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!

Post Game: Aces 5, Grizzlies 2

Utah started out strong, but a momentum change at the end of the 1st had the Grizzlies struggling to catch up with Alaska in the final 40 minutes.

The Grizzlies picked up the first 2 goals of the contest in the initial frame. Unfortunately, that would be the last time Utah lit the lamp. Alaska grabbed a goal with just over a minute left to play in the 1st, ending the period 2-1 in the Grizzlies favor. In the 2nd, the Aces tacked on 3 unanswered goals to grab the momentum and take the lead, 4-2. Mitch O'Keefe replaced Beau Erickson in net after Alaska's 4th goal and stopped all 20 shots he saw.

Utah battled back in the 3rd, but spent a good portion of the period in the penalty box and was unable to push themselves out of the 2 goal deficit. The Aces ended the night with an empty netter, 5-2.

From the official post game:

Utah led 11-3 on the shot board before Alaska scored their first goal of the night with 1:17 left in the first period and took the momentum from there, scoring four consecutive goals in a 15:31 span to take a 4-2 lead. Alaska added a late empty-netter with 1:13 left to go to finish the contest. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Early Lead Disappears in Alaska
highlights || Game Highlights 3/3/10 at Alaska
gamesheet || Utah at Alaska 3/3/10
interview || Peter Aston 3/3/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Scoring Summary:

UTA A. Perry (22), 1st period (Kinasewich, Sixsmith); Grizzlies 1, Aces 0
UTA T. Romano (9), 1st period (Clarke); Grizzlies 2, Aces 0
AK S. Burt (10), 18:43 1st period (May, Kotsopoulos); Grizzlies 2, Aces 1
AK D. May (1), 5:57 2nd period (Ryznar, Tuzzolino); Grizzlies 2, Aces 2
AK N. Mazzolini (20), 9:05 2nd period (Marsh, Blackwater); Grizzlies 2, Aces 3
AK E. Boguniecki (16), 14:14 2nd period (Mazzolini, Crum); Grizzlies 2, Aces 4
AK N. Mazzolini (21), EN 18:47 3rd period (Boguniecki, Blackwater); Grizzlies 2, Aces 5


What Worked Well: Going to the net
Both Utah goals came from pushing the puck right up to the net, and it seemed like the whole team was on the same page with this tactic. We saw a lot of defense-led rushes, and nobody was afraid to zip right up to the crease. We like that.

What Could Have Been Better: Staying out of the box
4 of Utah's 5 shorthanded situations were in the 3rd period. And while we didn't feel like the game was called very consistantly (seems everyone got away with a lot more in the first 2 periods of play - at least, it did to us), the back to back penatlies in the final frame really hurt the Grizzlies in their effort to make a comeback.

Who Made the Difference: Matt Clarke
While we can't underestimate the presence of Sixsmith on the ice, Matt Clarke continually pushed the puck toward the net, led several rushes, and worked well both offensively and defensively. Simply put, Clarke was on top of his game tonight and aided the team on the offense, which was needed, as well as kept up his end on defense. He also picked up an assist (or two) and the third star honor. A great game for Clarke.


Stars of the Game:

1. AK - D. May
2. AK - N. Mazzolini
3. UTA - M. Clarke


Additional Notes:

> James Sixsmith tallied an assist in the contest to drive his winning streak into the double digits - 10 games.
> Mitch O'Keefe stopped all 20 shots he saw in the losing effort.

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.

Mid-Week Game Preview and Other News.

Game Day: Stockton Thunder.

So we're hoping that tonight will be Mark Pavli's return to E-Center ice. Pavli has tallied 3 assists with the Thunder, two of those in his last 3 games, since being traded by the Grizzlies in January.

Based on the daily spread at ECHL.com, it sounds like Tim Crowder and Tony Romano are the Grizzlies to watch in this matchup. Crowder currently leads Utah in points against the Thunder with 1 goal and 3 assists, and Romano has scored two 3rd period tying goals as well as a shootout game-winner over the Grizzlies' last 5. Not bad. But it sounds like Stockton's goaltender Perugini will be a tough one to beat since he leads the league at .925 SV% and comes in at second with 2.48 GAA.

Both the Grizzlies and the Thunder have two of the top power plays in the league going into the match. However, Utah added Captain Ryan Kinasewich back into the lineup yesterday as he returned from a stint in Bridgeport where he tallied 4 points (2 goals, 2 assists) in 5 games. And with another powerhouse on the power play like James Sixsmith, who's currently in the midst of a scoring streak (5 games, last count) and AJ Perry in the lineup, we expect to see some lethal action.

For the mid-week matchup, the Grizzlies are running a promotion where you can attend the game by the carload; up to six people can receive a ticket package for just $25 on Tuesday. On Wednesday, students can attent the game for $5 and snack on $2 fries, sodas, hot dogs, and/or beer.

Also, make sure to check out Adrian Denny's game day blog for both matches.

Other News

We just wanted to give a heads up about our game and other photos on Flickr. We're currently in the process of deciding if we want to upgrade the account or switch to a different service, so the uploads have been sporatic and small at best. We have a lot of pictures to add to the account, going as far back as Training Camp, and we hope to start on that soon. We hope to have these up during the regular season, but if worst comes to worst, we will get them uploaded from 2009-2010 during the off-season.

Also, the photo of the game can only be found in the post game blog. Since we typically don't get photos past the 1st period uploaded when we initially do our write up, we decided to post the photo of the game only on the blog for organizational purposes at this time.

Go Grizzlies!

Post Game: Grizzlies 3, Salmon Kings 1

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

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

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

From the official post game:

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

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


Photo of the Game:

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

Additional Photos: [Flickr]




Scoring Summary:

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


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

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

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


Stars of the Game:

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


Additional Notes:

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

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

For not going to a shootout until midway through the season, the Grizzlies sure are making up for it now. This game marks the fifth straight shootout between Utah and the Victoria Salmon Kings.

The Grizzlies opened things up at 1:09 with a sweet goal from Vlady, but Victoria was quick to respond, tallying one of their own 30 seconds later to end the 1st frame tied, 1-1. But midway through the 2nd, Vlady struck again with a power play goal to regain the lead for Utah. The Grizzlies held the lead through the end of the period, but the Salmon Kings pulled out a power play goal as well at the beginning of the 3rd, which ultimately pushed the match past regulation.

After a scoreless overtime, Utah was headed for yet another shootout with Victoria. (But we're not complaining!) James Sixsmith and AJ Perry tallied for Utah in the shootout, while Beau Erickson stopped 4 of the 5 Victoria shots for the win.

From the official post game:

The game was the fifth-straight shootout played by Utah and Victoria this season and marked the 11th time in 12 games dating back to October 29, 2008, that the two teams have played a one-goal game. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Grizzlies Open Home Stand with 3-2 Shootout Win
highlights || Game Highlights 2/17/10 vs Victoria
gamesheet || Victoria at Utah 2/17/10
photos || 2/17/10 - Utah Grizzlies vs Victoria Salmon Kings
interview || Kevin Colley 2/17/10 post game
interview || Brock Wilson 2/17/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Photo of the Game:


Additional Photos: [Flickr]




Scoring Summary:

UTA V. Nikiforov (11), 1:59 1st period (Sixsmith, Perry); Grizzlies 1, Salmon Kings 0
VIC A. Taylor (9), 2:31 1st period (Gladue, Morrison); Grizzlies 1, Salmon Kings 1
UTA V. Nikiforov (12), 11:15 2nd period (Romano, Perry); Grizzlies 2, Salmon Kings 1
VIC J. Sharrow (11), 2:30 3rd period (Hamilton); Grizzlies 2, Salmon Kings 2

SO - UTA A. Perry


What Worked Well: Staying out of the box.
Just two penalties for the Grizzlies tonight - nice. Not only did this keep them from being continually on the defensive and allowing Victoria those shorthanded chances, but it allowed them more time to play their own game, which we like to see. So, yay!

What Could Have Been Better: Erm . . .
Honestly, we were too busy enjoying the fact that hockey was back at the E-Center to nitpick - er, analyze in too much depth. If you were paying better attention than us and have something, feel free to share it with us in the comments section.

Who Made the Difference: Vlady Nikiforov
Another tough one to pick, but scoring both regulation goals, getting first star of the game, and leading the team with 6 SOG makes it easier to select Vlady for who we thought made the difference. And that nifty statistic about the Grizzlies being 10-0 when Vlady scores a goal, makes it easier, too.


Stars of the Game:

1. UTA - V. Nikiforov
2. UTA - A. Perry
3. UTA - B. Wilson


Additional Notes:

> Beau Erickson stopped 34 of 36 in regulation/overtime and 4 of 5 in the shootout.
> AJ Perry tallied 2 assists for his 18th multiple point game of the year.
> Vlady Nikiforov was one goal shy of a hat trick, tallying two goals for a multipoint game as well.

Post Game: Steelheads 4, Grizzlies 3 (SO)

Even though the Grizzlies scored the opening goal and only trailed in the final frame, the last 20 minutes still seemed like another game of resurgence. We're about to start calling these guys the comeback kids or something . . .

Utah opened the scoring late in the first with a goal from James Sixsmith to end the period 1-0 in the Grizzlies favor. The Grizzlies held that lead until 8:01 in the 2nd, when Idaho tied things up on the power play. Utah responded a minute and a half later with a power play goal of their own, but the Steelheads answered once again to end the middle frame, 2-2. Idaho started the 3rd with an early goal to take the lead, but the Grizzlies were once again able to send things past regulation with a game tying goal from Tony Romano.

The Grizzlies pushed past overtime to lose in the shootout; Peter Aston scored the only shootout goal for Utah.

From the official post game:

The Utah Grizzlies (22-20-2-5) again tied the game late in regulation as James Sixsmith fed Tony Romano for a breakaway goal with 1:07 left to make it 3-3; but fell 4-3 in a shootout to Idaho (34-11-0-4) Saturday night at Qwest Arena. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Grizzlies Go 2-1-0-3 through Best in West
highlights || Game Highlights 2/13/10 at Idaho (audio)
gamesheet || Utah at Idaho 2/13/10
interview || Vlady Nikiforov 2/13/10 intermission (audio)
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog

Scoring Summary:

UTA J. Sixsmith (11), 17:10 1st period (Galbraith, McJannet); Grizzlies 1, Steelheads 0
IDH M. Derlago (23), 8:01 2nd period (Flichel, McClutcheon); Grizzlies 1, Steelheads 1
UTA J. Sixsmith (12), 9:35 2nd period (Nikiforov, Perry); Grizzlies 2, Steelheads 1
IDH B. Kushniruk (8), 12:54 2nd period (Flichel, Swanson); Grizzlies 2, Steelheads 2IDH M. Derlago (24), 3:55 3rd period (Spurgeon, McClutcheon); Grizzlies 2, Steelheads 3UTA T. Romano (6), 18:53 3rd period (Sixsmith); Grizzlies 3, Steelheads 3

SO - IDH K. DeVergilio


What Worked Well: Staying with the puck

Utah seemed to have an easier time this game keeping the puck in the offensive zone (minus their power plays) and staying with plays all the way down the ice. The Tony Romano goal in the last minute or so of the game was one of our favorite examples of this.

What Could Have Worked Better: Power Play
While the Grizzlies did capitalize on 1/5 power play opportunities, things just weren't working as smoothly as the previous games. Also, we would have liked to see a conversion on the 3 minute opportunity Utah was rewarded for AJ Perry's massacre at center ice.

Who Made the Difference: James Sixsmith
Tony Romano was also at the top of the list with his 7 SOG and game tying goal late in the 3rd. However, it's nice to see James back and putting up the points. 2 goals tonight, 1 assist, 5 SOG, and ending the game with a +2. Unfortunate not to see a hat trick from him, but still a beautiful multipoint game from Sixsmith.


Stars of the Game:

1. IDH - M. Derlago
2. IDH - T. Spurgeon
3. IDH - M. Flichel


Additional Notes:

> Beau Erickson stopped 37 out of 40 in the losing effort.
> James Sixsmith was the only Grizzly to tally multiple points (2 goals, 1 assist) in the contest.

Post Game: Grizzlies 4, Victoria 3 (SO)

After an impressive comeback on Wednesday, the Grizzlies were looking to take the lead early and hold it.

The Salmon Kings struck first scoring two goals within the first 2:55 of the game and held that lead until 12:47 of the 2nd period when Galbraith put Utah on the scoreboard. Victoria responded with under a minute to go in the 2nd, but the Grizzlies added another of their own 25 seconds later to end the 2nd period 3-2. In the 3rd period, Utah was able to keep the Salmon Kings from lighting the lamp and tallied one more of their own to tie the game and send it into overtime.

After a scoreless round of 4-on-4, the teams headed into their second shootout of the series. Mitch O'Keefe held Victoria scoreless, while AJ Perry and Brett Parnham captured the second point for the Grizzlies.

From the official post game:

The Utah Grizzlies (21-19-2-3) battled back from down 2-0 and 3-1 to complete their second comeback in as many games with a 4-3 shootout win Friday night in Victoria. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Grizzlies Rally Again; Win 4-3 in Shootout
highlights || Game Highlights 2/5/10 at Victoria
gamesheet || Utah at Victoria 2/5/10
interview || Kyle Radke 2/5/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Scoring Summary:

VIC W. Goldie (29), 2:04 1st period (Gladue); Salmon Kings 1, Grizzlies 0
VIC W. Goldie (30), 2:54 1st period (Siddall, Fillon); Salmon Kings 2, Grizzlies 0
UTA L. Galbraith (6), 12:47 2nd period (Perry, Kinasewich); Salmon Kings 2, Grizzlies 1
VIC W. Goldie (31), 19:11 2nd period; Salmon Kings 3, Grizzlies 1
UTA V. Nikiforov (10), 19:36 2nd period (Romano, Maxwell); Salmon Kings 3, Grizzlies 2
UTA T. Romano (5), 11:04 3rd period (Aston, Nikiforov); Salmon Kings 3, Grizzlies 3

SO UTA A. Perry


What Worked Well: Brett Parnham on the shootout.

We could just have well said AJ Perry on the shootout here. 3/4 on the shootout this season, Parnham just knows how to get it done when it comes down to it. While he didn't pick up the game winner, perse; he definitely sealed the deal for the Grizzlies.

What Could Have Worked Better: The first 5 minutes

2 goals in 2:55 - ouch. Mitch O'Keefe and the Grizzlies definitely made up for it, but we'd rather not watch this repeated any time soon. In this series so far Utah has been playing catch up rather than striking the first blow. We'd like to see the Grizzlies controlling the play from the beginning instead of waiting until they have to do so.

Who Made the Difference: Mitch O'Keefe

This was a toughy. There were so many to pick from in this game: Vlady for putting the pressure on Victoria every second, Crowder getting in the hits, Parnham with the shootout sealer, Perry sticking up for himself, Dylan just doing what he does, the blueliners (Aston, Clarke, Maxwell, Wilson, Radke, Sorteberg) for picking up their game after the first 5 minutes; but we have to go with O'Keefe for the comeback and the shootout.

Stars of the Game:

1. VIC - W. Goldie
2. UTA - A. Perry
3. VIC - L. Irving - WTF?


Additonal Notes:

> Brett Parnham is 3/4 on the shoot out this season.
> Two Grizzlies had multipoint games tonight: Vlady (1 goal, 1 assist) and Romano (1 goal, 1 assist)
> Five Grizzlies extend their scoring streaks: Romano, Perry, Kinasewich, Vlady and Aston.

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.

Post Game: Grizzlies 4, Wranglers 1

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

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

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

From the official post game:

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

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


Photo of the Game:


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



Video Clips: [YouTube]

Scoring Summary:

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


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

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

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


Stars of the Game:

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


Additional Notes:

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

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

Post Game: Grizzlies 3, Wranglers 1

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

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

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

From the official post game:

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

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

Photo of the Game:

Additional Game Photos: [Flickr]

Scoring Summary:

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


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

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

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


Stars of the Game:

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


Additional Notes:

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

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!

Utah Grizzlies vs Victoria Salmon Kings Post Game 12/31/09

Well, Crappy New Year.

At least the Grizzlies got a consolation point from this game. This was a hard loss. And while it was fun to see a shoot out for the first time this season, the boys should have won this in regulation. Meh. We actually don't want to talk about it, so we're just going to post some pictures from the game instead.

If you want more details, go read the official post game at the Utah Grizzlies site and the gamesheet at ECHL.com.

Enjoy!

FIRST PERIOD

Kinasewich takes the shot.

Pavli against the boards.


Utah plays some defense.

Snatch with the puck.

"When they boo, it really hurts my feelings." (Anyone else remember that commercial?)

Maxwell waits for the puck.


Perry takes the faceoff.



SECOND PERIOD

Galbraith has some words for Victoria, Colley has some words for the ref.


Tom May.

Romano in the neutral zone.


Perry with the puck.

Kinasewich denied.

Pavli in front of the net.


Goal celebration! Love Maxwell's face in this one.


THIRD PERIOD

The boys take the ice.

Roughing in front of Victoria's net.

Puck in front of the net.

May takes it to the net.

Hughes and a Salmon King.

Romano lights the lamp.

Parnham with the puck.

OVERTIME

Colley outlines the plan.

Kinaswich and Maxwell wait for the overtime faceoff.


Victoria with a puck.



Gannon looks confused.

The boys kill a penalty, 4-on-3.


SHOOT OUT

Grizzbee on the zamboni.
Erickson gets ready for the shoot out.

Parnham's shoots and scores.

Erickson makes the save.

Hugo shoots and is denied.




Game.
3-2, Salmon Kings.



Stars of the Game
2. AJ Perry
3. Tony Romano


To better luck in 2010 . . .

Go Grizzlies!