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 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.

Post Game: Grizzlies 5, Salmon Kings 2

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]

post game || Grizzles Complete Season With 5-2 Third Period Win In Victoria
gamesheet || Utah at Victoria - 4/3/10
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Scoring Summary:

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.

Post Game: Salmon Kings 9, Grizzlies 2

Adrian Denny had it right: this was a game to forget. The Grizzlies made the playoffs then abruptly forgot how to play.

Utah started the scoring with a power play goal from Hunter early in the 1st. However, the Grizzlies wouldn't see the back of the net again until the end of the 2nd. Victoria tacked on 7 goals (2 in the 1st, 5 in the 2nd) before Utah responded at 19:06 of the 2nd with Kinasewich's 47th of the year. The captain's goal also broke the team record for most goals scored in a season.

During the 3rd, Victoria tallied two more goals to end the game wildly in their favor, 9-2. Barfjob.

From the official post game:

The Victoria Salmon Kings defeated the Utah Grizzlies (33-29-4-5) 9-2 Friday night in Victoria. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game Grizzlies Fall 9-2 In Victoria
highlights Game Highlights 4/2/10 at Victoria
gamesheet Utah at Victoria - 4/2/10
interview Ryan Kinasewich 4/2/10 intermission
blog Adrian Denny's game day blog


Scoring Summary:

UTA D. Hunter (17), 2:55 1st period (Perry, Galbraith); Grizzlies 1, Salmon Kings 0
VIC W. Goldie (42), 9:01 1st period (Filion, Siddall); Grizzlies 1, Salmon Kings 1
VIC W. Goldie (43), 19:47 1st period (Sharrow, Fisher); Grizzlies 1, Salmon Kings 2
VIC C. Painchaud (30), 7:44 2nd period (Siddall, Roach); Grizzlies 1, Salmon Kings 3
VIC A. Brandt (13), 8:02 2nd period (Gelech, Taylor); Grizzlies 1, Salmon Kings 4
VIC W. Goldie (44), 13:42 2nd period (Sharrow); Grizzlies 1, Salmon Kings 5
VIC D. Southern (9), 15:33 2nd period (Siddall, Wedderburn); Grizzlies 1, Salmon Kings 6
VIC D. Southern (10), 18:06 2nd period (Walsky, Painchaud); Grizzlies 1, Salmon Kings 7
UTA R. Kinasewich (47), 19:06 2nd period (Vandermeer, Hunter); Grizzlies 2, Salmon Kings 7
VIC M. Siddall (20), 3:40 3rd period (Morrison, Roach); Grizzlies 2, Salmon Kings 8
VIC O. Filion (11), 9:55 3rd period (Goldie, Siddall); Grizzlies 2, Salmon Kings 9


What Worked Well: Erm . . .
Unlike Wednesday's game where we had a hard time finding anything that went wrong, with this game we had a hard time figuring out anything that went right. It was a little depressing that Kinasewich picked up the season high record for goals during such a sad display.

What Could Have Worked Better: Everything
Where do we begin? The boys simply fell apart on the ice and didn't bother to try to get it back together. We expect a better effort tomorrow, Grizzlies, and we hope you're adequately ashamed of yourselves.

Who Made the Difference: Dylan Hunter . . . we guess
Dylan was the only Grizzly to have a multipoint game tonight, so we selected him by default. Um . . . yeah. Woo, Dylan.


Stars of the Game:

1. VIC - W. Goldie
2. VIC - M. Siddall
3. VIC - C. Painchaud


Additional Notes:

> Dylan Hunter (1g, 1a) was the only Grizzly to have a multiple point game.
> Ryan Kinasewich broke the team season record for goals during the match. Congrats, Snatch!
> We think this is probably how Colley felt for most of the game (it's how WE felt, anyway):

Post Game: Thunder 6, Grizzlies 5 (OT)

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]

post game || Stockton Takes Overtime Contest 6-5
highlights || Game Highlights 3/13/10 vs Stockton
gamesheet || Stockton at Utah 3/13/10
photos || 3/13/10 - Utah Grizzlies vs Stockton Thunder
interview || Kevin Colley 3/13/10 post game
interview || Malcolm MacMillan 3/13/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Photo of the Game:

2nd period - Tim Crowder speeds after the puck.

Additional Photos: [Flickr]



Scoring Summary:

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!

Post Game: Grizzlies 5, Thunder 2

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]

post game || Four Goal 3rd Period Lifts Utah over Stockton
highlights || Game Highlights 3/12/10 vs Stockton
gamesheet || Stockton at Utah 3/12/10
photos || 3/12/10 - Utah Grizzlies vs Stockton Thunder
interview || Kevin Colley 3/12/10 post game
interview || Dylan Hunter 3/12/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Photo of the Game:

2nd period - Beau Erickson makes the save.

Additional Photos: [Flickr]




Videos: [YouTube]

Scoring Summary:

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.

Weekend Preview 2/26/2010 - Utah Grizzlies vs Ontario Reign

This weekend, the Grizzlies head off to sunny California for a couple of games against the Ontario Reign.



Or not.


[Insert "Ontario Rain" joke here]

All weather aside, we expect this will be an exciting match-up. The Reign currently have a 3 game win streak going and will be looking for another good weekend. The Grizzlies also have a 3 game win streak, complete with that big 7-1 win on Wednesday night. If we're looking at momentum, the edge would probably have to swing in the Grizzlies' favor, because the Reign haven't played since Sunday. But that means they'll be a little more rested going into this game.

Totally off the topic, but what exactly is the proper way to refer to the Reign as a team? Do you pluralize them because there are several players on the team? ("...the Reign haven't played since Sunday.") Or do you refer to them as one all-encompassing body? ("...the Reign hasn't played since Sunday.") This baffles us. It baffles us every time we write about the Abbotsford Heat too. If you can shed any light on the topic, we'd appreciate it. Thank you for indulging our grammatical musings. Now back to your regularly scheduled program.

Ontario's power play was key in their last win as they went 5 for 12 (that's a ridiculous 41.7%) with the man advantage. It would be a good idea for the Grizzlies to stay out of the box. Also, remember Ontario fan favorite Peter Lenes from the All-Star Game? (Yeah, the "fun-size" guy.) He recently went 12 games without scoring a goal, but had goals in back-to-back games against Idaho last weekend, and feels he's getting that scoring touch back. Might be good to keep an eye on him. Those little guys can be sneaky.

Of course, Utah had their own guy to watch out for in Lance Galbraith on Wednesday. Can he duplicate his near Sittler-like 6 points in one game? We'd love to see it. Heck, we'd love to see any of the Grizzlies duplicate that. Maybe Coach Colley can use that as a motivator - if anyone gets six points in one game, Frosties for everyone on him.

Tonight's game starts at 8:00 pm if you're in Utah, and will be broadcast on 1230 AM by the most excellent Adrian Denny. He also mentions in his game day blog that on KSL-5 after the Olympic coverage, there will be a feature news story on the team with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Post Game: Grizzlies 7, Thunder 1

We had a feeling that the Grizzlies were going to sweep this series, we just didn't expect this kind of a margin.

The 1st period remained a tight match, with Stockton tallying 10 SOG over Utah's 8. However, the Grizzlies struck first early in the period and held their one-goal lead throughout the rest of the frame. In the 2nd, the Grizzlies packed on 3 more goals before Stockton tallied one of their own, but this would be the only time the Thunder would beat Beau Erickson. Utah responded with one more goal before the end of the period, 5-1.

At the top of the 3rd, Galbraith tallied his three goals for a hat trick, and May increased the gap with one of his own to end the game 7-1 in the Grizzlies' favor.

From the official post game:

The Utah Grizzlies (26-21-2-5) defeated the Stockton Thunder 7-1 Wednesday night at the E-Center as the Grizzlies completed the two-game in two-night series sweep of the Thunder. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Grizzlies Take Second-Straight from Stockton, 7-1
highlights || Game Highlights 2/24/10 vs Stockton
gamesheet || Stockton at Utah 2/24/10
photos || 2/24/10 - Utah Grizzlies vs Stockton Thunder
video || UtahGrizzBlog's Channel at YouTube
interview || Kevin Colley 2/24/10 post game
interview || Matt Sorteberg 2/24/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Photo of the Game:

3rd period - Hugo Carpentier watches the game while he waits for a line change.

Additional Photos: [Flickr]



Videos: [YouTube]

Radke vs Bendfeld:

Radke vs Gongalsky:

Scoring Summary:

UTA V. Nikiforov (13), 3:28 1st period (Galbraith, Sorteberg); Grizzlies 1, Thunder 0
UTA L. Galbraith (11), 3:27 2nd period (Carpentier, Aston); Grizzlies 2, Thunder 0
UTA T. Romano (8), 4:24 2nd period (Crowder, Galbraith); Grizzlies 3, Thunder 0
UTA A. Perry (21), 11:06 2nd period (Galbraith, Sixsmith); Grizzlies 4, Thunder 0
STK M. Robinson (17), 11:45 2nd period (D'Alvise, Dacosta); Grizzlies 4, Thunder 1
UTA L. Galbraith (12), 14:18 2nd period (Romano, May); Grizzlies 5, Thunder 1
UTA L. Galbraith (13), 4:34 3rd period (Romano); Grizzlies 6, Thunder 1
UTA T. May (17), 17:39 3rd period (Wilson); Grizzlies 7, Thunder 1


What Worked Well: Special Teams
This game would have been a much different story if it weren't for the penalty kill, especially considering the strength of Stockton's power play. Utah killed all 6 of its shorthanded situations and also capitalized on 2/5 power play opportunities. The special teams have really been shining over the last few days.

What Could Have Been Better: erm . . . no.
Not a lot could have been better. The Grizzlies could have done a slightly better job staying out of the box, but with the penalty kill working the way it did, we didn't see a huge issue there, either.

Who Made the Difference: Lance Galbraith
With a hat trick, 3 assists, and a +4 coming out of this game, Galbraith certainly led the rest of the team with points, and effectively contributed to all but one goal of this game. What a great game for Lance; he definitely deserved the #1 star of the game with this performance. And, of course . . .

Stars of the Game:

1. UTA - L. Galbraith
2. UTA - T. Romano
3. UTA - B. Erickson


Additional Notes:

> Lance Galbraith ties with Ryan Kinasewich for the top scoring night in Grizzlies' history with 6 points (3g, 3a).
> Three Grizzlies had multipoint games: Lance Galbraith (3g, 3a), Tony Romano (1g, 2 a), and Tom May (1g, 1a).
> Beau Erickson saved 29 of 30 for the win.
> 11 Grizzlies made the scoring column during the match.
> The team is now something like 11-0 when Vladimir Nikiforov scores a goal.

Post Game: Grizzlies 5, Thunder 4

It was another regulation win for Utah, earning them a much needed two points. Special teams were key in this win as the Grizzlies shut down all 4 of the Thunder's power play opportunities, and grabbed two power play goals of their own.

Utah opened up the scoring with an early goal by Tom May just 1:35 into the 1st, then followed up 5 minutes later when Kinasewich found the back of the net. The Thunder responded in fashion tying things up with two of their own before the end of the period. At the top of the 2nd, Stockton took the lead to make it 3-2 in their favor. The Grizzlies responded with a power play goal to tie things up, then added another to regain the lead nearing the end of the middle frame, 4-3.

The Thunder tied it once again, but one minute later, Utah regained the lead with a power play goal to end the game 5-4.

From the official post game:

In a game that went back and forth, Utah took a 2-0 lead 6:04 into the game as Tom May (16) and Ryan Kinasewich (33) scored for Utah. Tom May ended an eight-game scoreless drought as Ryan Kinasewich, in his return after two weeks in the AHL got his three-point night started. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Grizzlies Beat Stockton 5-4; Meet Again Wednesday at 7
highlights || Game Highlights 2/23/10 vs Stocton
gamesheet || Stockton at Utah 2/23/10
photos || 2/23/10 - Utah Grizzlies vs Stockton Thunder
interview || Kevin Colley 2/23/10 post game
interview || Tom May 2/23/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Photo of the Game:


1st period - James Sixsmith prepares for the faceoff. Mark Pavli is ready for the Thunder.


Additional Photos: [Flickr]




Scoring Summary:
UTA T. May (16), 1:35 1st period (Sorteberg, McJannet); Grizzlies 1, Stockton 0
UTA R. Kinasewich (33), 6:04 1st period (Perry, Sixsmith); Grizzlies 2, Stockton 0
STK J. Dacosta (3), 11L48 1st period (D'Alvise, Bates); Grizzlies 2, Stockton 1
STK J. Cauldron (14), 17:41 1st period (Eizenman, Czuy); Grizzlies 2, Stockton 2
STK M. Robinson (16), 3:13 2nd period (Marcoux, Bates); Grizzlies 2, Stockton 3
UTA P. Aston (4), 7:53 2nd period (Kinasewich, Sixsmith); Grizzlies 3, Stockton 3
UTA J. Sixsmith (15), 19:02 2nd period (Kinasewich, Perry); Grizzlies 4, Stockton 3
STK D. Marcoux (2), 5:46 3rd period (Young, Gongalsky); Grizzlies 4, Stockton 4
UTA L. Galbraith (10), 6:46 3rd period (Sixsmith, Aston); Grizzlies 5, Stockton 4


What Worked Well: Special Teams
Both the power play and penalty kill looked good tonight. Converting 2/4 on the power play and killing all 4 penalties in this game, the special team combinations were looking increasingly better as the game progressed. We don't know if they've looked this great in a while (not to say they looked bad, but . . .); nice job.

What Could Have Worked Better: Puck Handling
The puck handling wasn't terrible, but it could definitely use some tweaking. There were quite a few spaz-tastic moves that resulted in silly turnovers, but we didn't see much to correct from the full 60 minutes.

Who Made the Difference: James Sixsmith
While it was nice to the captain back in the line up and the effect he had on the game, James Sixsmith's drive to the net continutally generated chances, which led to some nice goals. Sixsmith picked up 1 goal, 3 assists, the #1 star of the game, and extended his scoring streak to 6 games. We said this about Perry a few games ago, but if you're picking up that many assists, then you're where you need to be, doing exactly what you need to be doing. Colley referred to Sixer as the goal spark plug, and we have to agree. Awesome performance.


Stars of the Game:

1. UTA - J. Sixsmith
2. UTA - R. Kinasewich
3. UTA - P. Aston


Additional Notes:

> James Sixsmith extends his scoring streak to 6 games.
> Four Grizzlies picked up mulitpoint games tonight: James Sixsmith (1g, 3a), Ryan Kinasewich (1g, 2a), AJ Perry (2a), and Peter Aston (1g, 2a).
> Four Grizzlies led the rest of the team with 4 SOG each: Tim Crowder, Peter Aston, Hugo Carpentier, and Lance Galbraith.
> Mitch O'Keefe stopped 24 out of 28 for the win.
> Mark Pavli returned to E Center ice with Stockton for the first time since being traded by Utah in January. We miss you, Pavli!

Post Game: Grizzlies 3, Salmon Kings 1

Although we don't have anything against shootouts, it was nice to see the Grizzlies win this one in regulation and earn their two points.

Both teams battled through the opening period, but neither would light the lamp during the initial 20 minutes. Victoria struck first during a 5-on-3 power play in the 2nd period. The Salmon Kings would hold this lead until 7:08 into the 3rd when Tony Romano buried one for Utah to tie things up and swing the momentum in the Grizzlies' favor. James Sixsmith captured the lead for Utah during a power play with what would be the game winning goal.

Lance Galbraith tacked on an empty netter with one second left in the game to end things 3-1 for Utah.

From the official post game:

West Valley City, Utah – The Utah Grizzlies (24-21-2-5) scored three third period goals to battle back from a 1-0 final period deficit and defeat the Victoria Salmon Kings (30-19-4-2) Saturday night at the E-Center before 5,235 fans and nearly 200 dogs for the team’s fourth-annual “Pooch on Pond” game. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Grizzlies 3rd Period Pushes Them Past Victoria 3-1
highlights || Game Highlights 2/20/10 vs Victoria
gamesheet || Victoria at Utah 2/20/10
photos || 2/20/10 - Utah Grizzlies vs Victoria Salmon Kings
interview || Kevin Colley 2/20/10 post game
interview || Lance Galbraith 2/20/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Photo of the Game:

3rd period - AJ Perry passes the puck up to James Sixsmith in the neutral zone.

Additional Photos: [Flickr]




Scoring Summary:

VIC M. Siddall (17), 8:23 2nd period (Goldie, Painchaud); Salmon Kings 1, Grizzlies 0
UTA T. Romano (7), 7:08 3rd period (McJannet); Salmon Kings 1, Grizzlies 1
UTA J. Sixsmith (14), 11:35 3rd period (Clarke, Galbraith); Salmon Kings 1, Grizzlies 2
UTA L. Galbraith (9), EN 19:59 3rd period (Aston, Maxwell); Salmon Kings 1, Grizzlies 3


What Worked Well: Penalty Kill
Utah killed 7 of 8 penalties in the match, including a 5-on-3 situation. Victoria's only goal came from the other 5-on-3 situation, which means Utah killed every penalty where they were only shorthanded by one player. Not bad at all.

What Could Have Worked Better: Staying out of the box
The Grizzlies tallied 8 penalties, including those two 5-on-3 short handed situations which led to Victoria's only goal. And we all know that it's harder to score a goal when you're defending your own net, so . . . enough said.

Who Made the Difference: Tony Romano
Even though Sixsmith had a really amazing game, there's no denying the impact Tony's goal made on Utah. It completely changed the momentum of the game and paved the way for the Grizzlies to steal the win from Victoria in regulation. This was definitely the turning point of the match, and Romano was the one to find the hole and make that difference. Nice.


Stars of the Game:

1. UTA - J. Sixsmith
2. UTA - M. O'Keefe
3. UTA - T. Romano


Additional Notes:

> Mitch O'Keefe stopped 26 of 27 shots in this match.
> Lance Galbraith was the only Grizzly to tally a multipoint game (1 goal, 1 assist). Not a bad early birthday present for Lance who will be 30 on February 21.
> James Sixsmith continues his scoring streak, picking up hs 14 goal of the season.
> Utah collects 4 of 6 points in this series, winning 2 of the 3 contests.
> This year's Pooch on the Pond was host to 200+ dogs and their owners.

Post Game: Salmon Kings 5, Grizzlies 2

After a long strech of shootouts between these two teams, this game ended in regulation. Victoria took the lead over the Grizzlies in the final frame, but unlike the previous games, Utah was not able to mount a comeback.

Both teams battled through the 1st, but remained scoreless until 16:58 when James Sixsmith buried Utah's first goal. However, the Salmon Kings responded with under a minute left in the period, ending the 1st in a tie, 1-1. Victoria took the lead in the top of the middle frame, and held the Grizzlies at bay until the final seconds of the period when AJ Perry tied things up for Utah, 2-2.

In the 3rd period, Victoria scored two unanswered goals to regain the lead, then sealed the deal with an empty net goal in the final minute of the game to end things 5-2 in the Salmon Kings' favor.

From the official post game:

West Valley City, Utah – The Victoria Salmon Kings (30-18-4-2) defeated the Utah Grizzlies (23-21-2-5) 5-2 Friday night at the E-Center before 5,910 fans.

The loss ends Utah's three-game home winning streak and their three-game unbeaten streak overall. Utah dropped to 4-2-0-3 in February with the defeat. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Grizzlies Fall to Victoria
highlights || Game Highlights 2/19/10 vs Victoria
gamesheet || Victoria at Utah 2/19/10
photos || 2/19/10 - Utah Grizzlies vs Victoria Salmon Kings
video || UtahGrizzBlog's Channel at YouTube
interview || Kevin Colley 2/19/10 post game
interview || AJ Perry 2/19/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Photo of the Game:

3rd period - Assistant Coach Pat Curcio gives Peter Aston feedback on his shift.

Additional Photos: [Flickr]



Videos: [YouTube]

Galbraith vs Davey:

Sorteberg vs Siddall:

Scoring Summary:

UTA J. Sixsmith (13), 16:58 1st period (Nikiforov); Grizzlies 1, Salmon Kings 0
VIC R. Gelech (16), 19:16 1st period (Siddall, Hamilton); Grizzlies 1, Salmon Kings 1
VIC A. Taylor (10), 5:09 2nd period (Brandt, Davey); Grizzlies 1, Salmon Kings 2
UTA A. Perry (20), 19:52 2nd period (Sixsmith, Crowder); Grizzlies 2, Salmon Kings 2
VIC A. Taylor (11), 4:13 3rd period (Brandt); Grizzlies 2, Salmon Kings 3
VIC A. Taylor (12), 7:34 3rd period (Brandt, Leitch); Grizzlies 2, Salmon Kings 4
VIC C. Painchaud (23), EN 19:28 3rd period (Siddall, Gelech); Grizzlies 2, Salmon Kings 5


What Worked Well: Sticking up for each other
Multitude of fights in this game, and a lot of them originated from bad or unnecessary hits on teammates. For us, it was really nice to see the boys sticking up for each other since it was almost ridiculous to expect it earlier in the season. Glad to see they've got each others' backs finally.

What Could Have Worked Better: Showing up to play
We didn't feel the same overall push from this game that we've been seeing over the last 10 games or so. The Grizzlies had their highs and lows during this game, but there wasn't an overall sense of consistancy in this match that we've been getting accustomed to over their past 10.

Who Made the Difference: Lance Galbraith
Again, we had a few to choose from in this game, but Galbraith's fight at the end of the 2nd really energized the troops, changed the momentum, and led to the Grizzlies second goal by AJ Perry.


Stars of the Game:

1. VIC - A. Taylor
2. VIC - A. Brandt
3. UTA - J. Sixsmith


Additional Notes:

> Beau Erickson stopped 35 out of 39 shots in the regulation loss.
> Utah tallied 23 minutes of penalty time from 7 infractions.

Post Game: Grizzlies 4, Steelheads 3 (SO)

We expected this game to be another low-scoring defensive show, but Utah saw its fouth comeback in their last five games.

The Steelheads started the scoring halfway through the 1st. Utah responded 5 minutes later, but Idaho dominated the period tallying 16 shots on goal to the Grizzlies' two. In the 2nd, Idaho picked up another goal. However, Utah responded with one of their own under 2 minutes later. The Steeleheads came back within 30 seconds to regain the lead and finish the period 3-2 in Idaho's favor.

Peter Aston found the back of the net for the Grizzlies to push the game past regulation and into a shootout. Brett Parnham pushed the contest to a sixth round, and Tony Romano scored the game winner in that final ahoorout round.

From the official post game:

The Utah Grizzlies (22-20-2-4) tied the game at three with 1:25 left to go in regulation and fought from behind down 3-1 in the shootout to defeat the Idaho Steelheads 4-3 Friday night at Qwest Arena.

The Grizzlies trailed from the outset and never led until the shootout game-winner. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Another Utah Comeback Leads to 4-3 Shootout Win
highlights || Game Highlights 2/12/10 at Idaho (audio)
gamesheet || Utah at Idaho 2/12/10
interview || ECHL Official Mike Pearce intermission (audio)
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Scoring Summary:

IDH M. Derlago (22), 10:05 1st period (Spurgeon, Lampl); Steelheads 1, Grizzlies 0
UTA L. Galbraith (8), 15:44 1st period (B. Parnham, T. Maxwell); Steelheads 1, Grizzlies 1
IDH M. McClutcheon (6), 8:08 2nd period (Huxley, Spurgeon); Steelheads 2, Grizzlies 1
UTA P. Aston (2), 9:36 2nd period (Sixsmith, Perry); Steelheads 2, Grizzlies 2
IDH J. Swanson (14), 9:57 2nd period (DeVergilio, McKnight); Steelheads 3, Grizzlies 2
UTA P. Aston (3), 3rd period (Clarke); Steelheads 3, Grizzlies 3

SO, UTA T. Romano


What Worked Well: Penalty Kill
Utah killed all 5 of their penalties beautifully. Do we need to say much more?

What Could Have Worked Better: Staying out of the box.
While the penalty kill was excellent and Utah didn't really allow chances, there were a couple of times where the Grizzlies negated their own one man advantages with a penalty of their own. However, we didn't really see a lot to improve.

Who Made the Difference: Peter Aston
2 goals, 4 SOG and he plays defense. The Grizzlies have their offensive push renewed with blueliners that can shoot. Aston's 4 SOG tied with blueliner Matt Clarke's total for the most SOG this game.


Stars of the Game:

1. IDH - J. Swanson
2. UTA - M. O'Keefe
3. IDH - A. Huxley


Additional Notes:

> Mitch O'Keefe stopped 39 out of 42 and 3 of 6 in the shootout.
> Brett Parnham improved to 4/6 on the shootout as he kept the Grizzlies in the game.

Post Game: Salmon Kings 3, Grizzlies 2 (SO)

The Grizzlies looked to gain 5 of 6 points going into this final match with Victoria. Capturing a win last night, Utah's strategy was to build on the win and increase their current unbeaten streak.

Victoria opened the scoring with under 5 minutes gone in the 1st for the second night in a row. Despite a few power play chances, the Grizzlies had trouble keeping out of the box and tying things up in the initial period. However, AJ Perry was able to light the lamp for Utah nearing the bottom of the 2nd, and Lance Galbraith found the back of the net for his 7th of the season to end the period 2-1 in Utah's favor. Unfortunately, that lead didn't last long as the Salmon Kings scored just 2:06 into the 3rd period to even things up, 2-2. Both teams battled for the lead, but their goaltenders kept them afloat and neither the Grizzlies or the Salmon Kings were able to end the game in regulation.

After another scoreless overtime, the teams went to their third shootout of the series. Utah went 3/5 in the shootout, but Victoria beat O'Keefe in each round to gain the extra point and secure the win.

From the official post game:

The Victoria Salmon Kings (27-17-4-1) defeated the Utah Grizzlies (21-19-2-4) 3-2 in a shootout Saturday night at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre. The Grizzlies, collected four of a possible six points in the standings on the weekend jaunt to Vancouver Island; going 1-0-0-2 in the three-game series that saw all contests go to shootouts. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Grizzlies Run Unbeaten Streak to Five
highlights || Game Highlights 2/6/10 at Victoria
gamesheet || Utah at Victoria 2/6/10
interview || Brett Parnham 2/6/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Scoring Summary:

VIC J. Sharrow (9), 4:53 1st period (Fillon, Gelech); Salmon Kings 1, Grizzlies 0
UTA A. Perry (19), 15:02 2nd period (Kinasewich, Aston); Salmon Kings 1, Grizzlies 1
UTA L. Galbraith (7), 19:53 2nd period (Kinasewich, Hunter); Salmon Kings 1, Grizzlies 2
VIC W. Goldie (32), 2:06 3rd period (Gladue, Fillon); Salmon Kings 2, Grizzlies 2

SO VIC C. Painchaud


What Worked Well: Defense joining the rush
We expect this from Maxwell by now, but having Clarke, Aston, Radke and Wilson able to join in or lead the rush is very reminiscent of blueliners from earlier this season. When the defense can do their job and also tally shots on goal, they add an extra push to the offensive unit on the ice. And when you get the offense to step up and help out the defense, we'd have to say the team is starting to look pretty well rounded again.

What Could Have Worked Better: Staying out of the box
22 PIM total for the team, including a Radke triple minor, the Grizzlies racked up an entire period's worth of penalty time. While Victoria matched them infraction for infraction, the Grizzlies managed to negate a couple of those chances with penalties of their own. Add to that the fact that both of Victoria's goals were power play goals and well, what more needs to be said?

Who Made the Difference: Matt Clarke
Not only stellar on defense, Clarke consistantly drove toward the net, leading rush after rush against the Victoria goalie which included a short handed breakaway. Tallying 4 SOG in this contest and ending the game with a +1, we pick Clarke for our difference maker.


Stars of the Game:

1. VIC - L. Irving
2. UTA - M. O'Keefe
3. VIC - J. Sharrow


Additional Notes:

> Captain Kinasewich is the only Grizzly to tally a multipoint game with 2 assists.
> Four Grizzlies extend their scoring streaks: AJ Perry, Ryan Kinasewich, Peter Aston, and Lance Galbraith.
> Utah picks up 4 of 6 points in the series.
> Salmon King's Wes Goldie ties Ryan Kinasewich for the league leader in goals.
> Mitch O'Keefe saves 31 out of 33 in the shootout loss.

Post Game: Grizzlies 4, Wranglers 1

Utah wanted to duplicate the results of Saturday's game by hitting the scoreboard first in this rubber match and holding that lead.

The Grizzlies opened things up halfway through the 1st when AJ Perry buried one on the Las Vegas netminder. The Wranglers responded 28 seconds later with a goal of their own, but it would be the last they saw for the game. Vlady scored with a beauty of a shot 17:03 into the period to regain Utah's lead, and the boys never looked back. In the 2nd period, Galbraith increased the gap at 10:18, then Romano scored on the power play to pad Utah's lead to 4-1. At some point Tom May found the back of the net, but the goal was waved off as the Grizzlies were offside; we don't remember what period that was.

The 3rd period remained intense, but scoreless for both teams as Utah worked to defend their lead. Erickson and the Grizzlies were able to hold Vegas to a single goal and end the contest 4-1.

From the official post game:

In the second period, Utah added goals 1:38 apart from Lance Galbraith and then a power-play tally from Tony Romano to make the score 4-1. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Gary Coleman Drops Puck in 4-1 Utah Win
highlights || Game Highlights 2/1/10 vs Las Vegas (audio)
gamesheet || Las Vegas at Utah 2/1/10
interview || Kevin Colley 2/1/10 post game (audio)
interview || Steve McJannet 2/1/10 intermission (audio)
photos || 2/1/10 - Utah Grizzlies vs Las Vegas Wranglers
video || 2/1/10 - Steve McJannet vs Chris Frank
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Photo of the Game:


Brett Parnham waits for the puck to drop.
Additional Game Photos: [Flickr]



Video Clips: [YouTube]

Scoring Summary:

UTA A. Perry (17), 11:50 1st period (Hunter, Aston); Grizzlies 1, Wranglers 0
LV A. Orpik (7), 12:16 1st period (Miller, Lukacevic); Grizzlies 1, Wranglers 1
UTA V. Nikiforov (9), 17:03 1st period (Galbraith, Romano); Grizzlies 2, Wranglers 1
UTA L. Galbraith (5), 10:18 2nd period (May, Romano); Grizzlies 3, Wranglers 1
UTA T. Romano (4), 11:56 2nd period (Nikiforov, Perry); Grizzlies 4, Wranglers 1


What We Think Worked Well: Vlady-Galby-Tony
This line just clicked. 7 game points from this line from 3 goals and 4 assists. It's really nice to see this coming from a second line. We knew the skill was there, we were just waiting for it to show up, and it did with cow bells on. Actually, we have to step back and applaud all the lines; we like who Colley put together and we're looking forward to seeing more out of all of them.

What Could Have Worked Better: Not a whole hell of a lot?
There was a slight breakdown in defense after the first goal which lead to Vegas scoring and another low conversion rate on the power play, but minus some tweaking we felt like this was a great game. Even though the Grizzlies only went 1/4 on the power play, the first two chances were beautifully executed even though no goal was scored. We expect to see the conversion pick up drastically over the next few games.

Who Made the Difference: Vladimir Nikiforov
We have to agree with Colley and say that this is probably the best game we've seen from Tony Romano since he hit Utah ice. That being said, we have to highlight Vlady's performance and puck handling skills in this contest. Stick in the the fun statistic that Utah stands at 8-0 when Nikiforov scores a goal, and we feel safe in naming him our difference maker for this game.


Stars of the Game:

1. UTA - V. Nikiforov
2. UTA - T. Romano
3. UTA - L. Galbraith


Additional Notes:

> Steve McJannet joins the team from the Florida Everblades for his first game in Utah colors.
> James Sixsmith also rejoins the team from the AHL, and Tom May returns from the IR.
> Four Grizzlies had multipoint nights: Perry (1 goal, 1 assist), Nikiforov (1 goal, 1 assist), Romano (1 goal, 2 assists), and Galbraith (1 goal, 1 assist).
> Hunter, Perry, Romano, and Galbraith build on their scoring streaks, gaining points in consecutive games.
> Erickson stopped 25 out of 26 shots for the win.

> Captain Kinasewich was held off the scoresheet this game; he was awarded a penalty shot, but it looks like it went wide of the net. Anyone know? We're adding that here for our blog readers below:

Post Game: Grizzlies 3, Wranglers 1

If Friday's game centered around offense, Saturday's game was all about defense. And if you missed both of these games this weekend, well . . . shame, shame shame on you. What a great way to celebrate Hockey Weekend Across America.

Both teams were held off of the scoreboard during the 1st period. Despite having 3 power plays, Utah was unable to control the puck in the offensive zone and capitalize on the advantage. At the top of the 2nd, Clarke found the back of the net for the first goal of the game. Vegas responded 2 minutes later with a goal of their own to tie things back up.

The score remained tied throughout the 3rd period. With 2 minutes left in the game, Galbraith put it in the net to regain the lead, 2-1. Hunter tacked on an empty netter with the help of Perry and Kinasewich to wrap up the game, 3-1.

From the official post game:

Lance Galbraith knocked in a rebound with 2:01 left in regulation and Beau Erickson stopped 31 of 32 shots to give the Utah Grizzlies a 3-1 win over Las Vegas Saturday night at the E-Center before 7,043 fans. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Grizzlies Beat Vegas 3-1
highlights || Game Highlights 1/30/10 vs Las Vegas (audio)
gamesheet || Las Vegas at Utah 1/30/10
interview || Pat Curcio post game 1/30/10 (audio)
interview || Peter Aston intermission 1/30/10 (audio)
photos || 1/30/10 - Utah Grizzlies vs Las Vegas Wranglers
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog

Photo of the Game:

Additional Game Photos: [Flickr]

Scoring Summary:

UTA M. Clarke (2), 5:58 2nd period; Grizzlies 1, Wrangers 0
LV J. Schwartz (1), 7:07 2nd period (Lawrence, Prudden); Grizzlies 1, Wranglers 1
UTA L. Galbraith (4), 17:59 3rd period (Romano, Sorteberg); Grizzlies 2, Wranglers 1
UTA D. Hunter (11), EN 3rd period (Kinasewich, Perry); Grizzlies 3, Wranglers 1


What We Think Worked Well: Defense
This was an excellent defensive game for both teams. The Grizzlies have had some struggles with their defense lately, particularly in terms of holding a lead, so it was nice to see them settle down and play this type of game. We saw a lot more pressure put on the opposing team when they had the puck in their own zone, rather than waiting for the puck to get to neutral ice and beyond and some beautiful goaltending. A good job by all.

What Could Have Worked Better: Power Play
We've said this already, they know it needs work, and we don't want to be this guy:

Who Made the Difference: Beau Erickson
Everyone agrees on this; Beau was past amazing. Saving all but one of the 32 shots that came near him, Beau turned cartwheels (sometimes literally) to keep Utah in this game and claim his first win in a Grizzlies jersey. The Grizzlies definitey couldn't have done this without his star of the game performance.


Stars of the Game:

1. UTA - Lance Galbraith
2. UTA - Beau Erickson
3. UTA - Matt Clarke


Additional Notes:

> Happy Birthday, Brett Parnham! Glad the guys could knock out a win for Parnham's birthday.

Post Game: Wranglers 8, Grizzlies 5

After a week of practice on home ice and two losses behind them, the Grizzlies were after a much needed victory in front of 10,000 fans. The crowd was definitely ready for a win during Pack the House night, and the boys wanted to deliver.

Las Vegas started the scoring 2:34 into the game, then tallied 3 additional goals for a 4-0 lead before Kinasewich put Utah on the board to end the 1st at 4-1. O'Keefe was injured at 4:54 in the 2nd period and replaced by Erickson. 5 minutes later, The Wranglers tacked on another goal, 5-1. However, the Grizzlies were able to regroup after an energizing Rycroft shift adding three goals of their own to make it 5-4, narrowing the Wranglers' lead to one. Vegas responded by grabbing a quick goal with under a minute left in the 2nd, ending the period 6-4 in their favor.

The Grizzlies battled back tallying 28 SOG in the 3rd alone, but the Wranglers were first to light the lamp in the final period. Kinasewich found the back of the net for Utah for his 3rd hat trick of the year at 17:48 of the 3rd, but Vegas picked up an empty netter to seal the deal, 8-5.

From the official post game:

A seven-year high of 10,020 fans at the E-Center saw Ryan Kinasewich’s third hat trick of the year and a season-high 55 Utah shots on net in an 8-5 loss to Las Vegas Friday night. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || 10,020 Watch Grizzlies Fall in Wild One
highlights || Game Highlights 1/29/10 vs Las Vegas (audio)
gamesheet || Las Vegas at Utah 1/29/10
interview || Kevin Colley post game 1/29/10 (audio)
interview || Travis Rycroft intermission 1/29/10 (audio)
photos || 1/29/10 - Utah Grizzlies vs Las Vegas Wranglers
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog

Photo of the Game:

Additional Game Photos: [Flickr]




Scoring Summary:

LV J. Hazelwood (6), 2:34 1st period (Neiszner); Wranglers 1, Grizzlies 0
LV A. Miller (13), 8:20 1st period (Switzer, Lukacevic); Wranglers 2, Grizzlies 0
LV M. Lawrence (13), 10:22 1st period (Switzer, Prudden); Wranglers 3, Grizzlies 0
LV A. Orpik (5), 12:51 1st period (Hazelwood, Neiszner); Wranglers 4, Grizzlies 0
UTA R. Kinasewich (29), 16:51 1st period (Perry, Hunter); Wranglers 4, Grizzlies 1
LV J. Hazelwood (7), 10:10 2nd period (Neiszner, Orpik); Wranglers 5, Grizzlies 1
UTA R. Kinasewich (30), 12:39 2nd period (Aston, Perry); Wranglers 5, Grizzlies 2
UTA P. Aston (1), 14:02 2nd period (Nikiforov, Galbraith); Wranglers 5, Grizzlies 3
UTA T. Crowder (7), 18:16 2nd period (Parnham, Galbraith); Wranglers 5, Grizzlies 4
LV A. Orpik (6), 19:07 2nd period (Krischuk); Wranglers 6, Grizzlies 4
LV J. Prudden (6), 7:09 3rd period (Lawrence); Wranglers 7, Grizzlies 4
UTA R. Kinasewich (31), 17:48 3rd period (Perry, Galbraith); Wranglers 7, Grizzlies 5
LV M. Lawrence (14), EN 18:51 3rd period (Hagel, Prudden); Wranglers 8, Grizzlies 5


What We Think Worked Well: Offense
5 goals, 10 assists, 55 SOG, a Kinasewich hat trick - need we say more?

What Could Have Worked Better: Defense
8 goals allowed, 37 SOG, -15 for the team overall - need we say more?

Who Made the Difference: Ryan Kinasewich
Both Tim Maxwell with his constant drive toward the offensive zone and Travis Rycroft with his energizing shifts made our list for difference maker. But we really can't deny the effect that Captain Kinasewich had on this game. Leading the team with 12 SOG and scoring 3 of the 5 Utah goals for his 3rd hat trick of the year, Snatch's star of the game performance was just what the Grizzlies needed to stay competitive in this offensive-minded showdown. Not to mention that he settled an ongoing bet regarding his defensive contribution between the staff here at UGB by slamming a Wrangler into the boards right in front of us. A great night for Ryan Kinasewich.


Stars of the Game:

1. LV - J. Hazelwood
2. LV - A. Orpik
3. UTA - R. Kinasewich


Additional Notes:

> Ryan Kinasewich earned his 3rd hat trick of the season, scoring a goal in every period.
> Four Grizzlies had multipoint nights in this high scoring game: AJ Perry (3 assists), Lance Galbraith (3 assists), Peter Aston (1 goal, 1 assist), and Ryan Kinasewich (3 goals).
> Former Captain Travis Rycroft rejoined the Grizzlies roster for the weekend.
> Brett Parnham tallied 1 assist and 8 SOG in this contest, second only to the Captain's 12.

Utah Grizzlies vs Alaska Aces Post Game 1/8/10

Grizzlies lose.
Same score, different day.

Utah had a lot more fight this game than we've seen through this entire slump. Maybe the end is in sight? We went to Legends to watch the game this time, which we're recommending. If you've ever thought about joining them there, do it. It's a good sized room and everyone gets into the game, so you're not going to be the only psycho yelling at the TV.

This was a better loss to watch than the past few, to be honest. The Grizzlies fought for it in the 3rd, there was a bench brawl at the end of the 2nd, we saw two excellent Kinasewich goals, a May goal, and a stellar 1st period. N00b Asselin joined the team for this game due to the injuries from Wednesday and picked up an assist on the opening May goal.

Since we went to Legends to watch the game, we're going to be a little lax on the recap. We blame beer. For something more comprehensive, read the official post game and the gamesheet at the Utah Grizzlies site and ECHL.com, respectively.


FIRST PERIOD

The 1st period was all Utah. Tom May opened up the scoring 3:20 in. Parnham picks up a point on that and Asselin gets his first point in a Grizzlies jersey on the assist. Kinasewich scores the next two goals for the Grizzlies, his 23rd and 24th of the season. Vlady and Gannon get the assists for the first, and Hugo and Clarke pick them up for the second. Kotsy and some other Ace start it with Hugo. They all get penalties.

End of first. 3-0, Grizzlies.


SECOND PERIOD

Alaska scores two power play goals. Grizzlies are starting to look more and more shaky out there. Then at the end of the period Kotsy slashes goalie Erickson. Really, Kotsy? What would your mother say? BENCH BRAWL! We gotta say this was pretty awesome, especially watching it at Legends. Because everyone was yelling at the screen, not just us, and that made us feel right at home. After the dust (or should we say snow) cleared, 6 game misconducts were handed out: 3 Aces, and 3 Grizzlies, Galbraith, Hand, and Romano. We're not even going to touch the rest of the list of penalties. Just read the gamesheet.

End of second. 3-2, Grizzlies.


THIRD PERIOD

The dreaded final 20 minutes. If you're a Grizzlies fan, you've come to hate this final period. Tonight wasn't much different; the Aces' knew which buttons to push with that end of 2nd brawl. The boys came out with a lot more fight and puck control than they have in a long time, but it wasn't enough. Unfortunate. Aces complete their tally of 5 unanswered goals during this period.

Game.
5-3, Aces.


Ryan Kinasewich is 3rd star of the game.


One more chance to get it right (during this trip).

Go Grizzlies!