Game Day - Utah Grizzlies vs Las Vegas Wranglers

There seems to be a shortage of games this week, and nothing at home for the Grizzlies. Hopefully you've already pulled out your Costco card and picked up your rations to make it through the famine. ($2.50 off a giant tub of cookie dough with coupon until the end of the month.) They'll make up for it next week, when they have 4 home games in 5 days. But for now, there's only one game, and it's tonight in Vegas, baby.

The Las Vegas Wranglers currently lead the Western Conference by 4 points. The Grizzlies are in 2nd... still. Utah has its next three games against, Vegas while the Wranglers have a couple of games this weekend against Victoria sandwiched in the middle. So again, the Wranglers come out with the upper hand, having more chances to get points than Utah. That makes these games against Vegas all the more important. The Grizzlies can't just worry about earning points, they've got to be about keeping Las Vegas from getting them. NO OVERTIME!!! Just our suggestion.

Another suggestion would be to not let the Wranglers score first. They have a record of 21-3-3 when they get the first goal in a game. This is kind of a weird statistic and we don't really know what it means, but they always report so it must be important. We are all for getting the first goal anyway. Or not letting your opponent score first. Either way works for us.

We know that Andrew Engelage has been stellar in net for the Grizzlies, and again earned Goalie of the Week honors, but Las Vegas recently got Michael Ouzas back from Peoria. Oddly enough, this is where Utah just sent captain Jake Gannon. We're kind of confused about this, but then again, we're confused about most things to do with moving players around, so everything is status quo. Anyway, Ouzas is currently ranked 6th in the league in GAA (goals against average). Engelage is 3rd in that statistic. We're thinking that last meeting between the two where Engelage got a shutout and Ouzas gave up 5 goals may have had something to do with that. We'd like to see a repeat performance. However, we think Vegas might still remember that, and might possibly be ticked, so we'll settle for a win. In regulation.

The Grizzlies will get Paul Crowder back in the lineup tonight. This is perfect timing - before he went out with injuries, he had two goals and two assists in two games against the Wranglers in November. It would be great if he picked up right where he left off. We're sure Timmy will be happy to see Paulie back in the game. Especially if they're also roommates, because having to watch your brother play while you can't has got to make a guy kind of cranky.

Only game of the week tonight. Puck drops at 8:05 pm. Hang with Adrian Denny on 1230 KFAN while you inventory your toilet paper and cookie dough.

Game Day: Las Vegas Wranglers

Las Vegas tonight.

The Grizzlies haven't had the best of luck on home ice so far this season and with Vegas sitting at the top of the Western Conference, Utah will have their work cut out for them. However, midweek games seem to be successful for the boys as Adrian reported in his blog that the Grizzlies are 3-0 on Wednesdays so far this season.

Were not sure if Michael Ouzas is slated to be in net tonight, but we've got our fingers crossed that he's not as Ouzas is currently sitting at first in GAA with a 1.88. Add to that mix Vegas has the reigning ECHL Player of the Week in captain Tyler Mosienko, who scored 5 goals and tallied 3 assists last week, and the Grizzlies had better be on their toes tonight.

If Utah can score early and clean up their defense, they should have better luck against the Wranglers, who are 12-0-0 when leading after two periods if we go by stats alone. Tim Crowder is definitely the man to help the boys out with this, as he leads the Grizzlies in scoring against Las Vegas with 5 points (3g, 2a).

Jake Gannon is on the IR, unfortunately, as he's been essential on defense this season. But Utah has gotten used to playing without their captain during his periodic stints in the AHL, so we hope to see this trend continue.

Puck drops tonight at 7:05pm.
Let's go, boys.