Western Conference Semifinals: Game 3

Utah will really need to step up their game on the road after dropping the first two in this series at home. Fortunately, the Grizzlies have at the very least two good things going for them: Matt Reber and their power play.


After joining Utah straight from his college hockey career, Reber has been a boon in every way. He currently leads rookies in scoring during the playoffs with 10 points and is part of the reason the Grizzlies power play has seen a comeback. Utah's power play sits in the top spot at 40.9%. Well hello, power play . . .

The Salmon Kings have the obnoxious and not too uncommon stat of being 5-0 when leading after 2 periods. So the Grizzlies will need to work hard to put the breaks on any Victoria leads that arise.

We were going to wait and see if Denny had anything to add in his blog, but we have shit to do. Mostly, we'd just like to see some effort from the boys before this series is swept away from them.

Here's to hoping for some playoff hockey.

Game 2: Salmon Kings 4, Grizzlies 2

Really, Utah? THIS is your playoff hockey?

To say this game was a disappointment would be a vast understatement. The Grizzlies didn't look like they knew how to pass, were looking at the bench more than they were the puck, and were fighting among each other in the 2nd. Yeah. We saw that, Utah. The whole game left us with the distinct taste of "WTF?" in our mouths.

Our two highlights? Nick Tuzzolino's goal and Shea Guthrie taking the puck to the net late in the 3rd followed by McIlveen picking up the rebound. We were mostly shocked to see anyone picking up a rebound, let alone having a beautiful SOG result from it. Actually, Carroll's goal was a thing of beauty as well. Thumbs up for these 10 seconds of the game.

Other than that, pure crap in our book. And while we're more disgusted with Utah, the Salmon Kings didn't look so hot either. How on earth do you miss a two-on-none with an empty net, Victoria? At least you made us laugh . . .

Boo to the uncalled elbow on Donovan. Like we said: a distinct taste of WTF?

Nice job staying out of the box, Grizzlies. But we really don't think anyone cared enough to commit any penalties.

Utah - knock off this bullshit. Get your heads in the game, focus on your 15 wins, and take care of business. Stop underachieving and have some damn pride.


Here's to a road sweep.

Stars of the Game -

1. VIC - C. Painchaud
2. UTA - M. Carroll
3. VIC - R. Hennigar

Links -
post game || Victoria Takes 2-0 Series Lead With 4-2 Win
gamesheet || Victoria at Utah - 4/16/11
highlights || Game Highlights 4/16/11 vs Victoria
interview || Kevin Colley 4/16/11 post game
interview || Chris Donovan 4/16/11 intermission

Game 1: Salmon Kings 4, Grizzlies 2

Zero down, four to go.

Not a bad game by Utah, but the boys just weren't on top of their opportunities in the same way Victoria was. We were hoping to see the same fire from the Grizzlies in the first game of this series as we did in the first game against Stockton, but Utah couldn't consistently pull off that same buzz. However, the Grizzlies kept at it right down to the wire and worked on coming back after each Victoria goal, which is something we'd like to see continue throughout the series. Tomorrow, we'd like to see them keep in those pucks in the Salmon Kings' end - but that's just us.

Nice to see the power play still clicking. Both Grizzlies goals tonight were on the man advantage. While Utah's special teams are doing some great work, it sounds like Victoria's goal is to stay out of the box as much as possible - so we're gonna need to see some 5-on-5 goals as well. However, if the Grizzlies can continue to capitalize on the Salmon Kings' penalties like they did tonight, they can't go wrong.

Matt Reber was at it again, picking up assists on both of Utah's goals. Talk about an asset to the power play. We have to hand it to both Reber and Tuzzolino - they've really given special teams a boost.

Pick one up tonight, boys.

Stars of the Game -

1. VIC - D. Martin
2. UTA - M. Reber
3. VIC - J. Caister

Links -
post game || Victoria Edges Out Utah: Game 2 Saturday at Maverik Center
gamesheet || Victoria at Utah - 4/15/11
highlights || Game Highlights 4/15/11 vs Victoria
interview || Kevin Colley 4/15/11 post game
interview || Matt Clarke 4/15/11 intermission

Game 4: Grizzlies 5, Thunder 0

Wow. They finished it in 4.

So, this is how the series ends for Stockton - not with a bang, but with a whimper. (Give yourself bonus nerd points if you know that reference.)

On to Victoria!

Stars of the Game -

1. UTA - J. Lamoureux
2. UTA - P. McIlveen
3. UTA - M. Reber

Links -

post game || Grizzlies Advance With 5-0 Win Over Stockton
gamesheet || Utah at Stockton - 4/10/11
highlights || Game Highlights 4/10/11 at Stockton
interview || Samson Mahbod 4/10/11 intermission

A little something to look forward to.

The Grizzlies released their 2010-11 schedule today, which in turn made us itchy for some hockey. But really anything does that. The first home game is October 22, so we're already counting down the days (148.5 left to go). You can find the full schedule at UtahGrizzlies.com.


And to wrap up the 2009-10 season, the Cincinnati Cylcones took their second Kelly Cup in 3 years after making ECHL history in their previous seriesby coming back from a 3-0 game deficit. While it might have been nice to see the Cup passed to the hands of a National Conference team, the Cyclones really worked for this one. Nicely done, Cincinnati.

And if you haven't already watched them, the Grizzlies have their video highlights from the 2009-10 season up on their website. Enjoy!

Game 4: Steelheads 4, Grizzlies 1

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]

post game || Grizzlies Season Ends In Second Round
highlights || Game Highlights 4/23/10 vs Idaho
gamesheet || Idaho at Utah - 4/23/10
photos || 4/23/10 - Utah Grizzlies vs Idaho Steelheads
interview || Tim Maxwell 4/23/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Photo of the Game:


1st period - Ryan Kinasewich, Malcolm MacMillan listen to why their first goal was not a goal.

Additional Photos: [Flickr]



Scoring Summary:

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!

Weekend Preview - Utah Grizzlies vs Idaho Steelheads

Well, not much to preview here. The Grizzlies face Idaho Friday night for the chance to play again on Saturday. This is game four of a seven game series in which the Grizz are down 3-0. No team in the ECHL has ever come back to win a series after being down 3-0.

Someone's got to do it eventually - may as well be the Grizzlies.

After watching this team all season long, we know a few things about them, not the least of which is that they can be really frustrating. But we also know they can really play hockey when they put their minds to it.

They can beat the Idaho Steelheads.

Jake Gannon will be back from Bridgeport and in the lineup for Friday's game. We're excited to see him back. In the one playoff game he's played with Utah, he had two assists, four shots on goal, and was a +2. No doubt the Grizzlies can use that kind of play if they're going to do this thing. They could probably also use a good, swift kick in the pants, but we're not going there.

The bottom line is that whether or not the season ends Friday, Saturday, or anytime after that is really up to the team. We believe in them, and we believe that they'll play the way we know they can. We believe they can beat the Steelheads. Four times, even.

Game 4 Friday at the E Center. Start time is 7:05 pm. Game 5 Saturday, same time, same place.

We'll be there.

Game 3: Steelheads 6, Grizzlies 1

So after moping around in our bathrobes after Tuesday's debacle, we opted not to do a regular post game writeup.

If you missed it, the game went something like this: Idaho scored a lot of goals, while the Grizzlies sat around discussing their summer plans. Tom May showed up to play but when he figured out he was in it mainly by himself, he picked a fight with the Steelheads in a bout of utter frustration; we consider this to be the highlight of the game. Oh, and Sorteberg scored a goal for Utah somewhere in there, so at least Utah didn't get shut out.

However, we know what you really want to see are our pictures, so without further ado . . .


Photo of the Game:


2nd period - Because this is what WE were thinking . . .

Additional Photos: [Flickr]




Come on, boys - we know you can do this. Just one more, just for us.

Go Grizzlies!

Home Sweet Home

The Grizzlies are back on home ice tonight after a rough couple of games up in Idaho. But we know the guys are tough, and they're ready to really show those spud-muttering jackanapes what's what. (Yes, that was a potato joke. And we like the word "jackanape".)

After what mostly amounted to a third period blow out in game one, and what shouldn't have been a loss in game two, things are looking up for game three. Yes, there were some mistakes, questionable calls, and other things, but tonight is a brand new game.

We know this isn't a team that gives up easily. We've seen that through the season. When they keep playing a full 60 minutes, they do great things.

So tonight, no coasting. Not through a two goal lead. Or a three goal lead. Or a four goal lead. Or even a five goal lead. These guys owe Idaho at least six goals for the last two games.

Then tack on a few more for good measure.

And one for the officials too.

And one for us, the fans.

Tonight, the Grizzlies are home, among their home fans. And nobody is giving up anything.

All seats at the E Center are $10 tonight. Get out there and support the team.

Game 2: Steelheads 4, Grizzlies 3

This was a hard one to lose in the last few minutes of the final period, especially when we thought the Grizzlies had the go ahead. But it is nice to know that Utah's power play is alive and kicking and the boys can put up a respectable game against the Steelheads.

The Grizzlies struck first at 7:21 of the initial period on the power play. Idaho responded 4 minutes later, tying the game before the end of the 1st. The 2nd remained tied until Tom May tipped in a Ryan Kinasewich slapshot on the power play in the final minute of the period, and Utah took the lead once again, 2-1.

Idaho tied things again early in the 3rd, but Tom May regained the lead for Utah again at the halfway point of the period, 3-2. The Steelheads were quick to respond during a 4-on-3 situation, then took the lead for the first time of the night at 18:19 of the final frame to end the game 4-3 in Idaho's favor.

From the official post game:

The Idaho Steelheads broke a 3-3 tie with 1:41 left in regulation to defeat the Utah Grizzlies 4-3 Saturday night in Boise. Idaho takes a 2-0 series lead with games three, four and five if necessary headed back to the E-Center starting Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Idaho Takes Game Two 4-3 With Late Goal
highlights || Game Highlights 4/17/10 at Idaho
gamesheet || Utah at Idaho - 4/17/10
interview || Commissoner Brian McKenna 4/17/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Scoring Summary:

UTA L. Galbraith (2), 7:21 1st period (Kinasewich, Hunter); Grizzlies 1, Steelheads 0
IDH J. Swanson (2), 10:52 1st period; Grizzlies 1, Steelheads 1
UTA T. May (1), 19:07 2nd period (Kinasewich, MacMillan); Grizzlies 2, Steelheads 1
IDH M. McKnight (3), 2:22 3rd period; Grizzlies 2, Steelheads 2
UTA T. May (2), 10:53 3rd period (McJannet, MacMillan); Grizzlies 3, Steelheads 2
IDH E. Barlow (2), 12:25 3rd period (Milnamow, Friesen); Grizzlies 3, Steelheads 3
IDH J. Dickson (2), 18:19 3rd period (Barlow); Grizzlies 3, Steelheads 4


What Worked Well: Power Play
Two of Utah's goals came out of their 5 power play situations. Special teams can either make or break a game, and we think the boys did pretty well on the power play tonight. It was nice to see the boys able to set up on the man advantage and move in for the kill. Nicely done.

What Could Have Worked Better: Staying out of the box
Come on, boys. You're costing yourselves games.

Who Made the Difference: Ryan Kinasewich
While we do want to point out Tom May's work on two of the Utah goals (his first pro playoff goals, btw), we were excited to see the Captain's work on the power play. His slapshot that was tipped in by May on Utah's second goal was a thing of beauty with excellent timing. It really reminded us of the firepower Utah has going for it and what they can do on the man advantage.


Stars of the Game:

1. IDH - J. Dickson
2. UTA - T. May
3. IDH - E. Barlow


Additional Notes:

> Three Grizzlies had multiple point games: Ryan Kinasewich (2a), Malcolm MacMillan (2a), and Tom May (2g).
> Mike Morrison stopped 30 of 34 in the contest.
> Steven Tarasuk made his debut in a Grizzlies jersey. Welcome, Steve!
> James Sixsmith has 12 points (2g, 10a), a +6, and 18 SOG in the playoffs. Captain Kinasewich has 9 points (6g, 3a) and 34 SOG.
> We apologize for the delay; we went to Legends for the game, so it's slightly muddy in our recollection.

Game 1: Steelheads 7, Grizzlies 2

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]

post game || Grizzlies Drop Game One In Boise
highlights || Game Highlights 4/16/10 at Idaho
gamesheet || Utah at Idaho - 04/16/10
interview || Brock Wilson 4/16/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Scoring Summary:

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 . . .

Weekend Preview - Utah Grizzlies vs Idaho Steelheads

Part two of the Kelly Cup saga begins tonight for the Grizzlies in Idaho and continues Saturday. We're not usually into sequels, but we can't wait for the next installment on this one. We're also pretty excited about the opportunity to make more potato jokes.

The Grizzlies put down the Las Vegas Wranglers in an impressive game five on Tuesday, and we're hoping they've stayed riled up as they go into the second round. The Potatoheads have been resting up for 13 days, so we're hoping they'll be a little rusty to start. Of course, they just got some players back from the AHL (Friesen, DerVergilio, Bachman) who have been playing and expect to be sharp.

Now, we all know that the Grizz can't do anything the easy way. To stir things up a bit, Jake Gannon, who was only in town for game 5, and Mikko Koskinen were both called up to Bridgeport again. That leaves Utah down a goalie, and Morrison has not faced Idaho yet. We're not worried so much about the not playing Idaho thing, but with no backup, we're hoping he doesn't get hurt. As much as we'd pay to see Colley in goal, we just don't think it's a good idea. Grizzbee would take up more space anyway, and he's already got the padding.

Idaho has a 10-3-0-1 record against the Grizzlies in the regular season, but come playoff time, all that doesn't matter. It's like the points on Whose Line Is It Anyway. As of right now, Idaho's win record against the Grizzlies is a big, fat zero. The Grizzlies' win record against Idaho is also zero, but theirs has awesomesauce on top.

Coach Colley had this to say about playing Idaho:

"Obviously, we are the underdog. We finished 30 points back of (Idaho). In our minds, we're not, but everyone sees us as the underdog."

"We just have to take out all the positives from Game 5 and build on it. We can't look back at Game 4 or Game 1. We build on Game 5; that was our best game of the series, and that was our last game of the series."

We're kind of hoping by building on game 5, he means that Malcom MacMillan will add to his post-game dance when they win.

The next step on the road to the Kelly Cup starts tonight in Idaho. Puck drops at 7:10 pm.

Second round playoff schedule released

The Utah Grizzlies released their playoff schedule for Round 2 against the Idaho Steelheads yesterday.

Game 1 - Friday: Utah at Idaho, 7:10 p.m.
Game 2 - Saturday: Utah at Idaho, 7:10 p.m.
Game 3 - Tuesday, April 20: Idaho at Utah, 7:05 p.m.
Game 4 - Friday, April 23: Idaho at Utah, 7:05 p.m.
Game 5 - Saturday, April 24: Idaho at Utah, 7:05 p.m.
Game 6 - Tuesday, April 27: Utah at Idaho, 7:10 p.m.
Game 7 - Wednesday, April 28: Utah at Idaho, 7:10 p.m

As usual, you can watch the away games on the B2 or listen online.



Best of luck, boys.

Game 5: Grizzlies 5, Wranglers 1

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]

post game || Grizzlies Advance With 5-1 Win Over Las Vegas
highlights || Game Highlights 4/13/10 vs Las Vegas
gamesheet || Las Vegas at Utah - 4/13/10
photos || 4/13/10 - Utah Grizzlies vs Las Vegas Wranglers
interview || Kevin Colley 4/13/10 post game
interview || Justin Suda 4/13/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Photo of the Game:

2nd period - Ryan Kinasewich congratulates his teammates on their goal.

Additional Photos: [Flickr]



Video: [YouTube]

Lance Galbraith vs John Schwartz:




Scoring Summary:

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.

On to Idaho!

Go Grizzlies!

Game 4: Grizzlies 4, Wranglers 2

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]

post game || Grizzlies Third Period Comeback Forces Deciding E-Center Game Five Tuesday
highlights || Game Highlights 4/11/10 vs Las Vegas
gamesheet || Las Vegas at Utah - 4/11/10
photos || 4/11/10 - Utah Grizzlies vs Las Vegas Wranglers
interview || Kevin Colley 4/11/10 post game
interview || Matt Sorteberg 4/11/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Photo of the Game:


3rd period - The bench celebrates after Tim Crowder's game winning goal.
Additional Photos: [Flickr]




Scoring Summary:

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.

Game 3: Wranglers 6, Grizzlies 3

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]

post game || Grizzlies Fall 6-3; Wranglers Take Two-One Series Lead
highlights || Game Highlights 4/10/10 vs Las Vegas
gamesheet || Las Vegas at Utah - 4/10/10
photos || 4/10/10 - Utah Grizzlies vs Las Vegas Wranglers
interview || Peter Vandermeer 4/10/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Photo of the Game:

1st period - James Sixsmith puts on the brakes to follow the puck.
Additional Photos: [Flickr]




Scoring Summary:

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.

Game 2: Grizzlies 4, Wranglers 1

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]

post game || Grizzlies Even Series With 4-1 Win
highlights || Game Highlights 4/7/10 at Las Vegas
gamesheet || Utah at Las Vegas - 4/7/10
interview || James Sixsmith 4/7/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Scoring Summary:

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!

Game 1: Wranglers 6, Grizzlies 4

It was said last night that every goalie has a bad game, and Mikko sure picked a bad time to have his. While we agree, with this, we can't heap the loss solely on Koskinen. Outside of some random officiating, the team we saw in the 3rd period was not the same team we saw in the 1st.

The Grizzlies dominated the 1st, starting the scoring just 0:35 into the period with a goal from MacMillan. The Wranglers tied things up later to end the initial frame 1-1. Utah gained the lead in the 2nd with two quick goals to make it 3-1, but Las Vegas responded with 4 straight of their own, which ended with Mikko being replaced by Morrison in net. Morrison stopped a penalty shot and ended the period without allowing another goal, 5-3.

In the 3rd, the Grizzlies attempted to decrease the deficit with an early goal, but it was waved off for high sticking. Morrison stopped another penalty shot allotted to the Wranglers, but later Vegas increased their lead to 6-3. Utah added one more goal to stop the bleeding, but the game still ended in the Wrangler's favor, 6-4.

From the official post game:

The Grizzlies made it 3-1 just 1:23 later at 1:43 as Sixsmith fed Matt Clarke in the circle again. Clarke’s shot was redirected home by Tim Crowder and Utah had a 3-1 lead. However, starting at the 5:16 mark, Las Vegas rattled off four-straight scores to take a 5-3 lead. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Las Vegas Takes Game One 6-4
highlights || Game Highlights 4/6/10 at Las Vegas
gamesheet || Utah at Las Vegas 4/6/10
interview || Dylan Hunter 4/6/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Scoring Summary:

UTA M. MacMillan (1), 0:35 1st period (McJannet); Grizzlies 1, Wranglers 0
LV A. Bourret (1), 5:25 1st period (Lawrence, Miller); Grizzlies 1, Wranglers 1
UTA T. Maxwell (1), 0:20 2nd period (Sixsmith, Hunter); Grizzlies 2, Wranglers 1
UTA T. Crowder (1), 1:43 2nd period (Clarke, Sixsmith); Grizzlies 3, Wranglers 1
LV K. Hagel (1), 5:16 2nd period; Grizzlies 3, Wranglers 2
LV C. Neiszner (1), 5:27 2nd period (Hagel, Goers); Grizzlies 3, Wranglers 3
LV K. Hagel (2), 9:55 2nd period (Frank); Grizzlies 3, Wranglers 4
LV J. Prudden (1), 12:11 2nd period (Madill, Switzer); Grizzlies 3, Wranglers 5
LV R. Weston (1), 10:18 3rd period; Grizzlies 3, Wranglers 6
UTA T. Maxwell (2), 11:32 3rd period (May, Sixsmith); Grizzlies 4, Wranglers 6


What Worked Well: 1st period
The Grizzlies absolutely dominated the first period. The boys played strong and kept control of the puck; they were playing to win. If they could have kept up this pace for the full 60, we would have seen a very different game.

What Could Have Worked Better: Staying out of the box
Yes, we agree that the officiating was not the best, but really. The Grizzlies racked up 8 penalties to the Wranglers' 4. While the PK took care of business, the 16 minutes of of penalty time didn't help Utah when it came to adding on their lead.

Who Made the Difference: James Sixsmith
While we do want to comment on the the great game that Tim Maxwell had, James Sixsmith showed up to win all three periods. Setting up some great goals, Sixer ended the game with 3 assists and looked alive out there for the full 60 minutes. Nicely done.


Stars of the Game:

1. LV - K. Hagel
2. LV - R. Weston
3. UTA - T. Maxwell


Additional Notes:

> Two Grizzlies had multiple point games tonight: Tim Maxwell (2g) and James Sixsmith (3a).
> Dylan Hunter continues his scoring streak from the regular season.
> Mike Morrison stopped 8 of 9 shots as well as both penalty shots that he saw.
> While we don't mean to pick on anyone in particular, we just have to say: Kinasewich, the next time you have 0:26 left in a power play, please don't waste 0:10 of that dilly-dallying in your own end. You had open ice and you have the speed (not to mention a wicked shot), please use it.

Around the League: Playoff Edition

The Utah Grizzlies face off tonight against the Las Vegas Wranglers. Utah's gone 10-4 against Vegas in the regular season, but the two teams haven't met in over 2 months and in that period, the Wrangers have pushed themselves out of the bottom of the barrel and into the 5th seed of the National Conference.

Lucky for us, Colley's on top of it. We snagged this quote from the Deseret News: "They've probably been the second-best team in the league the second half of the year," said Colley. "They've been playing great hockey."

Yes, they have. That's what worries us. It sounds like Utah hopes to pick up at least one of the games in Vegas, then bring the series to home ice where they've been doing incredibly well in the last half of the season. Can't argue with that.

We also can't argue with Adrian Denny's observation regarding the new playoff format in his blog today: "In the ECHL’s newly formatted best-of-five first round, the team with the better regular season record was able to choose when they wanted their home-ice advantage to fall. I think this format and schedule is going to be a brutal failure and will change next season league-wide." Seriously, ECHL: What up with that?

The Grizzlies also released their playoff roster yesterday. No word on lines, but we're thinking we'll see something similar to the last regular season game, which was played in Victoria. We kind of suck at doing lines in the proper order and we're not too sure about the defense, but:

Perry-Hunter-Kinasewich
Sixsmith-Crowder-May
Galbraith-MacMillan-McJannet
Nikiforov/Carroll

Kilburg-Clarke
Maxwell-Suda
Vandermeer-Sorteberg

And it sounds like Mikko Koskinen will start in goal for the Grizzlies. Mikko went 6-0 for Utah since his debut on ECHL ice.

You can check out both playoff away games against Vegas free of charge at Legends Pub and Grill. They'll also be doing some food specials for the games. We went to Legends earlier in the season and had a blast, so check it out if you're in the area.

Duff Goldman of Ace of Cakes loves hockey.

You can view all of the team playoff rosters in the Kelly Cup Playoff area of ECHL.com. Make sure you have your ECHL playoff bracket on hand tonight. Here are the first round matchups:


American Conference Quarterfinals
#1 Charlotte Checkers vs. #8 Toledo Walleye

The Charlotte Checkers are no strangers to the playoffs as they start their 13th run for the Kelly Cup against 8th place Toledo. The Walleye aren't chump change either as they made the American Conference Finals in 2006. Toledo holds a 3-2-0 regular season record against the Checkers who've gone 2-2-1 against the Walleye.


#2 Kalamazoo Wings vs. #7 Reading Royals

Kalamazoo has the better regular season record between these two teams going 5-0-1 against the Royals. Reading has advanced to the playoffs 5 times in their 9 seasons, but Larry Courville is making his playoff debut as head coach of the Royals. Kalamazoo is also new to the Kelly Cup, but not to the playoffs as they made the IHL Turner Cup playoffs last year.


#3 Elmira Jackals vs. #6 Florida Everblades

The Jackals have made their 3rd straight push to the postseason, but the Everblades aren't lacking in playoff experience: Florida has advanced to the postseason every year, giving them 12 years in playoff experience. Elmira has gone 2-0-0 against the Everblades this season, but both games have been on their home ice. The Jackals and the Everblades will meet on Florida ice for the first time in the postseason.


#4 South Carolina Stingrays vs. #5 Cincinnati Cyclones

The South Carolina Stingrays are the defending Kelly Cup champs. They'll face off against 5th place Cincinnati, who won the Cup in 2008. Neither team is new to the playoffs having met in the American Conference Finals the last two years. This is the third consecutive year the two have met in the playoffs. The Cyclones went 3-1-0 against South Carolina in the regular season, while the Stingrays are 1-2-1 against Cincinnati.



National Conference Quarterfinals
#2 Bakersfield Condors vs. #7 Victoria Salmon Kings

The last time these two teams met was March 20, and that contest ended with a 3-2 score in favor of the Condors. The Salmon Kings are hoping that’s not the result of this five-game series. Anaheim is sending some reinforcements to Bakersfield though, so they’ll have their work cut out for them.

These two teams have a fairly even record against each other in the regular season. Bakersfield was 6-4-1 against the Salmon Kings in the regular season, while Victoria went 5-5-1 against the Condors. Victoria is in the playoffs for the fourth year in a row. The Condors have six consecutive playoff years under their belt.


#3 Alaska Aces vs. #6 Stockton Thunder

From ECHL.com: “Alaska is in the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the seventh consecutive season. The Aces are 6-0 all-time in first-round series.” Stockton is in the playoffs for the fourth time. Once again, these two teams are pretty even against each other for the regular season. Stockton was 5-1-4 against the Aces in the regular season while Alaska was 5-5-0 against the Thunder. Our advice to Stockton: try to win in regulation.


#4 Utah Grizzlies vs. #5 Las Vegas Wranglers

After getting really sick of each other at the beginning of the season, these teams have had a two month break. Not that we think that will change the intensity of the match up. Utah went 10-4-0 against the Wranglers this season. Las Vegas was 4-9-1 against the Grizzlies. So don’t be surprised if the Wranglers feel like they have something to prove.

This is Utah’s fourth time in the playoffs in five years, while it’s Vegas’s fifth time in six years.


****#1 Idaho Steelheads receive a bye


Ontario Reign . . .

Thanks for a great All-Star Game! Playoffs next year, guys – do it.