And we would like our keeper back thank you very much!

Yesterday Colley announced that we got our goal keeper J.P. Lamoureux back from the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat, which is good news for our games this weekend. J.P. is one of our newest players yet seems to be fitting in great and is an awesome asset to the team. He has the drive and the skill to help take us a long way this season.

We have games coming up this weekend against the Alaska Aces. I think we proved to them on the road that we have what it takes to become a fighting power in the ECHL. We won our last game with a 3-2 over time win - it was a nail biter! The Grizzlies are currently ranked number one in the Western Division and Alaska is ranked number two. Our team has been doing so well, to mess it up this weekend would cost us the number one seat. And seeing as many of us Grizzly fans aren't okay with the Aces having the number one seat, the boys need to come out on top this weekend.

Just a note Brad Snetsinger is ranked number 11 in scoring stats for the ECHL!

In other ECHL news, Peter Vandermeer, who played for the Grizzlies last year but is currently with the Victoria Salmon Kings, had an interesting game against Las Vegas. Peter got multiple penalties in this game including smacking Mosienko below the belt. Vandermeer continued to try and beat him up after the officials had already pulled them apart. He was called for spearing among other things during the game so he spent a lot of time in the penalty box.

Don't forget out two home games this week on the 19th and 20th against the Aces! Friday the 19th is maverick day so bring your receipt from maverick and get a ticket for 5$!

Go grizzlies!

Peace :)
GrizzGirl

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: 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: Condors 5, Grizzlies 4 (OT)

Stunned. That's definitely how we felt after tonight's contest. From a stellar 1st to losing a lead twice to dropping the game in overtime, the boys ran out of steam in this surreal post-regulation loss.

Bakersfield picked up the first goal of the night. The Grizzlies responded with 3 of their own before the end of the initial frame, starting with a short-handed goal by Perry and extended with a goal by Crowder which increased Utah's lead, 3-1. The Grizzlies picked up a 4th goal in the 1st, but it was waved off for interference. The 2nd period remained scoreless for both teams, but in the 3rd the Condors picked up two quick goals to tie things up. The Grizzlies responded with another Perry goal to regain the lead again, but Bakersfield was ready and tied the game with a shorthanded goal to send it past regulation.

Bakersfield scored the game winner 3:38 into overtime to grab the two points. Utah picked up a point in the loss.

From the official post game:

The Bakersfield Condors defeated the Utah Grizzlies (31-28-4-5) 5-4 in overtime Friday night at the E-Center before 5,810 fans. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Grizzlies Collect Point In 5-4 Overtime Loss
highlights || Game Highlights 3/26/10 vs Bakersfield
gamesheet || Bakersfield at Utah - 3/26/10
photos || 3/26/10 - Utah Grizzlies vs Bakersfield Condors
interview || Tim Crowder 3/26/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Photo of the Game:

1st period - Colley and the boys watch from the bench as Galbraith knocks one in.

Additional Photos: [Flickr]



Scoring Summary:

BAK R. Menei (17), 5:22 1st period (McCue, Pielmeier); Condors 1, Grizzlies 0
UTA A. Perry (27), 9:39 1st period (Clarke, Sixsmith); Condors 1, Grizzlies 1
UTA D. Hunter (15), 13:39 1st period (Kinasewich, Vandermeer); Condors 1, Grizzlies 2
UTA T. Crowder (10), 16:50 1st period (Galbraith, McJannet); Condors 1, Grizzlies 3
BAK D. Kissel (2), 0:38 3rd period (Pokulok, Regan); Condors 2, Grizzlies 3
BAK A. Ianiero (16), 10:41 3rd period; Condors 3, Grizzlies 3
UTA A. Perry (28), 14:06 3rd period (Kinasewich, Vandermeer); Condors 3, Grizzlies 4
BAK D. Kissel (3), 18:19 3rd period (Voakes, Pielmeier); Condors 4, Grizzlies 4
BAK S. Pokulok (12), 3:38 Overtime (Ianiero, Regan); Condors 5, Grizzlies 4


What Worked Well: Penalty Kill
Utah killed off 6 of the 7 penalties they saw, including a 5-on-3 situation which ultimately resulted in the shorthanded Perry goal in the 1st. And on a lot of the man advantages for the Condors, Bakersfield was never able to set things up. Very nicely done.

What Could Have Worked Better: 3rd period
By the 3rd period the boys weren't looking to win, they were looking to defend which left a lot of openings and lackadaisical play, and in the end just didn't cut it. We're used to seeing an awesome last 5 minutes of the game, so this was somewhat of a shock. Do it better.

Who Made the Difference: AJ Perry
No matter which way we looked at it, AJ Perry came out on top. 2 goals on 2 SOG, ending the game with a +2 and picking up 2 PIM, Perry was all over offense as well as defense and did a great job on both the PK and the 5-on-5. Perry's another one of those guys like Sixsmith or Hunter who are so damn consistant they can sometimes be overlooked. Just another great job by Perry.


Stars of the Game:

1. UTA - A. Perry
2. BAK - D. Kissel
3. BAK - S. Pokulok


Additional Notes:

> Three Grizzlies had mulitpoint nights: AJ Perry (2g), Ryan Kinasewich (2a), and Peter Vandermeer (2a).
> Mitch O'Keefe stopped 30 of 35 shots in the losing effort.
> James Sixsmith celebrated his 26th birthday tonight and celebrated with an assist. Happy birthday, James!

Utah Grizzlies 3rd Jerseys Auction

After Friday night's game, the Grizzlies auctioned offed their 3rd jerseys to benefit St. Jude Children's Hospital. The Utah Grizzlies website reported that:

$13,300 was raised for the St. Jude Children’s Hospital and Foundation after the game as the Grizzlies auctioned off live their New York Islanders themed third-jerseys that they wore on Friday nights this season.

We typically do a breakdown of the jersey sales for the auction, but we had a few technical difficulties with our notes. Damn. If anyone did get what each jersey went for, feel free to email us or post it in the comments. We'd be happy to hear from you.

But, we did get some pictures from the auction for anyone that missed it.

Peter Vandermeer auctions off his jersey (child not included):


Ryan Kinasewich takes his turn:


The rest of the team waits for their spin on the auction block:


James Sixsmith looks pretty bad ass:


Matt Clarke is pensive:


Hugo Carpentier is amused that his name was mispronounced:


And Brett Parnham gives the bidders a smile:



We do have a few more photos that we may put up at our Flickr account later this week. Enjoy!

Weekend Preview: Stockton Thunder

The last time Stockton met up with the Grizzlies at the E-Center, Utah swept the series, ending with a 7-1 victory. We're thinking this is how the Thunder felt during that loss (yes, that's Bates in the net):


However, we think Stockton's going to be a little more prepared to meet the Grizzlies at the E-Center this time around. The Thunder are coming off of a nice break backed by a 7-3 win over Victoria on 3/6 and are looking to keep the Grizzlies from creeping up on them in the standings. Stockton's Perugini is still holding strong at 2nd in the league with a 0.916 SV% and ties for 3rd in the GAA category with 2.70, while James Bates continues to be the most lethal Thunder player against the Grizzlies.

Coming off of a 4 game road losing streak, the Grizzlies have to be pretty happy to be back at home where they are 6-1-0 in their last 7 on their own ice. James Sixsmith continues to lead the pack with an 11 game scoring streak. We'd love to see him extend it tonight, and we're pretty sure he would, too.

The Grizzlies also welcome some new players tonight and hail a returning favorite. Dylan Hunter rejoins the Grizzlies from the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals where he's been since February 11. Welcome back, Hunts! We learned today from Adrian Denny's blog that Friday will be the first full game Snatch, Sixer, and Hunts have played together since November 14. That's a lot of firepower to watch out for.


Three players make their debut on E-Center ice tonight: Peter Vandermeer has been assigned to the Grizzlies by the AHL's Heat, while center Malcolm MacMillan and defenseman Justin Suda have been acquired in a trade with the Toledo Walleye for forward Tony Romano. Tony Romano picked up 4 points (1g, 3a) against the Stockton Thunder in the February 24, 7-1 win, so it will be interesting to see how the new players fill that void. Tony picked up 4 assists and 2 PIM in his first game with the Walleye. Luck, Tony!


Utah will be busy this weekend with three back to back home games on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (remember Sunday's game starts at 4:05). And if that wasn't enough to look forward to, the Grizzlies will be auctioning their 3rd jerseys after Friday night's game to benefit St. Jude Children's hospital. Sounds like we're in for a pretty sweet hockey weekend.

Best of luck, boys!