Post Game: Grizzlies 5, Reign 1

Grizzlies win. At last.

After the 1st period brawl, the boys played down and played some good hockey. Carroll's goal seemed to spark the Grizzlies offensively, and even though Ontario picked up their only goal of the night 42 seconds after, Utah kept their heads in the game. Talk about a game to get you prepped for Stockton - we hope the boys can remember to play hockey.

We have to give some major props to Ontario's Zacharias in this game. The kid stopped 43 of 48 shots thrown his way. We also have to give some mad props to Utah for not letting up after they grabbed the lead. Utah pulled away in the 2nd with 28 SOG to Ontario's 5. They also defended that lead beautifully through the 3rd, keeping on the forecheck for the most part and tallying May's 3rd of the evening for his trick.

Keep the momentum into Stockton, boys.

Stars of the Game -

1. UTA - T. May
2. UTA - K. Deeth
3. UTA - M. Clarke

Links -
post game || Grizzlies Beat Ontario 5-1
gamesheet || Ontario at Utah - 3/5/11
highlights || Game Highlights 3/5/11 vs Ontario
photos || 3/5/11 - Utah Grizzlies vs Ontario Reign
interview || Kevin Colley 3/5/11 post game
interview || Hugo Carpentier 3/5/11 intermission

Post Game: Salmon Kings 6, Grizzlies 5 (SO)

Grizzlies lose, but not as bad.

So the effort Colley wanted to see in this game was definitely taking shape. There was more push from the boys to keep up with the game, and we saw more of the Crowder magic with Tim's goal to tie things 2-2 at the end of the 1st. Even better, it was amazing to see Utah battle back from a 2 goal 3rd period deficit to send things past regulation. It's hard to recall when we last saw this kind of play from the Grizzlies, and we plan on holding them to more of it.

Welcome once again to Meyers and Grantham who both picked up points in their second game in Utah colors.

And special teams - ah, how we've hated you over this last stretch. We're glad to see the Grizzlies getting both their power play and their penalty kill back on track. The boys slaughtered a 4 minute shorthanded situation during the last few minutes of regulation and the beginning of overtime. Just amazing. And on the power play, Utah capitalized 3 of their 5 opportunities on the man advantage. Such an improvement from what we've grown accustomed to cursing under our breath. Keep it up, boys.

Glad to see Deeth once again making the stars of the game list - we're sure he is too.

The boys are back next weekend.

Stars of the Game -

1. VIC - C. Painchaud
2. VIC - R. Dingle
3. UTA - K. Deeth

Links -
post game || Grizzlies Fight Back To End Streak: Collect Shootout Point In Victoria
gamesheet || Utah at Victoria - 2/26/11
highlights || Game Highlights 2/26/11 at Victoria
interview || Marcus Carroll 2/26/11 intermission

Post Game: Grizzlies 3, Wranglers 2

Grizzlies win.

It was pretty awesome to see this game decided by May's penalty shot. Just goes to show you how decisive a penalty can be in any game situation.

Speaking of, both of Vegas's goals were on the power play. Really, Utah? You have the 5th ranked penalty kill and allowed 2 goals in 6 shorthanded situations against the Wranglers' 15th ranked power play? Since the Grizzlies won, we won't give them too much guff, but we wouldn't mind seeing the PK tightened up a little.

Both goals tonight were from Ferguson. Nice to see him getting in there with the goal scoring. Taking the lead against Vegas is a major aspect of any game against them, and he helped out with that with some style.

Glad to see the Crowders & Carpentier back together. Tonight they looked good, meshing well again as usual - but now we want to see them pick up some goals. (Yes, we're demanding and we don't care.)

Stars of the Game -

1. UTA - S. Ferguson
2. UTA - T. May
3. LV - N. Ross

Links -
post game || Grizzlies Win 3-2 In Las Vegas
gamesheet || Utah at Las Vegas - 2/10/11
highlights || Game Highlights 2/10/11 at Las Vegas
interview || Paul Crowder 2/10/11 intermission

Go Team!

Not much by way of super interesting news today. The Grizzlies lost in overtime yesterday. 5 out of 6 points from 3 games in 4 nights really isn't that bad. Tom May extended his scoring streak to 7 games. Plus they had record breaking crowds Friday and Saturday. Now if we could figure out a way to keep attendance around 8,000 per home game.

The Salt Lake Tribune actually wrote a long, in depth article about the Grizz, not just a game report saying win or lose (a few days ago, January 28th). Here is the opening, which highlights recent good thing, along with the not so good.

The last three weeks have not been kind to the Utah Grizzlies.

The team has lost seven of its past eight games and spent almost 150 more minutes in the penalty box than any other squad this season. The most attention the Grizzlies have gotten has been for an unfortunate viral video of coach Kevin Colley throwing sticks all over the ice while screaming at an official.

And yet, Utah quietly is on track for the best season the franchise has enjoyed in its five years in the ECHL. The team has been leading the Mountain Division for well over a month and at times has been tied for the league lead.

The article goes on to emphasize the unity this particular group of guys has found. Just go read it so this whole post isn't just quotes. What was your favorite part? Mine? "The biggest division in the team stems from disagreements over who is the best at NHL ’11 on Xbox." I'm not sure playing hockey in a video game really helps your on-ice skill, but hey, whatever works!

Team Grizzlies (go unity!) play at home again tomorrow night. It's a Wild $2 Wednesday, which means cheap food.

Post Game: Steelheads 8, Grizzlies 1

We thought about writing something up on this one, but then decided against it. It sucked, we turned it off early, and moved on. We get to do that because it's our blog.

It was a nice send off for Doug Plagens, we suppose . . .

Enjoy the All-Star break!

Tom May in, Michael Gergen out, and Lawson in the NHL.

So it's old news that Tom May has rejoined the Grizzlies. So who's out?

Unfortunately, we learned Sunday that Michael Gergen has been released from his contract with Utah. We were sorry to hear that, as we really enjoyed watching Gergen during the Ontario matches a few weeks ago. He was definitely running at top speed during that series, and also picked up a goal and an assist in this last match up against Vegas. But when it comes down to it, May just looks better on paper than Gergen. Hopefully we'll see him land elsewhere in the ECHL soon because we like the guy and his style of play. Best of luck, Michael!


Check out some of Michael Gergen's interviews from this season:
Michael Gergen 12/11/10 intermission
Michael Gergen 12/17/10 intermission

Former Grizzlies goaltender Nathan Lawson made his debut in the NHL Saturday with the Islanders. We were excited to see this happen as we loved to watch him play here in Utah. Congrats, Laws!

Game 4: Steelheads 4, Grizzlies 1

We did warn everyone that we would be spending the weekend moping about in our bathrobes if the Grizzlies lost. And we did. Here is your belated and final post game of the season.

The Steelheads scored 3 times in the 1st, the last of the 3 goals coming in the final minute of the period. Utah thought they had scored the first goal of the game, but the puck was not seen to cross the red line. In the 2nd Idaho tacked another goal to their total, ending the period 4-0.

The Grizzlies tallied their only goal during the 3rd as they kept the Steelheads to a scoreless period, ending the game 4-1 in Idaho's favor.

From the official post game:

The Idaho Steelheads defeated the Utah Grizzlies 4-1 Friday night at the E-Center to defeat Utah four games to none in the ECHL’s National Conference Semifinals. The Grizzlies season ends in the second round of the postseason. [utahgrizzlies.com]

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


Photo of the Game:


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

Additional Photos: [Flickr]



Scoring Summary:

IDH M. McCutcheon (3), 9:50 1st period (Derlago, Flichel); Steelheads 1, Grizzlies 0
IDH E. Barlow (3), 11:51 1st period (McCutcheon, Flichel); Steelheads 2, Grizzlies 0
IDH B. Kushniruk (1), 19:52 1st period (McCutcheon); Steelheads 3, Grizzlies 0
IDH M. McKnight (3), 5:02 2nd period (DeVergilio, Friesen); Steelheads 4, Grizzlies 0
UTA T. May (3), 11:15 3rd period (Sixsmith, Crowder); Steelheads 4, Grizzlies 1


Stars of the Game:

1. IDH - R. Bachman
2. IDH - M. McCutcheon
3. UTA - T. May

Additional Notes:

> James Sixsmith lead the team with 6 SOG and also tallied an assist.
> Mike Morrison stopped 23 of 27 of in the match.
> Thanks for an awesome season, Grizzlies!

Game 3: Steelheads 6, Grizzlies 1

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

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

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


Photo of the Game:


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

Additional Photos: [Flickr]




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

Go Grizzlies!

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.

Post Game: Grizzlies 5, Thunder 2

Utah collected 4 of the 6 points possible from the weekend series which was barely enough to hold onto the 7th and final playoff spot.

Stockton struck first once again to take the early lead over the Grizzlies, but Utah was able to tie things up before the end of the period, 1-1. Also by the end of the 1st, Simon Ferguson had racked up more time in PIM than had just been played (22 minutes) with 2 game misconducts and a minor. Wow. Utah took over in the 2nd, scoring twice on the power play including a Hunter goal at 19:59 of the period to gain the lead, 3-1.

The Thunder grabbed a goal just before the midpoint of the 3rd, but the Grizzlies responded with 2 of their own to end the game 5-2 in Utah's favor.

From the official post game:

The Utah Grizzlies (30-28-3-5) defeated the Stockton Thunder 5-2 Sunday night at the Stockton Arena to take two of three games from the Thunder on the weekend series. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Grizzlies Leave Stockton With 5-2 Win
highlights || Game Highlights 3/21/10 at Stockton
gamesheet || Utah at Stockton - 3/21/10
interview || Brock Wilson 3/21/10 intermission
interview || Kevin Colley addresses final games of the season
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Scoring Summary:

STK C. D'Alvise (30), 3:29 1st period (Robinson); Thunder 1, Grizzlies 0
UTA T. May (22), 12:48 1st period (Nikiforov); Thunder 1, Grizzlies 1
UTA T. Crowder (8), 1:35 2nd period (Nikiforov); Thunder 1, Grizzlies 2
UTA D. Hunter (14), 19:59 2nd period (Perry, Clarke); Thunder 1, Grizzlies 3
STK J. Bates (25), 9:01 3rd period (Hunt, D'Alvise); Thunder 2, Grizzlies 3
UTA T. Crowder (9), 12:54 3rd period (Galbraith, Vandermeer); Thunder 2, Grizzlies 4
UTA V. Nikiforov (18), 15:49 3rd period (Sixsmith); Thunder 2, Grizzlies 5


What Worked Well: Goaltending
While Mitch O'Keefe had a pretty decent game last night, it's interesting what allowing one less goal can do for the team. The goaltending from Koshinen made a solid base for the rest of the Grizzlies defense and allowed the boys to focus on their offense.

What Could Have Worked Better: 1st period
Once again the Grizzlies started out shaky, but with the way things ended, we really can't complain. When the boys hit their stride, they made up for any turnovers and missed passes that happened in the 1st.

Who Made the Difference: Mikko Koshkinen
While Vlady Nikiforov and Tim Crowder both had amazing games, we wanted to highlight the ease with which Mikko Koshkinen stops the puck. Stopping 37 shots, he only allowed 2 goals in the contest and really added some confidence to the Grizzlies in their own end. Nicely done.


Stars of the Game:

1. UTA - M. Koskinen
2. STK - C. D'Alvise
3. UTA - V. Nikiforov


Additional Notes:

> Goalie Mikko Koskinen stopped 37 of the 39 shots he saw in the contest for the win.
> Two Grizzlies had multiple point games: Vladimir Nikiforov (1g, 2a) and Tim Crowder (2g)
> Ryan Kinasewich's scoring streak was broken today, while James Sixsmith's road scoring streak contines.
> Simon Ferguson ended the game with 22 PIM which he racked up before the end of the 1st period.

Post Game: Grizzlies 6, Thunder 2

Two points down, four to go. As we hoped for in our weekend preview, Utah was definitely in a warrior haze tonight, scoring 6 goals on 29 shots.

Stockton struck first scoring on the power play, but the Grizzlies responded before the end of the period to end the 1st tied, 1-1. In the 2nd, the Grizzlies scored 4 times which included 2 short handed goals from Ryan Kinasewich. Mikko Koshkinen and the Grizzlies' defense held Stockton off the scoreboard to end the period 5-1.

Tom May picked up an early goal in the 3rd period to increase the Grizzlies lead 6-1, but the Thunder picked up a short handed goal 5 minutes later to end the game 6-2 in Utah's favor.

From the official post game:

The Utah Grizzlies scored six unanswered goals after falling behind 1-0 in the first period and Islanders rookie prospect Mikko Koskinen stopped 36 of 38 shots in his ECHL debut as Utah (29-27-3-5) defeated the Stockton Thunder (29-25-2-7) 6-2 Friday night in California. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Koskinen Stops 36 In Utah Debut; Grizzlies Win 6-2
highlights || Game Highlights 3/19/10 at Stockton
gamesheet || Utah at Stockton - 3/19/10
interview || Tom May 3/19/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Scoring Summary:

STK J. Bates (23), 4:14 1st period (D'Alvise, Aiello); Thunder 1, Grizzlies 0
UTA S. Ferguson (1), 10:19 1st period (Sorteberg, Hunter); Thunder 1, Grizzlies 1
UTA V. Nikiforov (17), 3:30 2nd period (Suda, May); Thunder 1, Grizzlies 2
UTA A. Perry (25), 5:31 2nd period (Hunter, Sixsmith); Thunder 1, Grizzlies 3
UTA R. Kinasewich (40), 9:22 2nd period; Thunder 1, Grizzlies 4
UTA R. Kinasewich (41), 11:46 2nd period (Clarke, Wilson); Thunder 1, Grizzlies 5
UTA T. May (21), 1:15 3rd period (Sixsmith, Kilburg); Thunder 1, Grizzlies 6
STK M. Robinson (26), 5:18 3rd period (Vanoosten); Thunder 2, Grizzlies 6


What Worked Well: Penalty Kill
Utah only allowed Stockton one goal on the man advantage. The boys were able to come back and kill 5 penalties, including picking up 2 short handed goals from Kinasewich. Nicely done.

What Could Have Been Better: 1st period
The Grizzlies looked a little shaky in the 1st and trailed Stockton in shots on goal, tallying 9 to the Thunder's 15. Fortunately, they were able to come back in the 2nd, but we'd much rather they were able to come out strong and stay strong for the entire 60 minutes.

Who Made the Difference: Dylan Hunter
While Utah's new goalie Koskinen made things look easy and Ryan Kinasewich was in his warrior haze, Dylan Hunter really brings an aspect of consistancy to this hockey team. Picking up two assists, Hunter is amazing at setting things up for his wingers and next to Sixsmith, is one of the most consistant players on the team.


Stars of the Game:

1. UTA - R. Kinasewich
2. UTA - T. May
3. UTA - M. Koskinen


Additional Notes:

> Three Grizzlies had multiple point games: Ryan Kinasewich (2g), Tom May (1g, 1a), James Sixsmith (2a) and Dylan Hunter (2a).
> Mikko Koskinen stopped 36 out of 38 shots in the win.
> Captain Kinasewich broke his season high goal record with his two shorties for 41 goals this season.

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.

Post Game: Grizzlies 4, Thunder 3 (SO)

Kinasewich is back. With a game-tying goal and a game winner, how can we not declare him the reigning champ?

Stockton took the lead 10:06 into the 1st on the power play, after their goalie was injured and replaced with Sorochan. But the Grizzlies were not to be deterred and after a Galbraith punch-in-the-face special, the boys responded with a power play goal of their own from Tom May. Utah then grabbed the lead with Kinsewich's first of the night before the end of the period, 2-1. Both teams weren't able to light the lamp in the second, though Stockton tallyed 14 SOG to Utah's 12. In the 3rd, Stockton picked up two goals to take the lead before Kinasewich picked up one more to tie it with just 3 minutes left in regulation.

After a scoreless overtime, the teams went to a shootout where Kinasewich picked up the the win on the shoulders of Vlady and Perry - and of course, Mitch O'Keefe.

From the official post game:

The Utah Grizzlies (28-25-3-5) defeated the Stockton Thunder 4-3 in a shootout Sunday afternoon at the E-Center to collect five of a possible six standings points in the weekend three-game series. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Grizzlies Take out Stockton in 4-3 Shootout
highlights || Game Highlights 3/14/10 vs Stockton
gamesheet || Stockton at Utah - 3/14/10
photos || 3/14/10 - Utah Grizzlies vs Stockton Thunder
video || UtahGrizzBlog's YouTube Channel
interview || Kevin Colley 3/14/10 post game
interview || Ryan Kinasewich 3/14/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Photo of the Game:

3rd period - Coach Colley is pissed; the boys look equally ashamed.

Additional Photos: [Flickr]



Video: [YouTube]

Lance Galbraith vs Garet Hunt.

Steve McJannet vs Riley Emmerson.

Ryan Kinasewich shootout goal.

Scoring Summary:

STK C. Hemingway (22), 10:06 1st period (Eizenman, Dacosta); Thunder 1, Grizzlies 0
UTA T. May (19), 14:09 1st period (Aston, Nikiforov); Thunder 1, Grizzlies 1
UTA R. Kinasewich (37), 17:33 1st period (Crowder, Hunter); Thunder 1, Grizzlies 2
STK K. Czuy (5), 5:14 3rd period (Gongalsky, Hunt); Thunder 2, Grizzlies 2
STK C. D'Alvise (26), 8:54 3rd period (Constant, Bates); Thunder 3, Grizzlies 2
UTA R. Kinasewich (38), 3rd period (Aston, Hunter); Thunder 3, Grizzlies 3

UTA (SO) R. Kinasewich, Thunder 3, Grizzlies 4


What Worked Well: Penalty Kill
While there were less penalties, we just saw an improvement in the penalty kill from the previous night. The boys were willing to make more sacrifices and had an easier time clearing the puck.

What Could Have Been Better: 3rd period
When the Grizzlies stepped onto the ice in the 3rd, they looked like fail, allowing two Stockton goals before Colley cussed them out properly. We've generally noticed a push in the final 20 as of late, so it was definitely a disappointing change. Glad to see Colley get the boys back on track.

Who Made the Difference: Ryan Kinasewich
2 goals in regulation, including a tying goal that sent things into overtime and the game-winning shootout goal - we really couldn't pick anyone else as our difference maker for this game, though we want to give props to Mitch O'Keefe for his performance. We're excited to see Kinasewich is back. Keep it up, Captain!


Stars of the Game:

1. UTA - R. Kinasewich
2. UTA - D. Hunter
3. STK - K. Czuy


Additional Notes:

> Three Grizzlies had multiple points in the match: Ryan Kinasewich (2g), Dylan Hunter (2a), and Peter Aston (2a).
> James Sixsmith's scoring streak of 13 games was snapped - damn!
> Mitch O'Keefe stopped 36 out of 39 shots in regulation and overtime, then stopped 3 of 5 in the shootout.
> Since Perry was a little too stealthy for us (you'll see what we mean), we've opted to post his shootout goal here and not on YouTube.

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.

Post Game: Reign 7, Grizzlies 3

We suppose turnabout is fair play. Just two nights after scoring 7 goals against the Stockton Thunder, the Grizzlies allowed 7 goals against the Reign in this losing attempt.

For the first two periods of play, the game remained relatively tight. Ontario grabbed the first and only goal in the intial frame, and extended their lead at the top of the 2nd. The Grizzlies responded at 8:07 of the period when James Sixsmith put Utah on the scoreboard. The Reign responded, increasing the gap to 3-1, but the Grizzlies were able to light the lamp one final time in the 2nd with one second left in the frame, 3-2.

Entering the 3rd, the Reign were on a mission and Utah wasn't able to stop them. While the Grizzlies started the period with a goal of their own to tie the game once again, 3-3. But Ontario responded, tallying 4 more to regain the lead and end the game 7-3 in their favor.

From the official post game:

The Ontario Reign scored four unanswered goals to break a 3-3 third period tie and defeated the Utah Grizzlies (26-22-2-5) 7-3 Friday night at the Citizens Business Bank Arena to snap the Grizzlies three-game winning streak. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Third Period Dooms Utah in 7-3 Loss
highlights || Game Highlights 2/26/10 at Ontario
gamesheet || Utah at Ontario 2/26/10
interview || Lance Galbraith 2/26/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Scoring Summary:

ONT G. Hogeboom (26), 7:47 1st period (Kraus); Reign 1, Grizzlies 0
ONT M. Egener (5), 5:32 2nd period (Kraus); Reign 2, Grizzlies 0
UTA J. Sixsmith (16), 8:07 2nd period (Aston); Reign 2, Grizzlies 1
ONT T. Voce (17), 2nd period (Pelech, Jackson); Reign 3, Grizzlies 1
UTA T. May (18), 19:59 2nd period (Sixsmith); Reign 3, Grizzlies 2
UTA P. Aston (5), 3:25 3rd period (Sixsmith); Reign 3, Grizzlies 3
ONT G. Hogeboom (27), 5:46 3rd period (Kraus, Egener); Reign 4, Grizzlies 3
ONT R. Pearce (5), 14:51 3rd period (Stsrling, Walker); Reign 5, Grizzlies 3
ONT G. Hogeboom (28), 16:47 3rd period (Kraus, Egener); Reign 6, Grizzlies 3
ONT T. Voce (18), 17:44 3rd period (Pelech); Reign 7, Grizzlies 3


What Worked Well: Staying out of the box
Utah only allowed one shorthanded situation during the game, which the Grizzlies' PK unit aptly took care of. This is what we like to see: staying out of the box to create more offensive chances.

What Could Have Been Better: Defense
We aren't sure if the defense was off or if O'Keefe was just having a really bad night. Everyone looked pretty decent out on the ice . . . until Ontario scored. We're going to let Colley take care of this one.

Who Made the Difference: James Sixsmith
Instrumental in all three Utah goals, James Sixsmith was clearly the difference maker of the game. With one goal, two assists, and 4 SOG, Sixsmith was able to get the boys on the board 3 times and earn himself the 3rd star of the game performance, showing once again that he is the "goal spark plug" of the team. Amazing job.


Stars of the Game:

1. ONT - G. Hogeboom
2. ONT - T. Kraus
3. UTA - J. Sixsmith


Additional Notes:

> Two Grizzlies had multipoint nights tonight: James Sixsmith (1g, 2a), and Peter Aston (1g, 1a).
> James Sixsmith, Tom May, and Peter Aston continue their scoring streaks.

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: Salmon Kings 7, Grizzlies 6 (SO)

Utah struck first in this match, scoring just 2:28 into the 1st. Victoria responded with a goal of their own, then gained the lead with a power play goal less than 30 seconds later. At this point, Mitch O'Keefe replaced Erickson between the pipes, but Victoria tacked on another before the end of the period.

The Salmon Kings repeated their performance during the 2nd, opening the period with a goal, but the Grizzlies were able to tack one on of their own 6 minutes later to make it 4-2. Victoria responded, increasing the gap. However, the Grizzlies answered with one of their own to end the period 5-3.

The Grizzlies scored first in the 3rd, bringing them within one goal of tying the game before Victoria captured another goal. But the Grizzlies fought back to tie the game 6-6, gaining a point and sending things into overtime. Victoria won the game in a shoot out.

From the official post game:

The Utah Grizzlies battled back from a 4-1 deficit, a 5-2 hole and finally a 6-4 score with under seven minutes left in regulation to earn a point in a 7-6 shootout loss Wednesday in Victoria to run their unbeaten streak to 2-0-0-1. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Grizzlies Game of Comebacks Earns Point in Victoria
highlights || Game Highlights 2/3/10 at Victoria
gamesheet || Utah at Victoria - 2/3/10
interview || Tony Romano 2/3/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog

Scoring Summary:

UTA D. Hunter (12), 2:28 1st period (Kinasewich, May); Grizzlies 1, Salmon Kings 0
VIC C. Painchaud (19), 4:26 1st period (Gelech, Latendresse); Grizzlies 1, Salmon Kings 1
VIC P. Coulombe (9), 4:55 1st period (Sharrow, Latendresse); Grizzlies 1, Salmon Kings 2
VIC O. Fillion (9), 16:28 1st period (Goldie, Coulombe); Grizzlies 1, Salmon Kings 3
VIC A. Taylor (7), 1:52 2nd period (Sharrow, Hamilton); Grizzlies 1, Salmon Kings 4
UTA A. Perry (18), 8:33 2nd period (Aston, Kinasewich); Grizzlies 2, Salmon Kings 4
VIC R. Gelech (13), 12:44 2nd period (Painchaud, Sharrow); Grizzlies 2, Salmon Kings 5
UTA M. Clarke (3), 18:33 2nd period (Nikiforov, Perry); Grizzlies 3, Salmon Kings 5
UTA D. Hunter (13), 2:33 3rd period (Sorteberg, Perry); Grizzlies 4, Salmon Kings 5
VIC R. Gelech (14), 11:20 3rd period (Painchaud); Grizzlies 4, Salmon Kings 6
UTA T. May (15), 13:46 3rd period (McJannet, Crowder); Grizzlies 5, Salmon Kings 6
UTA R. Kinasewich (32), 14:43 3rd period (Romano, Perry); Grizzlies 6, Salmon Kings 6

SO M. Hamilton


What We Think Worked Well: Determination
So, this really isn't a quantifiable aspect, but it was the difference between this game and one from a month ago. A month ago, the prospect of digging themselves out of a 3 goal hole would have been overwhelming, and you could visibly watch them give up somewhere around the midway point of the 2nd period. What a difference tonight's game was. Even though it was a loss, we saw such a turn around in the mental competitiveness of the Grizzlies that we'll take the point with joy and look forward to the next game.

What Could Have Worked Better: Ryan Kinasewich on the shoot out
Maybe it's a tall order, but we just expect more from him, period. When you go 4/4 on an All Star accuracy competition, we're assuming that at least a portion of that would translate over to the shoot out. However, Kinasewich is 0/3 so far this season. We'll make the concession that goalies are looking for him to be a tough shooter, but even so we'd like to see that average improve. He probably would, too.

Who Made the Difference: AJ Perry
There were so many to chose from this game: Brett Parnham who constantly pressured Victoria in their own end, Peter Aston who was on top of both offense and defense, Ryan Kinsewich who went all out to get to the puck and keep plays going; but we like AJ Perry for this one. He tallied 1 goal and 3 assists in this contest, not to mention putting up some nice defensive moves when the team needed it and grabbing the 2nd star of the game. But bottom line: if you're picking up that many points, you're exactly where you're supposed to be, doing exactly what you need to be doing. Nice job, Perry.


Stars of the Game:

1. VIC - R. Gelech
2. UTA - A. Perry
3. VIC - C. Painchaud


Additional Notes:

> Four Grizzlies ended the game with mulitpoint nights: AJ Perry (1 goal, 3 assists), Dylan Hunter (2 goals), Tom May (1 goal, 1 assist), and Ryan Kinasewich (1 goal, 1 assist)
> Five Grizzlies build on their scoring streaks: AJ Perry, Vlady Nikiforov, Tom May, Tony Romano, Peter Aston, and Dylan Hunter.
> Tim Crowder, a Victoria native, ends the contest with an assist, 2 SOG, and a +1.
> Steve McJannet picks up his first point in a Grizzlies jersey with an assist on May's goal.
> As an aside, we were surprised to not see Brett Parnham on the shoot out. Going into the contest, he was the only Grizzly to tally goals in more than one shoot out. AJ Perry joins him after tonight.
> Ryan Kinasewich currently sits as top scorer and top goal scorer in the ECHL with 32 goals and 35 assists for 67 points.

Utah Grizzlies vs Idaho Steelheads 1/13/10

We just want to say that Mitch O'Keefe is a rock star.

O'Keefe ended the night with 38 saves, and most of those were pretty damn incredible. Other highlights from the game included random goals by Kinasewich and Crowder (we'll take it), and a nice wrap around goal from May. Not to mention the luckiest 1st for the Grizzlies who spent the period playing defense, but still kept their lead intact.

The official post game is up at the Utah Grizzlies site, the gamesheet at ECHL.com and there are some highlights (and lowlights) at the Idaho Steelheads site. Our post game is below.


FIRST PERIOD

Utah goes on the power play a minute in; May comes from behind the net with a wrap around goal. Perry picks up the only assist. Then, the boys spend the rest of the 1st in their own end. Between penalty kills and a lackluster 5-on-5 performance, O'Keefe and company spend the rest of the period defending their one goal lead. 12 SOG for Idaho compared to Utah's 3. Utah gets a power play at the end of the period, but the aggressive work by Idaho on the penalty kill gives them no chances before time runs out.

End of first. 1-0, Grizzlies.

SECOND PERIOD

Grizzlies start the 2nd still on the power play. Randomly, Kinasewich scores from behind the blueline :26 in; the puck bounced off the goalie and went in, 2-0. Hand and Huxley drop the gloves and dance. Huxley got a few more punches in, but Hand gets the takedown. You can see the replay on the ISH site. Idaho scores off of their first shot this period. Pavli gets called for boarding, then Parnham joins him giving Idaho the shortest 5-on-3 ever. The Grizzlies kill the first penalty, but Idaho scores on the second to tie it up. By the end of the period, the Grizzlies looked like they could use the intermission to break up Idaho's momentum.

End of second. 2-2.

THIRD PERIOD

Idaho takes the lead a minute in. With no SOG for Utah 6:40 in, it doesn't seem like the boys showed up to play this period. Then, Crowder hacks it toward the net and ties it up. We didn't expect that; he looked like he was about to trip. The boys are re-energized and push it into OT. Some of the best play of the game came as a result of the Crowder goal. The Grizzlies pick up a point.

End of third. 3-3.

OVERTIME

Both teams are going all out for this one. Grizzlies get a penalty with 30 seconds left, and Idaho takes a time out before the 4-on-3. O'Keefe makes some awesome saves, and time runs out.

End of overtime. 3-3.

SHOOT OUT

Idaho gets two, Grizzlies get none.

Game.

4-3, Steelheads.

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!

Utah Grizzlies vs Alaska Aces Post Game 1/6/10

The Grizzlies have somehow incurred the wrath of the hockey gods.

Well, maybe not, but we have no other explanation for the Grizzlies' 3rd periods as of late. Minus that last 20 minutes and the casualties (Hunter and Vlady), Utah played a good game. Multi-point nights for Kinasewich, Crowder, and May, some beautiful glove saves by O'Keefe, and a couple of decent fights from RJ. Not bad. And it turns out, Kotsy is one tough cookie to play against. But we kind of already knew that . . .

It was nice to see Hunter in a Grizzlies uniform again - for the 18 minutes he was on the ice, anyway. We'd forgotten how well Dylan and Snatch worked together: like a well-oiled machine, baby. We expected there to be at least a game's worth of adjustment time, but they were skating circles as soon as the puck hit the ice.

And as usual, the Utah Grizzlies site has the official post game and audio highlights, ECHL.com has the gamesheet, and our post game is below.


FIRST PERIOD

Apparently the 1st period started out with a fight, but we missed it because the B2 was being a pain. No luck finding highlights, either. We tuned in just in time to see Kotsy take out Beljo with a huge hit. Beljo bounced back ready to go, but the refs broke it up after a short shoving match. Boo. Utah is having no problem controlling the puck, and most of the 1st is spent in Alaska's end. At 18 minutes in, Hunter gets a breakaway, but is taken out by Alaska and slides/crashes into the boards. No call. Snatch kept the play alive, shooting it toward the net where Maxwell knocked it in to put the Grizzlies on the board. A very pretty goal. But Hunter is out for the rest of the game.

End of first. 1-0, Grizzlies.


SECOND PERIOD

This period was littered with more bodies than a Tarantino film. 4 minutes in, Vlady is smacked in the face with a stick and goes down. Casualty #2 for the Grizzlies. Blood on the ice; Vlady's a tough kid, though. Alaska gets a double minor for high-sticking, but the Grizzlies do nothing with their 4 minutes. (No, we're not kidding.) During the power play, Alaska's Burt blocks a puck and is injured in the process. RJ goes for fight #2 of the night. Galbraith is checked head first into the boards by a former teammate, and O'Keefe gets mowed down in the net during that same run. Somewhere in there, Alaska ties it up. But Utah responds with 1.3 seconds left in the period to regain the lead. Crowder's second goal of the season and points to May and Snatch for the assists. Nice.

End of second. 2-1, Grizzlies.


THIRD PERIOD

Utah flounders on the ice. Alaska scores 4 goals. Carpentier tallies with :11 left in the 3rd, but the Grizzlies run out of time.

Game.
5-3, Aces.


Kinasewich was the 2nd Star of the Game.


Luck, Grizzlies!