Weekend Preview - Utah Grizzlies vs Ontario Reign

The Grizzlies take up arms tonight and Saturday against the Ontario Reign. They're going into this weekend on a 1 game winning streak, which isn't really a streak at all, but we're pretty sure they're planning on turning it into one, so we're going with it.

Streak or not, Utah has won 7 of their last 10 games and has been getting excellent play from everyone on the team. They are still at the top of the Western Conference despite a tiny little setback in Idaho on Tuesday. No big deal - they aren't going to win every game, no matter how much voodoo or fairy dust we throw out there. (Just for the record, combining voodoo and fairy dust is a bad idea. Or so we've heard.) Still, we're keeping our standards high and expecting 4 points this weekend.

Ontario may only have 21 points in the standings to the Grizzlies' 44, and they may have only won two of their last 10 games, but the truth of the matter is they can be a tough team for Utah to play against. The two teams have matched up four times already this season, and Ontario has won twice, both on the Grizzlies' home ice. Utah needs to look at this weekend not as an easy four points, but as a chance for payback in Ontario. We're not too worried about this team taking a vacation though. Maybe toward the beginning of the season they were guilty of that on occasion, but they seem pretty determined to stay on top now. They don't want the curse of Coach Colley on their heads. Plus it looks like the weather in Ontario is going to be crappy this weekend. (Maybe that IS the curse of Coach Colley. We have no idea what kind of powers he has.) Anyway, the Reign are 7-1-1 when leading after 2 periods, so the Grizzlies will want to get to work early. No pulling a Russian World Junior this weekend. (Our sympathies to all our Canadian friends out there - hopefully no one jumped.) If we were coaching, we'd tell the team to get ahead in the first two periods and stay there. Useful advice, but that's pretty much the extent of our plan, so it's a good thing we're not coaching.

For the Grizzlies, Marcus Carroll and Chris Donovan currently have 4 game point streaks going, and Kevin Deeth has two mulitple point games in a row. Ontario has new goaltender Alex Petizian from Alaska/Portland. Brock Wilson has a 1 game streak without suspension.

If you happen to be in Ontario for the game, try to be one of the first 3,000 people in the arena - it's Bud Holloway bobblehead night.

Games start tonight at 8:00 pm MST. You can listen on 1230 KFAN. Second win of the latest win streak.

Post Game: Steelheads 6, Grizzlies 3

Well, we knew it couldn't last forever.

Things were actually going pretty well until Idaho score two quick goals late in the 2nd and completely changed the momentum of the game. After that it seemed the Grizzlies couldn't get their feet back. The boys landed themselves in 8 shorthanded situations, which allowed the Steelheads to pick up two power play goals within two minutes of each other during the 3rd.

We have to admit, we admired Marcus Carroll's attempt to get Utah back on track late in the 3rd. Carroll picked up a nonchalant goal after stepping out of the box, which showed us that the boys still had the skills to tie the game. However, the determination was definitely sidetracked. They were not the same team that we watched score a shorthanded goal to open the game.

Not much else to say about this one: lost a 2 goal lead, 13 shorthanded situations, 0 for 6 on the power play. Happy Birthday, Coach Colley.

Stars of the Game -

None from Utah . . .

Links -
post game || Four-Game Winning Streak Ends In Idaho
gamesheet || Utah at Idaho - 1/4/11
highlights || Game Highlights 1/4/11 at Idaho
interview || Matt Clarke 1/4/11 intermission

Post Game: Grizzlies 2, Salmon Kings 0

Second shutout in a row for JP.

If you missed it, the game went like so: the Grizzlies and the Salmon Kings were pretty evenly matched and played some mighty fine hockey through the first 40 minutes. Then, Victoria turned into a bunch of goons after Utah scored its first goal in the 3rd. No, seriously. Even Victoria's goalie tried to get in on the action, earning himself 2 minors. And the game ended with a good ol' fashioned brawl after Stefanishion knocked Ferguson's feet out from under him at the buzzer. Cute.

But overall it was a great game and another amazing win for the Grizzlies, with JP stopping all 27 shots he saw in the contest. And another beautiful setup with Marcus and Chris on the 2nd goal. Nicely done, all.

Gotta say, we love the Kilburg-Wilson pairing. Talk about double trouble . . .

We'd really like to see more from the Ruegsegger-Crowder-Parnham line; these boys have a lot of talent, but they haven't had much success lately. Brett's got some great puck control, Timmy's been delivering some decent hits, and Tyler's no n00b at taking the puck to the net. We just want to see this all come together.

Game Photos -



Stars of the Game -

1. UTA - J. Lamoureux
2. UTA - N. Tuzzolino
3. UTA - M. Carroll

Links -
post game || Grizzlies Blank Salmon Kings Again: Pull Away 2-0 In Third
gamesheet || Victoria at Utah - 1/1/11
highlights || Game Highlights 1/1/11 vs Victoria
photos || 1/1/11 - Utah Grizzlies vs Victoria Salmon Kings

Post Game: Thunder 3, Grizzlies 2

Grizzlies make a comeback, but it's not quite enough.

There were plenty of punch in the face contests in this one, but it didn't seem to push the momentum Utah's way. Though we have to admit we really enjoyed Tim Crowder's fight. He doesn't seem like the type to run his mouth, so when he dropped his gloves you could tell he meant business. And how!

Matt Clarke got tossed nearing the end of the 1st. Denny said he threw a tantrum; they didn't show it on the B2, so we won't speculate.

Both of the Grizzlies goals were on the man advantage, where Utah went 2 for 7. Marcus Carroll picked up both of the power play goals with Matt Sorteberg contributing to both as well. Nicely done, boys. Deeth picked up the second assist on the first goal, and Ruegsegger added to his points on the second. Good job by the PP unit on both of those goals.

Maybe a loss on the road means a win at home? Guess we'll find out.

Stars of the Game -

Meh - all Stockton. So enjoy this short clip of Tim Crowder's one fight last season in Victoria instead:


Links -
post game || Stockton Holds On: 3-2 Over Utah
gamesheet || Utah at Stockton - 12/11/10
highlights || Game Highlights 12/11/10 at Stockton
interview || Michael Gergen 12/11/10 intermission

Post Game: Aces 5, Grizzlies 0

Grizzlies lose.

There's really not much to say about this one. Utah looked pretty good in the 1st, then rapidly deteriorated in the 2nd. The boys came out with a slightly better 3rd, but it just wasn't enough.

The fans expressed their dismay by throwing their bears for the Teddy Bear Toss on the ice after the Ace's 5th goal. Ouch.

Wanted to give a shout out to Brett Parnham for his first game off of the IR since the last time the boys were at home. Parnham played some good shifts and made some great hits on Alaska. And also, we'd be remiss if we didn't post the one highlight of the game - the Marcus Carroll fight. Our favorite part is the dap he gets from Wilson as he leaves the ice. Nicely done.



Game Photos -


Links -
post game || Alaska Breaks First Place Tie With Win
gamesheet || Alaska at Utah - 11/20/10
photos || 11/20/10 - Utah Grizzlies vs Alaska Aces

Post Game: Aces 5, Grizzlies 4 (OT)

Grizzlies lose in OT, pick up a point.

Unfortunately, we called this one. Sitting in 121 with the 3rd goal just under the Grizzlies belts and half the game left to play, I leaned over to fellow blogger Joni and muttered, "These boys have a tendency to lose their lead. 4-4 going into overtime."

It is a little disheartening to watch a 3-0 lead go down the drain. We've seen it happen before, where the other team takes advantage of simple mistakes that Utah makes. One of Alaska's goals formulated on a 3-on-1, where defense was just not in position. It happens. Sometimes the Grizzlies get lucky when they take an on-ice breather. But when the opposing team pushes the advantage, it makes Utah's miscalculation that much more apparent. Assistant Coach Leigh Mendleson articulated on this in his post game, stating "We haven't learned our lesson yet. We haven't learned that once you get a lead going you don't sit back, you don't play the scoreboard, you don't feel good about things. You put your work boots on a little tighter and you finish the game."

But now for the good. The Crowder boys lit things up again, with 3 points (1g, 2a) for Tim and 2 for Paul (2a). Kevin Deeth, playing with the Crowder line, also lit up the scoreboard with 2 points (1g, 1a) of his own.

We also wanted to shine on Jason Fredricks. We'd actually been commenting on Fredricks' defense throughout the night. He was always where the puck was and from that was able to generate his first goal of the season with the Crowder line. Nicely done. Andrew Engelage made some amazing saves through the night, stopping 32 of 37. After all of his hard work, it was difficult to see the game go on such an easy goal, which we're sure he'd love to have back. And Riley Emmerson picked up his first point of the season with an assist and added another fight to his resume. Overall, it was an entertaining game for the 7,887 fans in attendance.

Rematch tonight at the Maverik Center @ 7:00pm.

Stars of the Game -

1. AK - B. Miller
2. UTA - T. Crowder
3. AK - K. Falite

Game Photos -



Links -
post game || 7,887 See Alaska Take Overtime Contest In Utah
gamesheet || Alaska at Utah - 11/19/10
highlights || Game Highlights 11/19/10 vs Alaska
photos || 11/19/10 - Utah Grizzlies vs Alaska Aces
interview || Leigh Mendleson 11/19/10 post game
interview || Kevin Deeth 11/19/10 interview

Grizzlies Live - Hell yes, we listened!

Yep, we tuned in to Grizzlies Live last night. Good times!

Denny was joined by Matt Clarke, Marcus Carroll, and Matt Sorteberg for the hour show. The broadcaster and the boys discussed the upcoming series against Alaska, Marcus Carroll's linemate Donovan, and the different styles of their netminders Engelage and Lamoureux. We've picked out some random highlights to comment on.

Matt Clarke is vying for Chief Nicknamer. Clarke admitted one of his past times was trying to make different nicknames stick for the boys. His current goal is to get Marcus Carroll dubbed "Baby Marcus," and apparently he had a "good one" for Sorteberg last season, which Sorty pretended not to remember. (Can't blame you, Sorty.) But as nicknames come and go, we're sure Clarke will have his work cut out for him.

Denny and the boys went over the league as well commenting on Condor Tordjman's suspension, and former Grizzly Vandermeer's psychotic moments during a game against Las Vegas. We've commented on these already in previous posts, so we won't go into detail here. Denny, however, was excited to ask the Wrangler's head coach how Vegas managed to NOT score on a 10 minute power play. Ouch . . .

The talk of hullabaloo around the league eventually gravitated toward the professionalism of the Grizzlies, prompting Clarke to state that he believed in the addage: "Look good, feel good, play good" and admitting he liked how he looked in a suit, so the dress code was okay by him. We actually can't believe we don't have a picture of Clarke in a suit, but look at that pose!


They ended by quizzing Sorteberg in which we learned that Sorty did a promo for recycling that they still show in Idaho, Matt estimated Denny as commentating 800 games (it's only 400), and that the Grizzlies' bus driver's name is Paul. Marcus Carroll for the assist on the last question!

Next Grizzlies Live broadcast is on November 30 at 7pm.

Post Game: Grizzlies 4, Steelheads 3 (SO)

We missed the first goal of the game because of traffic school - thanks, City of American Fork. We got home just in time to see the long string of penalties that the Grizzlies committed. Stay out of the damn box, boys (. . . Chad)! Eight short handed situations in this game with two Idaho goals allowed.

But the real game was the 5 minute overtime period with the 4-on-3 penalty kill. Utah controlled the puck for most of the 5 minute stretch picking up 6 SOG, which was just one shot less than their entire 20 minute 3rd period. And even after going shorthanded at the worst possible moment, the boys were able to drive the game to a shootout. Now, this is Grizzlies hockey.

Also, this was definitely a game for firsts. First pro goals for Deeth, Ruegsegger, and Carroll. First time in net this season for Andrew Engelage. First point of the season for Chad Denny. And we'd definitely be remiss in not saying congrats to all! Engelage stopped 41 of 44 in his season debut, and stopped 4 of 4 in the shootout.

Outside of the action on the ice, we really have to give props to this guy:


Everyone watching on the B2 will know exactly what I'm talking about. But for those of you who weren't, just imagine this guy doing a dance somewhere between a booty shake and the Jump on It dance from Fresh Prince to C&C Music Factory's "Gonna Make You Sweat" and you'll have a pretty close visual. We salute you, random Idaho fan.

Let's go for Friday!

Stars of the Game -

1. IDH - M. Derlago
2. UTA - K. Deeth
3. IDH - J. Swanson


Links -
post game || Grizzlies Top Idaho 4-3 In Shootout
gamesheet || Utah at Idaho - 10/27/10
highlights || Game Hightlights 10/27/10 at Idaho
interview || Hugo Carpentier 10/27/10 intermission

Post Game: Grizzlies 7, Condors 4

Utah piled on 7 goals for their 2 points, but the Condors definitely kept things interesting for the Grizzlies during this match up.

Bakersfield struck first for the second night in a row 5:01 into the 1st. The Grizzlies responded on the power play to tie things before the end of the period, 1-1. At the top of the 2nd, Perry gave Utah their first lead of the night, but the Condors were quick to respond and tie it once again, 2-2. The Grizzlies regained their lead with a goal from Clarke, then another from Hunter to build their lead before the end of the middle frame, 4-2.

In the 3rd, Utah increased their lead to 3 with a goal from May. The Condors quickly followed up with two of their own, bringing the deficit to a single goal, 5-4. But the Grizzlies tacked on two more goals, one from Sixsmith and the final goal from Kinasewich, to expand on their lead and seal the deal, 7-4.

From the official post game:

The Utah Grizzlies (32-28-4-5) defeated the Bakersfield Condors 7-4 Saturday night at the E-Center before 7,772 fans. The win guarantees Utah a winning season and their fourth season of .500 or better in the last five years.

Utah scored two goals in a 15-second span in the final 1:05 to break a 5-4 score and make it 7-4. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Grizzlies Win Home Finale 7-4
highlights || Game Highlights 3/27/10 vs Bakersfield
gamesheet || Bakersfield at Utah - 3/27/10
photos || 3/27/10 - Utah Grizzlies vs Bakersfield Condors
interview || Kevin Colley 3/27/10 post game
interview || Tim Maxwell 3/27/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Photo of the Game:

2nd period - Marcus Carroll hustles for the puck after the faceoff.


Additional Photos: [Flickr]




Scoring Summary:

BAK A. Naglich (14), 5:01 1st period (Eichenlaub, Menei); Bakersfield 1, Grizzlies 0
UTA J. Sixsmith (23), 10:49 1st period (Maxwell, Hunter); Bakersfield 1, Grizzlies 1
UTA A. Perry (29), 2:31 2nd period (Vandermeer, Kinasewich); Bakersfield 1, Grizzlies 2
BAK D. Kissel (4), 3:13 2nd period (Ianiero, Goulet); Bakersfield 2, Grizzlies 2
UTA M. Clarke (4), 12:47 2nd period (Koskinen); Bakersfield 2, Grizzlies 3
UTA D. Hunter (16), 17:32 2nd period (Kinasewich, Vandermeer); Bakersfield 2, Grizzlies 4
UTA T. May (25), 2:56 3rd period (Sixsmith, Crowder); Bakersfield 2, Grizzlies 5
BAK A. Naglich (15), 4:22 3rd period (Kemp, Guyer); Bakersfield 3, Grizzlies 5
BAK M. Voakes (11), 17:40 3rd period (Kissel, Regan); Bakersfield 4, Grizzlies 5
UTA J. Sixsmith (24), 18:55 3rd period (Crowder); Bakersfield 4, Grizzlies 6
UTA R. Kinasewich (45), 19:10 3rd period; Bakersfield 4, Grizzlies 7


What Worked Well: Taking the puck to the net
Unfortunately, we don't have a replay of every goal, but a good handful of those goals came from taking the puck deep and right up to the net: Perry, May, Sixsmith - all had goals by swooping down right in front of the net. Nice work.

What Could Have Worked Better: Staying out of the box
The Grizzlies didn't allow Bakersfield as many chances as they did last night, but it's still something that could use a little improvement. There were also a couple of ill-timed penalties, including a shorthanded 5-on-3 situation that probably could have been avoided.

Who Made the Difference: James Sixsmith
While we saw a pretty sweet game from the Grizzlies, James Sixsmith definitely lead the pack tonight. With two goals and an assist on the gamewinner, Sixer was continually in the right place at the right time and propelling all the Grizzlies forward.


Stars of the Game:

1. UTA - J. Sixsmith
2. UTA - D. Hunter
3. UTA - P. Vandermeer


Additional Notes:

> Five Grizzlies had multiple point nights: James Sixsmith (2g, 1a), Dylan Hunter (1g 1a), Ryan Kinasewich (1g, 2a), Peter Vandermeer (2a), and Tim Crowder (2a).
> Mikko Koshkinen stopped 26 out of 30 shots and picked up an assist in the contest.
> Ryan Kinasewich picked up his 45th goal of the season and currently leads the league in goals.

Post Game: Steelheads 5, Grizzlies 4

The Grizzlies are on the brink of being kicked out of their playoff spot, but they sure aren't playing like it. We estimate that Utah played only 10 of the 60 minutes in this loss.

Idaho tacked on 3 goals, two in the 1st and one in the beginning of the 2nd, before Utah responded with a power play goal from Kinasewich to end the 2nd 3-1. In the 3rd period, the Steelheads grabbed up two more goals, including a shorthanded goal, which would turn out to be the game winner, 5-1.

Utah mounted an impressive comeback in the last half of the final frame tallying 3 goals - which included a James Sixsmith final minute special - to make it 5-4, but the Grizzlies were unable to send the game past regulation.

From the official post game:

The Utah Grizzlies (28-27-3-5) turned a 5-1 third period deficit into a 5-4 score with 42 seconds left but were unable to get the equalizer in a 5-4 regulation loss Wednesday night in Boise. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Grizzlies Frantic Comeback Falls Short in 5-4 Loss
highlights || Game Highlights 3/17/10 at Idaho
gamesheet || Utah at Idaho - 3/17/10
interview || Marcus Carroll 3/17/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Scoring Summary:

IDH K. DeVergilio (16), 6:03 1st period (Rome, Oleksy); Steelheads 1, Grizzlies 0
IDH A. Rome (17), 17:12 1st period (Oleksy); Steelheads 2, Grizzlies 0
IDH T. Spurgeon (25), 3:39 2nd period (Friesen, Barlow); Steelheads 3, Grizzlies 0
UTA R. Kinasewich (39), 17:35 2nd period (Galbraith, Hunter); Steelheads 3, Grizzlies 1
IDH M. McKnight (11), 4:34 3rd period (Oleksy, Rome); Steelheads 4, Grizzlies 1
IDH B. Kushniruk (10), 6:14 3rd period (Friesen); Steelheads 5, Grizzlies 1
UTA T. May (20), 9:02 3rd period (Carroll, Ferguson); Steelheads 5, Grizzlies 2
UTA B. Wilson (3), 11:47 3rd period (Sixsmith, Aston); Steelheads 5, Grizzlies 3
UTA J. Sixsmith (21), 19:18 3rd period (Hunter, Aston); Steelheads 5, Grizzlies 4


What Worked Well: Staying out of the box
The Grizzlies only allowed 3 short-handed situations. For the most part, the boys stayed out of the box, and when they couldn't they took one of the Steelheads down with them. Nice job.

What Could Have Been Better: Power Play
We know what kind of firepower we have on our power play. Converting only 1 out of 6 on the man advantage isn't cutting it for us (and probably not for Colley, either), so do it better. The Grizzlies also allowed a short handed goal, which ended up being the game winner; controlling the puck during the power play is half of the issue.

Who Made the Difference: James Sixsmith
While we could think of a lot of players who didn't make a difference, it was only slightly easier narrowing down who we think did. Marcus Carroll and Simon Ferguson were impressive new forces to be reckoned with, but we had to go with James Sixsmith for his ability to grab a goal in a pinch. And while James can carry almost any line you put him on, we think he'd be close to unstoppable with the proper wingers.


Stars of the Game:

1. IDH - A. Rome
2. IDH - A. Dawson
3. IDH - D. Friesen


Additional Notes:

> Three Grizzlies had multiple point nights: Dylan Hunter (2a), James Sixsmith (1g, 1a), and Peter Aston (2a)
> Simon Ferguson and Marcus Carroll both tallied assists for their first points with Utah. For Carroll, his assist also marks his first professional point.
> Mitch O'Keefe stopped 34 out of 39 shots in the loss.
> Captain Ryan Kinasewich extended his scoring streak to 7 games and matched his career season high for goals at 39.

Game Day transactions and other news.

Just a few updates before tonight's rematch with Idaho.

Forward Marcus Carroll was signed to an ATO on Friday. He played last night with the Grizzlies against Idaho and picked up 2 SOG and ended the game with a +1. So far so good. It sounds like Carroll has been assigned to defense here in Utah, rather than forward. In the OHL, Carroll acquired 62 points (25g, 37a) in 67 games and 81 penalty minutes.


Also joining the Grizzlies tonight in Boise is Simon Ferguson, who was acquired earlier this season in a trade with the Florida Everblades. We wondered if we would see Ferguson later in the season when his PTO with Syracuse expired, and it looks like that is the case. You can check out Ferguson's AHL stats here.


Look at those crazy eyes. Watch out, Idaho.

Although it's nice to see Ferguson joining the line, we still feel concerned about the Grizzlies' 2nd and 3rd lines ability to gel with the constant change this season. But of course, Utah could already be making preparations for next season. As Denny said in his blog today, if players don't step up, they won't be back.

While we understand that is a necessity to make sure everyone is playing at their best, we'd also like to point out that players, who are quite talented, may not respond to a certain coaching technique or line. And we find it a bit premature to declare the boys on the team that haven't been as prominent here in Utah jobless next year. In fact, a number of Grizzlies who were traded this year have flourished on their new teams: Parker Van Buskirk had a spin in the AHL, Patrick Asselin is in the midst of a 5 game scoring streak and has picked up 15 points in 17 games, Shea Guthrie sits at 20 points in 25 games, and the list goes on.

We're big fans of Kevin Colley, and we think he has a lot to offer as a coach, but sometimes we are left to wonder if there's a disconnect between Colley's coaching and the team's understanding and execution. And while we completely agree with Denny's observation that: "It should not take a Kevin Colley timeout mid-game to stop bleeding and momentum" - we have to wonder if the boys have been unintentionally conditioned to respond as such.

We can't offer any suggestions on what to do about it, though. Just an opinion.

Luck tonight, Grizzlies!