holiday. The boys play 4 games in 5 nights, which is quite the schedule, but so far this season Utah has a better record on the road. Though, the Grizzlies have only played 4 games at home, so we don't know if that says much. They start out their road trip back in Bakersfield, which should make for an interesting match on Wednesday.
Since news is slow today, we decided to check on some former Grizzlies players in Europe.
James Sixsmith has picked up 6 points (2g, 4a) in 20 games with the Cologne Sharks in the DEL. We found this interview of Sixer on YouTube:
After looking up Sixsmith, we headed over to Croatia (figuratively speaking, of course) to check on the former Grizzlies captain Ryan Kinasewich.
Snatch has picked up 25 points (10g, 15a) in 20 games with the Medveščak Zagreb. We also found some clips of Ryan, but they've been dubbed so we can't be sure of what he's saying. We think we can hear ECHL and Utah Grizzlies in there somewhere . . .
In other ECHL news, former Steelheads goalie Richard Bachman picked up the Goalie of the Week award in the AHL. This doesn't surprise us for some reason . . . Bachman picked up all three wins in his 3 starts last week.
We did warn everyone that we would be spending the weekend moping about in our bathrobes if the Grizzlies lost. And we did. Here is your belated and final post game of the season.
The Steelheads scored 3 times in the 1st, the last of the 3 goals coming in the final minute of the period. Utah thought they had scored the first goal of the game, but the puck was not seen to cross the red line. In the 2nd Idaho tacked another goal to their total, ending the period 4-0.
The Grizzlies tallied their only goal during the 3rd as they kept the Steelheads to a scoreless period, ending the game 4-1 in Idaho's favor.
From the official post game:
The Idaho Steelheads defeated the Utah Grizzlies 4-1 Friday night at the E-Center to defeat Utah four games to none in the ECHL’s National Conference Semifinals. The Grizzlies season ends in the second round of the postseason. [utahgrizzlies.com]
IDH M. McCutcheon (3), 9:50 1st period (Derlago, Flichel); Steelheads 1, Grizzlies 0 IDH E. Barlow (3), 11:51 1st period (McCutcheon, Flichel); Steelheads 2, Grizzlies 0 IDH B. Kushniruk (1), 19:52 1st period (McCutcheon); Steelheads 3, Grizzlies 0 IDH M. McKnight (3), 5:02 2nd period (DeVergilio, Friesen); Steelheads 4, Grizzlies 0 UTA T. May (3), 11:15 3rd period (Sixsmith, Crowder); Steelheads 4, Grizzlies 1
Stars of the Game:
1. IDH - R. Bachman 2. IDH - M. McCutcheon 3. UTA - T. May
Additional Notes:
> James Sixsmith lead the team with 6 SOG and also tallied an assist. > Mike Morrison stopped 23 of 27 of in the match. > Thanks for an awesome season, Grizzlies!
Against a team like Idaho, the Grizzlies just can't bank on that miracle 3rd period we've become accustomed to in the last half of the season.
The Steelheads picked up the first two goals of the game at 13:02 and 13:55 in the 1st. Utah responded before the end of the period with a goal of their own, 2-1. In the 2nd, Idaho struck at 13:02 again with another goal, then increased the deficit on the power play before the Grizzlies scored a power play goal of their own to make it 4-2 heading into the 3rd period.
In the 3rd period, Idaho scored 3 goals in approximately 1 1/2 minutes, which resulted in Morrison being replaced in net with Stehrenberger who stopped all 10 shots he saw. Utah struggled to close the 5 goal gap but to no avail. The game ended 7-2 in Idaho's favor.
From the official post game:
The Idaho Steelheads broke open a 4-2 third period score and defeated the Utah Grizzlies 7-2 Friday night in Boise in game one of the National Conference semifinals. [utahgrizzlies.com]
IDH M. McKnight (1), 13:02 1st period (Tousignant); Steelheads 1, Grizzlies 0 IDH M. McCutcheon (1), 13:55 1st period (Flichel, Milnamow); Steelheads 2, Grizzlies 0 UTA M. MacMillan (2), 18:06 1st period (Clarke, May); Steelheads 2, Grizzlies 1 IDH J. Swanson (1), 13:02 2nd period (Dickson); Steelheads 3, Grizzlies 1 IDH M. McCutcheon (2), 15:29 2nd period (Barlow); Steelheads 4, Grizzlies 1 UTA R. Kinasewich (6), 19:31 2nd period (Hunter, Sixsmith); Steelheads 4, Grizzlies 2 IDH E. Barlow (1), 5:54 3rd period (Dawson); Steelheads 5, Grizzlies 2 IDH M. McKnight (2), 6:35 3rd period (DeVergilio); Steelheads 6, Grizzlies 2 IDH J. Dickson (1), 7:27 3rd period (Flichel); Steelheads 7, Grizzlies 2
What Worked Well: Penalty Kill The penalty kill was one of the only times the Grizzlies looked alive on the ice during this match. Killing a 5-on-3 and only dropping 1 out of 8, the PK put up some amazing defense to kill off the shorthanded situations Utah continually found themselves in. If Utah had this sort of determination during 5-on-5 situations, this would have been a different game.
What Could Have Worked Better: Staying out of the box The high penalty count seems to be happening on a pretty regular basis. We don't like it. It takes the boys away from the business of scoring goals and leaves them - for the most part - stuck in their own end. Clean it up, please.
Who Made the Difference: Mike Morrison While Mike did get pulled in the 3rd, we're guessing it was not soley because of the 7 goals, but to give the poor kid a rest. Morrison stood on his head in the match and made plenty of amazing saves. He's the reason the score was only 4-2 going into the 3rd and considering some of those saves, we're honestly surprised there were only 7 goals allowed rather than 14.
Stars of the Game:
1. IDH - M. McCutcheon 2. IDH - M. McKnight 3. IDH - M. Tousignant
Additional Notes:
> Mike Morrison stopped 35 out or 42 in the match. Stehrenberger stopped 10 of 10 that he saw. > We really can't think of any additional notes here . . .
The Grizzlies needed this win to advance, and they deserved every moment of their victory. 12 more wins to the Cup, indeed!
Utah started the scoring 7:36 into the 1st with a goal from Captain Kinasewich. They never looked back. In the 2nd, The Grizzlies tacked on 3 goals in a 2 1/2 minute time span to increase their lead over the Wranglers, 4-0.
James Sixsmith picked up a goal 6:50 into the 3rd, and Las Vegas grabbed their first and only goal of the night on the power play to end the game 5-1 in the Grizzlies favor.
From the official post game:
The Utah Grizzlies defeated the Las Vegas Wranglers 5-1 Tuesday night at the E-Center to win the best-of-five quarterfinal series three games to two. Utah advances to the second round where they will face the Idaho Steelheads in a best-of-seven series that will begin Friday in Boise. [utahgrizzlies.com]
UTA R. Kinasewich (4), 7:36 1st period (Perry, Suda); Grizzlies 1, Wranglers 0 UTA A. Perry (2), 2:57 2nd period (Gannon, Suda); Grizzlies 2, Wranglers 0 UTA T. Crowder (4), 3:11 2nd period (Gannon, Galbraith); Grizzlies 3, Wranglers 0 UTA R. Kinasewich (5), 5:05 2nd period (Sixsmith, Perry); Grizzlies 4, Wranglers 0 UTA J. Sixsmith (2), 6:50 3rd period (Perry, Crowder); Grizzlies 5, Wranglers 0 LV M. Lawrence (1), 8:45 3rd period (Krischuk, Pollastrone); Grizzlies 5, Wranglers 1
What Worked Well: You name it Too much worked well in this game to single out anything in particular. Defense was kick ass, goaltending was beyond steller, offense pushed it to the limit, special teams were on the ball, and the boys stuck up for each other. Ah, the fights. Overall, a game of epic proportions.
What Could Have Worked Better: Pfft . . . Not even gonna bother with this one today.
Who Made the Difference: Jake Gannon All of the boys worked their guts out this game and we definitely want to give special attention to AJ Perry for his work on 4 of the 5 Grizzlies' goals and Mikko Koskinen for his astounding 38 saves. But Jake Gannon really set the tone for the team in the 1st by putting the pressure on the Wranglers and not letting up. And that made all the difference in the world. Nicely done.
Stars of the Game:
1. UTA - A. Perry 2. UTA - M. Koskinen 3. UTA - R. Kinasewich
Additional Notes:
> Six Grizzlies had multiple point games: Ryan Kinasewich (2g), AJ Perry (1g, 3a), Tim Crowder (1g, 1a), James Sixsmith (1g, 1a), Jake Gannon (2a), and Justin Suda (2a). > Mikko Koskinen stopped 38 of 39 for the win. > Matt Clarke led the team with 6 SOG. Sixsmith and Kinasewich tied for second with 5 SOG a piece.
The Grizzlies pulled out another stunner of a 3rd. Just when we thought things couldn't get any worse, they got better. The boys collected a 3 goal final period and pushed the series to Game 5.
Las Vegas picked up an incredibly quick goal 0:13 into the 1st. The Grizzlies answered at the halfway mark with a power play goal to tie the game, but the Wranglers responded before the end of the period, 2-1. The 2nd period was scoreless and quite lackluster for both teams as Mike Morrison held Las Vegas from advancing their lead.
Utah came alive in the 3rd, scoring 3 goals on 7 shots. Brian Kilburg tied the game at 6:47, and Tim Crowder gave the Grizzlies their first lead of the night just over 4 minutes later. Kinasewich added to his playoff total with an empty netter to end the game 4-2 in Utah's favor.
From the official post game:
The Utah Grizzlies scored three third period goals to defeat the Las Vegas Wranglers 4-2 Sunday evening at the E-Center. The Utah win ties the 2-3 ECHL best-of-five series at two games apiece with game five scheduled for Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. at the E-Center. [utahgrizzlies.com]
LV C. Neiszner (3), 0:13 1st period (Collins); Wranglers 1, Grizzlies 0 UTA L. Galbraith (1), 9:59 1st period (Sixsmith, Perry); Wranglers 1, Grizzlies 1 LV R. Weston (2), 18:48 1st period (Goers); Wranglers 2, Grizzlies 1 UTA B. Kilburg (1), 6:47 3rd period (Sixsmith, Hunter); Wranglers 2, Grizzlies 2 UTA T. Crowder (3) 10:51 3rd period (Clarke, May); Wranglers 2, Grizzlies 3 UTA R. Kinasewich (3), 19:57 EN 3rd period (Sixsmith, Clarke); Wranglers 2, Grizzlies 4
What Worked Well: 3rd period The final 20 minutes were an entirely different game from the first 40. At the end of the 2nd period the arena was completely dead, and we suspected that any glimmer of a Game 5 was as well. However, the Grizzlies really picked things up after Kilburg tied the game and were able to turn things around completely with 3 goals (Kilburg, Crowder, Kinasewich) in the 3rd and wake the crowd back up for their win.
What Could Have Worked Better: The first 40 minutes The first 40 minutes of the game were lackluster at best. The boys looked like they weren't going to play, and when they did it seemed they had trouble connecting. We were sitting by the bench, and it was hard not to notice Colley during the 2nd. When the coach can't even bear to watch the game, you know things aren't going well.
Who Made the Difference: Mike Morrison Stopping 32 of 34, Morrison practically (and at times, literally) stood on his head for this win. He definitely kept the Grizzies in the game during the first 2 periods of play and helped them finish strong in the final frame. We already count Sixsmith as a given, Crowder as an up and coming, Matt Clarke as stellar with his +7, and wanted to give a shout out for Kilburg's game-tying goal; but we can't say enough about Morrison's performance here. And if anyone saw the crazy glove catch to end the 3rd period Grizzlies penalty - could there have been a more metaphoric or cinematic moment? Bravo.
Stars of the Game:
1. UTA - T. Crowder 2. UTA - J. Sixsmith 3. UTA - B. Kilburg
Additional Notes:
> James Sixsmith picked up another 3 assists in this game and Matt Clarke had 2 assists. > Sixer now sits at 9 points (1g, 8a) in 4 playoff games. Holy $%^#!! > Mike Morrison stopped 32 of 34 and stood on his head for the win. > Tim Crowder's goal gives him 3 goals in 4 playoff games, Ryan Kinasewich has 4 points (3g, 1a) in 4 playoff games, and Matt Clarke comes in with 4 assists in 4.
The only reason the Grizzlies stayed in this game is because James Sixsmith makes things happen. The boys need to pick it up if they want to stay in the playoffs past Sunday.
Las Vegas took over the 1st period of play, scoring 3 goals this round to end the period 3-0 in their favor. The Grizzlies exchanged goalies at the end of the period with Morrison taking over for Koskinen in net. The Wranglers increased their lead to 4-0 at the beginning of the 2nd period, but Utah responded with a gorgeous goal from Matt Sorteberg to get the Grizzlies on the scoreboard for the first time in the game. The Grizzlies picked up another goal with a shorthanded effort from Sixsmith and Kinasewich to decrease the deficit, 4-2. About a minute after Vegas decided to maul Sixsmith after the whistle (we missed why), and the boys dove in for a seriously awesome line brawl. However, Las Vegas responded before the end of the period on the power play to regain a 3 goal lead.
Utah struck 0:34 into the 3rd with another Kinasewich goal, but the Wranglers responded with one of their own to end the game 6-3 in their favor.
From the official post game:
The Las Vegas Wranglers defeated the Utah Grizzlies 6-3 Saturday night at the E-Center to take a two games to one lead in this best-of-five first round playoff series. Game four of the series is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. Sunday at the E-Center. [utahgrizzlies.com]
LV A. Miller (1), 11:24 1st period (Lukacevic, Goers); Wranglers 1, Grizzlies 0 LV J. Prudden (2), 15:42 1st period (Lukacevic, Krischuk); Wranglers 2, Grizzlies 0 LV C. Neiszner (2), 19:16 1st period (Bourret, Lawrence); Wranglers 3, Grizzlies 0 LV N. Lukacevic (1), 4:47 2nd period; Wranglers 4, Grizzlies 0 UTA M. Sorteberg (1), 8:15 2nd period (MacMillan, Perry); Wranglers 4, Grizzlies 1 UTA R. Kinasewich (1), 10:27 2nd period (Sixsmith, Kilburg); Wranglers 4, Grizzlies 2 LV N. Lukacevic (2), 19:48 2nd period (Miller, Switzer); Wranglers 5, Grizzlies 2 UTA R. Kinasewich (2), 0:34 3rd period (Sixsmith, Galbraith); Wranglers 5, Grizzlies 3 LV A. Bourret (2), 5:15 3rd period (Madill, Lawrence); Wranglers 6, Grizzlies 3
What Worked Well: Sixsmith to Kinasewich We've said before that Sixsmith can make just about any line work, but the two goals tonight were set up beautifully by James Sixsmith and executed perfectly by Captain Kinasewich. Vegas didn't even see it coming. We expect to see these two on the same line tomorrow as well.
What Could Have Worked Better: Goaltending Not the greatest game for goaltending. While things were cleaned up a bit in the 3rd, Koskinen allowed 3 out of 8 before getting pulled and Morrison did slightly better, allowing 3 out of 18. The boys definitely could have used a stronger defense, but neither netminder seemed on top of their game tonight.
Who Made the Difference: Ryan Kinasewich We figured by now that James Sixsmith is just a given factor in the Grizzlies' success each night. However, we'd been waiting to see a game from Kinasewich. Tonight was the night. Picking up two Sixsmith assisted goals, a team leading 6 SOG, and the 3rd star of the game, Ryan boosted his playoff stats to 3 points in 3 games.
Stars of the Game:
1. LV - N. Lukacevic 2. LV - A. Bourret 3. UTA - R. Kinasewich
Additional Notes:
> Ryan Kinasewich (2g) and James Sixsmith (2a) were the only Grizzlies to have multiple point games tonight. > Something we noticed: Kinasewich had two Wranglers on him the entire game, particularly on the power play. This means we're going to need to see something from the other lines pronto. > We have several clips of the 2nd period line brawl, but we need to edit it together before we post it. > Also: Thank You, Matt Sorteberg.
For some reason, we've almost become more comfortable with the opposition scoring first as we've entered the last half of the season. Either way, the Grizzlies picked up the win and evened the series before returning to Utah.
Las Vegas took an early lead 2:29 into the 1st with a 5-on-5 goal. The Grizzlies came back to tie things about 4 minutes later, then added a Sixsmith shorthanded goal before the end of the period, 2-1. The 2nd saw no scoring from either team, even though Utah was awarded a penalty shot early into the period and the Wranglers had 3 power play chances to respond.
AJ Perry increased the Grizzlies lead 3:58 into the 3rd on the power play, then Crowder picked up an empty netter at the bottom of the period to end the game 4-1 in Utah's favor.
From the official post game:
The Utah Grizzlies scored four unanswered goals to defeat the Las Vegas Wranglers 4-1 Wednesday night at the Orleans Arena. The win evens up the 2-3 best-of-five series at one headed back to the E-Center for game three Saturday at 7:05 p.m. [utahgrizzlies.com]
LV K. Hagel (3), 2:29 1st period (Neiszner); Wranglers 1, Grizzlies 0 UTA P. Vandermeer (1), 6:16 1st period (MacMillan); Wranglers 1, Grizzlies 1 UTA J. Sixsmith (1), 14:24 1st period; Wranglers 1, Grizzlies 2 UTA A. Perry (1), 3:58 3rd period (Hunter, Wilson); Wranglers 1, Grizzlies 3 UTA T. Crowder (2), EN 18:09 3rd period; Wranglers 1, Grizzlies 4
What Worked Well: Penalty Kill The boys went 0 for 6 on the penalty kill, and while we would have loved to see them stay out of the box just a tad bit more, Utah's PK worked wonders and even picked up a Sixsmith shorthanded goal. Nicely done.
What Could Have Worked Better: Power Play We really don't think there's a lot to improve on here. We'd just like to see them score on the next 5-on-3 chance they get. They were still able to convert at 25% last night, so again we're not too worried.
Who Made the Difference: Mikko Koskinen While we don't want to overshadow the impact of Sixsmith and the constant drive and force that is MacMillan, we wanted to give a shout out to Koskinen for his brilliant comeback. Stopping 33 of 34 and picking up the first star of the game, Mikko was solid in net when the Grizzlies needed it most.
Stars of the Game:
1. UTA - M. Koskinen 2. UTA - J. Sixsmith 3. LV - K. Hagel
Additional Notes:
> Dylan Hunter continues his scoring streak - we're thinking it's 15 games or so now. > Mikko Koskinen stopped 33 of 34 shots he saw during the match. > The win by Utah makes Game 4 a necessity. Go Grizzlies!
With a solid 3rd period, the Grizzlies were able to wrap up their regular season with a win and a home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Utah picked up an early lead 0:24 seconds into the initial frame with a goal from Dylan Hunter. Victoria responded 5 minutes later with one of their own and the game remained tied during the 1st, 1-1. The Grizzlies grabbed the lead again in the 2nd, with another goal from their top line, but the Salmon Kings tied it up again and the teams headed into the final frame 2-2.
In the 3rd, the Grizzlies dominated the period to wrap the game up nicely. Starting with a Kinasewich goal, Utah picked up 3 goals in this period to end the game 5-2 in their favor.
From the official post game:
Utah captain Ryan Kinasewich started a third period three-goal in 4:17 barrage as he took a setup from Dylan Hunter 3:42 into the frame to give Utah a 3-2 lead on his league-leading 48th goal of the season. 18 seconds later, Tim Crowder knocked in his tenth goal of the year to make it 4-2 as Utah capped off their fastest back-to-back goals this year. [utahgrizzlies.com]
UTA D. Hunter (18), 0:24 1st period (Kinasewich); Grizzlies 1, Salmon Kings 0 VIC L. Morrison (4), 5:06 1st period (Southern, Walsky); Grizzlies 1, Salmon Kings 1 UTA A. Perry (30), 5:57 2nd period (Hunter, Kinasewich); Grizzlies 2, Salmon Kings 1 VIC O. Filion (12), 12:47 2nd period (Goldie); Grizzlies 2, Salmon Kings 2 UTA R. Kinasewich (48), 3:42 3rd period (Hunter, Clarke); Grizzlies 3, Salmon Kings 2 UTA T. Crowder (11), 4:00 3rd period (Sixsmith); Grizzlies 4, Salmon Kings 2 UTA S. McJannet (4), 7:59 3rd period (MacMillan, Galbraith); Grizzlies 5, Salmon Kings 2
What Worked Well: 3rd period If the Grizzlies were looking to wrap the season up nice and tidy, they did with their domination of the 3rd period. 3 goals came in this final frame to give them the win, and the boys worked to keep the Salmon Kings from responding.
What Could Have Worked Better: Power Play Going 0 for 4 on the power play, the boys had problems controlling the puck and allowed Victoria to tie things up with a short handed goal. Isn't Utah supposed to have the best power play in the league? Do it better.
Who Made the Difference: Mikko Koskinen Utah would not have withstood the first 2 periods of this game without Mikko's help in the net. Not to mention his work stopping all 13 shots in the 3rd period of the game, which allowed Utah to grab the win.
Stars of the Game:
1. UTA - R. Kinasewich 2. VIC - E. Walsky 3. UTA - M. Koskinen
Additional Notes:
> Dylan Hunter extended his scoring streak to 13 games. > Captain Ryan Kinasewich ends the regular season with 48 goals, 103 points, and 322 SOG. > Utah gains home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs with the win.
Since the effort from the boys last night was so dismal, we thought we'd take a moment to review all the news that's been going on over the last week for a refreshing change of pace.
Grizzlies Awards Banquet
The Grizzlies held their annual Awards Banquet on Monday, March 29. Captain Kinasewich picked up 3 of the awards: Leading Scorer, MVP, and Fan Favorite. You can check out the full list of awards at the Utah Grizzlies website. Congratulations to all award winners!
Adventures in Canada
It sounds like the boys had quite the time getting to Victoria on Tuesday, March 30. After some scheduling issues and delays with getting to the island, the Grizzlies ended up taking the short bus for the last leg of the trip. This story gave us a good chuckle.
YAY for the Playoffs
Old news by now, but the Grizzlies clinched a playoff spot with their 2-1 win over Victoria on Wednesday. This was actually one of the better games we've seen from the boys this season, and they deserved every bit of that playoff spot. Nicely done.
New Goalies Galore
Mike Morrison joined the team this week to complete the Shea Guthrie trade with Florida from earlier in the season. The poor kid had a rough first day on the ice as he made his debut in the Grizzlies 9-2 barfjob loss to Victoria. Sorry about that, Mike.
Captain Kinasewich Rocks the 2009-2010 Season
Last but certainly not least, Ryan Kinasewich was selected for the ECHL 1st Team. Snatch has had a stellar season and this is a nice little cap to the end of 2009-2010. Way to go, Captain! It's well deserved.
Woo for making the playoffs! The Grizzlies clinched a playoff spot with their regulation win over Victoria. And no, it's not an April Fool's joke.
The Salmon Kings opened up the scoring just over a minute into the 1st period on the power play. Utah was held scoreless during the initial frame, but Captain Kinasewich tied things up with a power play goal of his own early in the 2nd, 1-1.
The defensive battle continued into the 3rd until the Grizzlies, via Matt Sorteberg, knocked one in to take the lead at 8:40 of the period, 2-1. Though Victoria battled back, Utah's defensive play kept them at bay until time expired.
From the official post game:
The Utah Grizzlies (33-28-4-5) defeated the Victoria Salmon Kings 2-1 in regulation Wednesday night in Victoria. The win officially clinches a Utah playoff berth for the fourth time in five years.
Utah took a 2-1 lead as Ryan Kinasewich eluded four Victoria defenders against the wall and fed Matt Sorteberg who walked into the right-wing circle and buried his second goal of the year 8:40 into the third period. [utahgrizzlies.com]
VIC M. Siddall (19), 1:15 1st period (Roach, Southern); Salmon Kings 1, Grizzlies 0 UTA R. Kinasewich (46), 2:56 2nd period (Sixsmith, Hunter); Salmon Kings 1, Grizzlies 1 UTA M. Sorteberg (2), 8:40 3rd period (Kinasewich, Hunter); Salmon Kings 1 Grizzlies 2
What Worked Well: Defense The only goal that the Grizzlies allowed during this game was when they were shorthanded. For 60 minutes, that means a lot of kick ass defense. Koshkinen, while on his game, only saw 24 shots during the contest which shows just how vital the defensive play was to this game. Nicely played, boys.
What Could Have Worked Better: Erm . . . Well, we're sure there was something. But honestly we love watching these two teams battle it out, so we decided to sit back and enjoy rather than analyze. Anyone wants to pipe in on this, feel free to comment or email.
Who Made the Difference: Matt Sorteberg We were debating between two defensemen for this: Tim Maxwell and Matt Sorteberg. While Maxwell was all over the defensive end, we decided on Sorteberg for both offensive and defensive contributions. Sorteberg picked up the game winner, played solid in the Grizzlies own end, added to the overall hustle and drive by Utah, and picked up the 3rd star of the game. Awesome.
Stars of the Game:
1. UTA - R. Kinasewich 2. VIC - M. Keetley 3. UTA - M. Sorteberg
Additional Notes:
> Both Ryan Kinasewich (1g, 1a) and Dylan Hunter (2a) had multiple point games. > Captain Kinasewich tied the record for most goals in a season with his 46th. > James Sixsmith reached a 9 game scoring streak. Dylan Hunter extended his scoring streak to 11 games. > This win guarenteed Utah a spot in the playoffs. Isn't it great to see that little x?
Utah piled on 7 goals for their 2 points, but the Condors definitely kept things interesting for the Grizzlies during this match up.
Bakersfield struck first for the second night in a row 5:01 into the 1st. The Grizzlies responded on the power play to tie things before the end of the period, 1-1. At the top of the 2nd, Perry gave Utah their first lead of the night, but the Condors were quick to respond and tie it once again, 2-2. The Grizzlies regained their lead with a goal from Clarke, then another from Hunter to build their lead before the end of the middle frame, 4-2.
In the 3rd, Utah increased their lead to 3 with a goal from May. The Condors quickly followed up with two of their own, bringing the deficit to a single goal, 5-4. But the Grizzlies tacked on two more goals, one from Sixsmith and the final goal from Kinasewich, to expand on their lead and seal the deal, 7-4.
From the official post game:
The Utah Grizzlies (32-28-4-5) defeated the Bakersfield Condors 7-4 Saturday night at the E-Center before 7,772 fans. The win guarantees Utah a winning season and their fourth season of .500 or better in the last five years.
Utah scored two goals in a 15-second span in the final 1:05 to break a 5-4 score and make it 7-4. [utahgrizzlies.com]
BAK A. Naglich (14), 5:01 1st period (Eichenlaub, Menei); Bakersfield 1, Grizzlies 0 UTA J. Sixsmith (23), 10:49 1st period (Maxwell, Hunter); Bakersfield 1, Grizzlies 1 UTA A. Perry (29), 2:31 2nd period (Vandermeer, Kinasewich); Bakersfield 1, Grizzlies 2 BAK D. Kissel (4), 3:13 2nd period (Ianiero, Goulet); Bakersfield 2, Grizzlies 2 UTA M. Clarke (4), 12:47 2nd period (Koskinen); Bakersfield 2, Grizzlies 3 UTA D. Hunter (16), 17:32 2nd period (Kinasewich, Vandermeer); Bakersfield 2, Grizzlies 4 UTA T. May (25), 2:56 3rd period (Sixsmith, Crowder); Bakersfield 2, Grizzlies 5 BAK A. Naglich (15), 4:22 3rd period (Kemp, Guyer); Bakersfield 3, Grizzlies 5 BAK M. Voakes (11), 17:40 3rd period (Kissel, Regan); Bakersfield 4, Grizzlies 5 UTA J. Sixsmith (24), 18:55 3rd period (Crowder); Bakersfield 4, Grizzlies 6 UTA R. Kinasewich (45), 19:10 3rd period; Bakersfield 4, Grizzlies 7
What Worked Well: Taking the puck to the net Unfortunately, we don't have a replay of every goal, but a good handful of those goals came from taking the puck deep and right up to the net: Perry, May, Sixsmith - all had goals by swooping down right in front of the net. Nice work.
What Could Have Worked Better: Staying out of the box The Grizzlies didn't allow Bakersfield as many chances as they did last night, but it's still something that could use a little improvement. There were also a couple of ill-timed penalties, including a shorthanded 5-on-3 situation that probably could have been avoided.
Who Made the Difference: James Sixsmith While we saw a pretty sweet game from the Grizzlies, James Sixsmith definitely lead the pack tonight. With two goals and an assist on the gamewinner, Sixer was continually in the right place at the right time and propelling all the Grizzlies forward.
Stars of the Game:
1. UTA - J. Sixsmith 2. UTA - D. Hunter 3. UTA - P. Vandermeer
Additional Notes:
> Five Grizzlies had multiple point nights: James Sixsmith (2g, 1a), Dylan Hunter (1g 1a), Ryan Kinasewich (1g, 2a), Peter Vandermeer (2a), and Tim Crowder (2a). > Mikko Koshkinen stopped 26 out of 30 shots and picked up an assist in the contest. > Ryan Kinasewich picked up his 45th goal of the season and currently leads the league in goals.
With a 5 minute major looming over most of the 3rd, the Grizzlies were unable to mount a comeback in this one goal game before time expired.
The Thunder struck first once again, but Utah grabbed one late in the period to tie things 1-1. Stockton responded less than a minute later and once more in the final minute of the 1st to regain the lead before the end of the 1st, 3-1. The Grizzlies had a very strong 2nd, picking up the only two goals in the period and collecting 22 SOG to the Thunder's 13. This left the teams tied 3-3 going into the final frame.
Stockton scored on the power play early in the 3rd to regain their lead, 4-3. Utah struggled with a comeback, but a 5 minute Galbraith minor ate up the middle of the period and time expired before the Grizzlies could score again.
From the official post game:
The Stockton Thunder defeated the Utah Grizzlies 4-3 in regulation Saturday night at the Stockton Arena. Stockton broke a 3-3 tie 3:49 into the third period as Oren Eizenman locked in a power-play goal with 17 seconds left to go on a Utah bench minor for too many men on the ice. [utahgrizzlies.com]
STK B. Hemingway (7), 3:03 1st period (Hemingway, Constant); Thunder 1, Grizzlies 0 UTA J. Sixsmith (22), 15:54 1st period (Kinasewich, Nikiforov); Thunder 1, Grizzlies 1 STK J. Bates (24), 16:39 1st period (Hemingway, D'Alvise); Thunder 2, Grizzlies 1 STK C. D'Alvise (29), 19:07 1st period (Hemingway, Aiello); Thunder 3, Grizzlies 1 UTA R. Kinasewich (42), 11:47 2nd period (Hunter); Thunder 3, Grizzlies 2 UTA B. Kilburg (1), 17:53 2nd period (Kinasewich, Suda); Thunder 3, Grizzlies 3 STK O. Eizenman (20), 3:49 3rd period (Dacosta, Hemingway); Thunder 4, Grizzlies 3
What Worked Well: Killing the Galbraith penalty Although the game winner came on a bench minor, we still have to say something about the way the PK unit killed off the 5 minute major in the 3rd period. Stockton was never able to set up properly on the man advantage, and the Grizzlies drew a penalty to even things up during the last minute of the kill.
What Could Have Been Better: Staying out of the box Utah allowed 7 short handed situations during this contest with Stockton converting on 2 of those 7. The boys picked up 11 infractions including a game major and game misconduct from Galbraith nearing the end of the 3rd, and a bench minor which ended up in a power play, game winning goal for Stockton. Blah.
Who Made the Difference: Ryan Kinasewich Ryan was a factor on all 3 Utah goals. Picking up 3 points (1g, 2a), Snatch tied with Hunter for 9 SOG this contest and ended the game with a +1. Kinasewich was the only Grizzly to have a multipoint game. He definitely carried the team tonight. Nicely done.
Stars of the Game:
1. STK - C. Hemingway 2. STK - A. Perugini 3. STK - O. Eizenman
Additional Notes:
> Ryan Kinasewich had a multiple point game tallying 1 goal and 2 assists in the match. The captain also extended his scoring streak. > Mitch O'Keefe stopped 39 out of the 43 shots he saw in the losing effort. > Brian Kilburg scored his first goal of the season tonight. > Defenseman Chad Morin made his debut tonight after being signed to an ATO.
Two points down, four to go. As we hoped for in our weekend preview, Utah was definitely in a warrior haze tonight, scoring 6 goals on 29 shots.
Stockton struck first scoring on the power play, but the Grizzlies responded before the end of the period to end the 1st tied, 1-1. In the 2nd, the Grizzlies scored 4 times which included 2 short handed goals from Ryan Kinasewich. Mikko Koshkinen and the Grizzlies' defense held Stockton off the scoreboard to end the period 5-1.
Tom May picked up an early goal in the 3rd period to increase the Grizzlies lead 6-1, but the Thunder picked up a short handed goal 5 minutes later to end the game 6-2 in Utah's favor.
From the official post game:
The Utah Grizzlies scored six unanswered goals after falling behind 1-0 in the first period and Islanders rookie prospect Mikko Koskinen stopped 36 of 38 shots in his ECHL debut as Utah (29-27-3-5) defeated the Stockton Thunder (29-25-2-7) 6-2 Friday night in California. [utahgrizzlies.com]
STK J. Bates (23), 4:14 1st period (D'Alvise, Aiello); Thunder 1, Grizzlies 0 UTA S. Ferguson (1), 10:19 1st period (Sorteberg, Hunter); Thunder 1, Grizzlies 1 UTA V. Nikiforov (17), 3:30 2nd period (Suda, May); Thunder 1, Grizzlies 2 UTA A. Perry (25), 5:31 2nd period (Hunter, Sixsmith); Thunder 1, Grizzlies 3 UTA R. Kinasewich (40), 9:22 2nd period; Thunder 1, Grizzlies 4 UTA R. Kinasewich (41), 11:46 2nd period (Clarke, Wilson); Thunder 1, Grizzlies 5 UTA T. May (21), 1:15 3rd period (Sixsmith, Kilburg); Thunder 1, Grizzlies 6 STK M. Robinson (26), 5:18 3rd period (Vanoosten); Thunder 2, Grizzlies 6
What Worked Well: Penalty Kill Utah only allowed Stockton one goal on the man advantage. The boys were able to come back and kill 5 penalties, including picking up 2 short handed goals from Kinasewich. Nicely done.
What Could Have Been Better: 1st period The Grizzlies looked a little shaky in the 1st and trailed Stockton in shots on goal, tallying 9 to the Thunder's 15. Fortunately, they were able to come back in the 2nd, but we'd much rather they were able to come out strong and stay strong for the entire 60 minutes.
Who Made the Difference: Dylan Hunter While Utah's new goalie Koskinen made things look easy and Ryan Kinasewich was in his warrior haze, Dylan Hunter really brings an aspect of consistancy to this hockey team. Picking up two assists, Hunter is amazing at setting things up for his wingers and next to Sixsmith, is one of the most consistant players on the team.
Stars of the Game:
1. UTA - R. Kinasewich 2. UTA - T. May 3. UTA - M. Koskinen
Additional Notes:
> Three Grizzlies had multiple point games: Ryan Kinasewich (2g), Tom May (1g, 1a), James Sixsmith (2a) and Dylan Hunter (2a). > Mikko Koskinen stopped 36 out of 38 shots in the win. > Captain Kinasewich broke his season high goal record with his two shorties for 41 goals this season.
The Grizzlies are on the brink of being kicked out of their playoff spot, but they sure aren't playing like it. We estimate that Utah played only 10 of the 60 minutes in this loss.
Idaho tacked on 3 goals, two in the 1st and one in the beginning of the 2nd, before Utah responded with a power play goal from Kinasewich to end the 2nd 3-1. In the 3rd period, the Steelheads grabbed up two more goals, including a shorthanded goal, which would turn out to be the game winner, 5-1.
Utah mounted an impressive comeback in the last half of the final frame tallying 3 goals - which included a James Sixsmith final minute special - to make it 5-4, but the Grizzlies were unable to send the game past regulation.
From the official post game:
The Utah Grizzlies (28-27-3-5) turned a 5-1 third period deficit into a 5-4 score with 42 seconds left but were unable to get the equalizer in a 5-4 regulation loss Wednesday night in Boise. [utahgrizzlies.com]
IDH K. DeVergilio (16), 6:03 1st period (Rome, Oleksy); Steelheads 1, Grizzlies 0 IDH A. Rome (17), 17:12 1st period (Oleksy); Steelheads 2, Grizzlies 0 IDH T. Spurgeon (25), 3:39 2nd period (Friesen, Barlow); Steelheads 3, Grizzlies 0 UTA R. Kinasewich (39), 17:35 2nd period (Galbraith, Hunter); Steelheads 3, Grizzlies 1 IDH M. McKnight (11), 4:34 3rd period (Oleksy, Rome); Steelheads 4, Grizzlies 1 IDH B. Kushniruk (10), 6:14 3rd period (Friesen); Steelheads 5, Grizzlies 1 UTA T. May (20), 9:02 3rd period (Carroll, Ferguson); Steelheads 5, Grizzlies 2 UTA B. Wilson (3), 11:47 3rd period (Sixsmith, Aston); Steelheads 5, Grizzlies 3 UTA J. Sixsmith (21), 19:18 3rd period (Hunter, Aston); Steelheads 5, Grizzlies 4
What Worked Well: Staying out of the box The Grizzlies only allowed 3 short-handed situations. For the most part, the boys stayed out of the box, and when they couldn't they took one of the Steelheads down with them. Nice job.
What Could Have Been Better: Power Play We know what kind of firepower we have on our power play. Converting only 1 out of 6 on the man advantage isn't cutting it for us (and probably not for Colley, either), so do it better. The Grizzlies also allowed a short handed goal, which ended up being the game winner; controlling the puck during the power play is half of the issue.
Who Made the Difference: James Sixsmith While we could think of a lot of players who didn't make a difference, it was only slightly easier narrowing down who we think did. Marcus Carroll and Simon Ferguson were impressive new forces to be reckoned with, but we had to go with James Sixsmith for his ability to grab a goal in a pinch. And while James can carry almost any line you put him on, we think he'd be close to unstoppable with the proper wingers.
Stars of the Game:
1. IDH - A. Rome 2. IDH - A. Dawson 3. IDH - D. Friesen
Additional Notes:
> Three Grizzlies had multiple point nights: Dylan Hunter (2a), James Sixsmith (1g, 1a), and Peter Aston (2a) > Simon Ferguson and Marcus Carroll both tallied assists for their first points with Utah. For Carroll, his assist also marks his first professional point. > Mitch O'Keefe stopped 34 out of 39 shots in the loss. > Captain Ryan Kinasewich extended his scoring streak to 7 games and matched his career season high for goals at 39.
After losing a quick, one goal lead in the 1st, Utah mounted quite the comeback, but it ended up being too little too late. Still, a decent effort by the boys.
The Grizzlies opened things up with a power play goal 1:26 into the 1st. Idaho responded 1:30 later, then tacked on another to end the period 2-1. The Steelheads continued to dominate in the 2nd period, and after two back to back Steelhead goals, Colley called a time out to let the boys know what he thought. The team responded 20 seconds later with a goal by Nikiforov, but Idaho scored on the power play, prompting O'Keefe to be replaced by Erickson in net. Utah continued to mount a comeback, grabbing two more goals before the end of the 2nd to bring the boys within one goal of the Steelheads, 5-4.
Idaho increased the deficit halfway through the final frame, and the Grizzlies struggled to respond. Utah picked up one more goal before the Steelheads sealed the deal with another of their own to end it 7-5 in their favor.
From the official post game:
Utah took a 1-0 lead just 1:26 into the contest on a Peter Aston power-play goal but that lead would last just 1:30 before Idaho tied the game at 2:56 and took their first lead of the night 6:37 into the opening frame at 2-1. Idaho would never look back as they extended the score to 4-1 and 5-2 before the Grizzlies started to mount a comeback. [utahgrizzlies.com]
UTA P. Aston (6), 1:26 1st period (Perry, Sixsmith); Grizzlies 1, Steelheads 0 IDH B. Milnamow (3), 2:56 1st period (Derlago, Spurgeon); Grizzlies 1, Steelheads 1 IDH E. Barlow (29), 6:37 1st period (DeVergilio, Rome); Grizzlies 1, Steelheads 2 IDH A. Huxley (7), 2:05 2nd period (Derlago, Flichel); Grizzlies 1, Steelheads 3 IDH M. Derlago (37), 3:37 2nd period (McCutcheon); Grizzlies 1, Steelheads 4 UTA V. Nikiforov (15), 3:57 2nd period (Wilson, Clarke); Grizzlies 2, Steelheads 4 IDH M. McCutcheon (12), 12:34 2nd period (Swanson, Rome); Grizzlies 2, Steelheads 5 UTA A. Perry (24), 15:26 2nd period (Kinasewich, Hunter); Grizzlies 3, Steelheads 5 UTA V. Nikiforov (16), 16:34 2nd period (MacMillan); Grizzlies 4, Steelheads 5 IDH J. Swanson (17), 10:36 3rd period (Derlago, McCutcheon); Grizzlies 4, Steelheads 6 UTA P. Aston (7), 11:44 3rd period (MacMillan); Grizzlies 5, Steelheads 6 IDA E. Barlow (30), 12:58 3rd period (Flichel, Spurgeon); Grizzlies 5, Steelheads 7
What Worked Well: Shooting the puck. The Grizzlies picked up 30 SOG in the loss and tallied 5 goals from the 30. Ryan Kinasewich once again lead the team with 8 of those 30 with Peter Aston tallying 5 and Sixsmith close behind with 4.
What Could Have Been Better: Goaltending We typically look to Mitch O'Keefe to be pretty solid for the Grizzlies. Tonight was not the case. O'Keefe allowed 5 goals from 15 shots, and Erickson was only slightly better with 2 goals from 13 shots. Pick it up.
Who Made the Difference: Vlady Nikiforov While Peter Aston had an incredible night with 2 goals and 5 SOG, we can't help but highlight the way Vlady responded to Colley's time out, and the timing of his second goal, which brought the Grizzlies back to a one-goal deficit before the end of the period. While Vlady did miss a few opportunities, his drive and the timing of his goals propelled the team toward the effort we saw in the final frame.
Stars of the Game:
1. IDH - E. Barlow 2. UTA - P. Aston 3. IDH - M. Derlargo
Additional Notes:
> Both Vlady Nikiforov and Peter Aston picked up 2 goals in the contest. > Four Grizzlies had multipoint nights: Peter Aston (2g), Vlady Nikiforov (2g), AJ Perry (1g, 1a), and Malcolm MacMillan (2a). > Newcomer Malcolm MacMillan has picked up 5 points (5a) in his last 4 games.
This was a tough one, but the Grizzlies were able to pick up a point in the loss. Utah came from behind to tie the game twice, then take the lead twice, only to lose in overtime during a short handed situation.
Stockton dominated the initial period, tallying 18 shots to Utah's 10 and scoring the first goal on the power play. Lance Galbraith responded at 13:16 of the 1st with a Utah power play goal. The Thunder regained the lead to end the period 2-1. However, the Grizzlies added a Kinasewich goal 1:05 into the 2nd to tie things once again before Stockton responded, 3-2. Utah mounted another comeback, adding a goal midway through the 2nd from Perry, then another at 16:07 from Sixsmith to take the lead and end the period 4-3 for Utah. Stockton evened it once again on the power play, and after than we're not sure what happened, but Carpentier and Stockton's Hunt declared it time for fisticuffs and threw in some death threats for good measure. Captain Kinasewich regained the lead for the Grizzlies with their own power play goal, 5-4. The Thunder were not to be ignored, picking up one more on the man advantage to send things into overtime, 5-5.
Utah fought to kill a 4-on-3 short-handed situation from a penalty at the end of the 3rd, but to no avail. Stockton scored the sudden death game-winner just 0:45 into overtime to end the game 6-5 in their favor.
From the official post game:
The Stockton Thunder (28-24-2-6) scored a power-play goal 45 seconds into overtime to defeat the Utah Grizzlies (27-25-3-5) 6-5 before 4,910 at the E-Center Saturday night. [utahgrizzlies.com]
STK O. Eizenman (18), 6:16 1st period (Dacosta); Thunder 1, Grizzlies 0 UTA L. Galbraith (16), 13:16 1st period (MacMillan, Aston); Thunder 1, Grizzlies 1 STK M. Robinson (23), 16:05 1st period; Thunder 2, Grizzlies 1 UTA R. Kinasewich (35), 1:05 2nd period (Perry, Hunter); Thunder 2, Grizzlies 2 STK J. Bates (22), 8:42 2nd period (D'Alvise, Robinson); Thunder 3, Grizzlies 2 UTA A. Perry (23), 9:04 2nd period (Kinasewich, Hunter); Thunder 3, Grizzlies 3 UTA J. Sixsmith (20), 16:07 2nd period (Galbraith, Crowder); Thunder 3, Grizzlies 4 STK C. D'Alvise (25), 2:12 3rd period (Aeillo, Robinson); Thunder 4, Grizzlies 4 UTA R. Kinasewich (36), 4:02 3rd period (Aston, Sixsmith); Thunder 4, Grizzlies 5 STK R. Constant (6), 5:35 3rd period (Eizenman, Cauldron); Thunder 5, Grizzlies 5 STK M. Robinson (24), 0:45 OT (D'Alvise, Bates); Thunder 6, Grizzlies 5
What Worked Well: Perry-Hunter-Kinasewich We absolutely love this group together. As much as we enjoy (we were going to say adore, but the love theme was a little too much for us) James Sixsmith (who really makes any line work), this is The Line for the Grizzlies. They work like a well-oiled machine and make things happen. If you want to see a gorgeously executed goal, make sure you're watching when these boys are on the ice.
What Could Have Been Better: Controlling rebounds We saw a lot of good opportunities fall flat because nobody was in position to get the rebound. Not only did this cut down on scoring chances, but more often than not, the boys would get one shot off, then head back down to defend in their own end as Stockton picked up the puck. Do it better.
Who Made the Difference: Brock Wilson While it seems an unlikely pick due to the offensive domination of this game, Wilson (and also Sorteberg) was constantly in place to cover up holes in the net, snatch up Stockton's rebounds, and push the puck out of the defensive zone. We really noticed a great defensive presence from both Wilson and Sorteberg on the ice during their shifts. Nicely done.
Stars of the Game:
1. UTA - R. Kinasewich 2. UTA - J. Sixsmith 3. STK - M. Robinson
Additional Notes:
> James Sixsmith continues to push his scoring streak higher; he currently sits at 13 games. > Beau Erickson saw a crazy 44 shots during the match. He stopped 38 of those. > Six Grizzlies had multipoint games: Ryan Kinasewich (2g, 1a), James Sixsmith (1g, 1a), Peter Aston (2a), AJ Perry (1g, 1a), Lance Galbraith (1g, 1a), and Dylan Hunter (2a). > Captain Kinasewich seems to be back in the swing of things, leading the team with 2 goals, 1 assist and 8 SOG. > We weren't really happy with the way the game was called, and listening to the post game, it sounds like everyone on the Utah end concurs. > Not only did Hunt and Carpentier get into it through the plexiglass, but it sounds like Kevin Colley and Stockton Head Coach Matt Thomas did as well. Fisticuffs!
After Friday night's game, the Grizzlies auctioned offed their 3rd jerseys to benefit St. Jude Children's Hospital. The Utah Grizzlies website reported that:
$13,300 was raised for the St. Jude Children’s Hospital and Foundation after the game as the Grizzlies auctioned off live their New York Islanders themed third-jerseys that they wore on Friday nights this season.
We typically do a breakdown of the jersey sales for the auction, but we had a few technical difficulties with our notes. Damn. If anyone did get what each jersey went for, feel free to email us or post it in the comments. We'd be happy to hear from you.
But, we did get some pictures from the auction for anyone that missed it.
Peter Vandermeer auctions off his jersey (child not included):
Ryan Kinasewich takes his turn:
The rest of the team waits for their spin on the auction block:
James Sixsmith looks pretty bad ass:
Matt Clarke is pensive:
Hugo Carpentier is amused that his name was mispronounced:
And Brett Parnham gives the bidders a smile:
We do have a few more photos that we may put up at our Flickr account later this week. Enjoy!
What a stellar 3rd period by the Grizzlies. Tallying 4 goals and 22 SOG in the final 20 minutes allowed Utah to win the match and pick up a much needed 2 points.
The Grizzlies struck first only 6:36 into the 1st period when James Sixsmith knocked one in to extend his scoring streak and give Utah an early lead. With some amazing defense and goaltending, Beau Erickson and company held off the Thunder until 11:49 into the 2nd, when Stockton tied things up, 1-1.
Utah came out strong in the 3rd, tallying two back to back goals in the first 4 minutes of the period. The Thunder attempted a comeback, picking up another goal of their own to close the gap to a single goal, 3-2. However, Lance Galbraith quickly responded to the challenge, lighting the lamp with his second goal of the match, and Captain Kinasewich sealed the deal with an empty netter with 0:27 left in the game.
From the official post game:
The Utah Grizzlies (27-25-2-5) scored four third period goals to defeat the Stockton Thunder 5-2 Friday night at the E-Center before 5,111 fans. [utahgrizzlies.com]
UTA J. Sixsmith (19), 6:36 1st period (Crowder, Aston); Grizzlies 1, Thunder 0 STK J. Bates (21), 11:49 2nd period (Vanoosten, Robinson); Grizzlies 1, Thunder 1 UTA L. Galbraith (14), 2:57 3rd period (MacMillan, Crowder); Grizzlies 2, Thunder 1 UTA S. McJannet (3), 3:17 3rd period (May); Grizzlies 3, Thunder 1 STK R. Constant (5), 4:49 3rd period (Hemingway, Eizenman); Grizzlies 3, Thunder 2 UTA L. Galbraith (15), 6:01 3rd period (Sixsmith, Crowder); Grizzlies 4, Thunder 2 UTA R. Kinasewich (34), EN 19:33 3rd period (Aston); Grizzlies 5, Thunder 2
What Worked Well: Shooting the puck. When you're up against the 2nd leading goalie in SV%, you're going to have to shoot more to make it into the net. The Grizzlies did just that, tallying a crazy 47 SOG, with 22 of those in the 3rd period.
What Could Have Been Better: Power Play While the boys did end up with a 20% conversion rate (1 out of 5) on the power play, they weren't able to capitalize on a 5-on-3. With a power play like Utah's this should have been no problem.
Who Made the Difference: Tim Crowder While we do want to draw attention to Erickson's stellar goaltending, Tim Crowder was having an amazing game. Whenever he was on the ice, he was where the puck was. Tallying 3 assists and a 2nd star of the game performance, he definitely made a difference by being exactly where he needed to be to get the job done. A great game for Crowder.
Stars of the Game:
1. UTA - L. Galbraith 2. UTA - T. Crowder 3. UTA - J. Sixsmith
Additional Notes:
> Five Grizzlies had multipoint nights tonight: James Sixsmith (1g, 1a), Tim Crowder (3a), Peter Aston (2a), Malcolm MacMillan (2a), and Lance Galbraith (2g). > Beau Erickson stopped 28 of 30 shots for the victory. > James Sixsmith extended his scoring streak to 12 games - Nice.
The last time Stockton met up with the Grizzlies at the E-Center, Utah swept the series, ending with a 7-1 victory. We're thinking this is how the Thunder felt during that loss (yes, that's Bates in the net):
However, we think Stockton's going to be a little more prepared to meet the Grizzlies at the E-Center this time around. The Thunder are coming off of a nice break backed by a 7-3 win over Victoria on 3/6 and are looking to keep the Grizzlies from creeping up on them in the standings. Stockton's Perugini is still holding strong at 2nd in the league with a 0.916 SV% and ties for 3rd in the GAA category with 2.70, while James Bates continues to be the most lethal Thunder player against the Grizzlies.
Coming off of a 4 game road losing streak, the Grizzlies have to be pretty happy to be back at home where they are 6-1-0 in their last 7 on their own ice. James Sixsmith continues to lead the pack with an 11 game scoring streak. We'd love to see him extend it tonight, and we're pretty sure he would, too.
The Grizzlies also welcome some new players tonight and hail a returning favorite. Dylan Hunter rejoins the Grizzlies from the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals where he's been since February 11. Welcome back, Hunts! We learned today from Adrian Denny's blog that Friday will be the first full game Snatch, Sixer, and Hunts have played together since November 14. That's a lot of firepower to watch out for.
Three players make their debut on E-Center ice tonight: Peter Vandermeer has been assigned to the Grizzlies by the AHL's Heat, while center Malcolm MacMillan and defenseman Justin Suda have been acquired in a trade with the Toledo Walleye for forward Tony Romano. Tony Romano picked up 4 points (1g, 3a) against the Stockton Thunder in the February 24, 7-1 win, so it will be interesting to see how the new players fill that void. Tony picked up 4 assists and 2 PIM in his first game with the Walleye. Luck, Tony!
Utah will be busy this weekend with three back to back home games on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (remember Sunday's game starts at 4:05). And if that wasn't enough to look forward to, the Grizzlies will be auctioning their 3rd jerseys after Friday night's game to benefit St. Jude Children's hospital. Sounds like we're in for a pretty sweet hockey weekend.
2nd period - Tim Crowder speeds after the puck.
2nd period - Beau Erickson makes the save.
