Post Game: Grizzlies 4, Condors 2

Grizzlies win. Bakersfield looked so depressed we wanted to feel bad for them, but we figured turnabout is fair play.

While the talk of the night was definitely the Snetsinger hat trick, we also wanted to highlight the goaltending of the second star of the game. Engelage was solid throughout the show, stopping the first 24 shots he saw. It's hard to express how much solid goaltending has done for this Grizzlies team on the back end, but Andrew definitely carries his weight and more in every contest. Thumbs up.

We noticed Riley Armstrong shares his brother's habit for checking himself into the boards.

We couldn't help but notice that the boys started out the 2nd period a little sloppy yet again, but were fortunate enough to hold on until the shorthanded second goal put some wind in their sails. There were some pretty goals in this game. And of course, Brad Snetsinger with a hat trick, which means we get to post this:


Nicely done, Brad.

We could snark about the power play, but . . . we're not gonna.

And also, just a quick hats off to former Grizzly Vladimir Nikiforov for his power play goal which brought the Condors to 2.

The only question we were left with at the end of the night was - what in the hell is the goalie from Slap Shot doing in Bakersfield?


He did want to get traded after all . . .

Go Grizzlies!

Stars of the Game -

1. UTA - B. Snetsinger
2. UTA - A. Engelage
3. BAK - J. Lepine

Links -

post game || Grizzlies Continue To Roll On Road: Beat Bakersfield 4-2
gamesheet || Utah @ Bakersfield - 11/10/10
highlights || Game Highlights 11/10/10 at Bakersfield
interview || Paul Crowder 11/10/10 intermission

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: Thunder 4, Grizzlies 3

With a 5 minute major looming over most of the 3rd, the Grizzlies were unable to mount a comeback in this one goal game before time expired.

The Thunder struck first once again, but Utah grabbed one late in the period to tie things 1-1. Stockton responded less than a minute later and once more in the final minute of the 1st to regain the lead before the end of the 1st, 3-1. The Grizzlies had a very strong 2nd, picking up the only two goals in the period and collecting 22 SOG to the Thunder's 13. This left the teams tied 3-3 going into the final frame.

Stockton scored on the power play early in the 3rd to regain their lead, 4-3. Utah struggled with a comeback, but a 5 minute Galbraith minor ate up the middle of the period and time expired before the Grizzlies could score again.

From the official post game:

The Stockton Thunder defeated the Utah Grizzlies 4-3 in regulation Saturday night at the Stockton Arena. Stockton broke a 3-3 tie 3:49 into the third period as Oren Eizenman locked in a power-play goal with 17 seconds left to go on a Utah bench minor for too many men on the ice. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Grizzlies Fall 4-3 in Stockton
highlights || Game Highlights 3/20/10 at Stockton
gamesheet || Utah at Stockton - 3/20/10
interview || Mikko Koshkinen 3/20/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Scoring Summary:

STK B. Hemingway (7), 3:03 1st period (Hemingway, Constant); Thunder 1, Grizzlies 0
UTA J. Sixsmith (22), 15:54 1st period (Kinasewich, Nikiforov); Thunder 1, Grizzlies 1
STK J. Bates (24), 16:39 1st period (Hemingway, D'Alvise); Thunder 2, Grizzlies 1
STK C. D'Alvise (29), 19:07 1st period (Hemingway, Aiello); Thunder 3, Grizzlies 1
UTA R. Kinasewich (42), 11:47 2nd period (Hunter); Thunder 3, Grizzlies 2
UTA B. Kilburg (1), 17:53 2nd period (Kinasewich, Suda); Thunder 3, Grizzlies 3
STK O. Eizenman (20), 3:49 3rd period (Dacosta, Hemingway); Thunder 4, Grizzlies 3


What Worked Well: Killing the Galbraith penalty
Although the game winner came on a bench minor, we still have to say something about the way the PK unit killed off the 5 minute major in the 3rd period. Stockton was never able to set up properly on the man advantage, and the Grizzlies drew a penalty to even things up during the last minute of the kill.

What Could Have Been Better: Staying out of the box
Utah allowed 7 short handed situations during this contest with Stockton converting on 2 of those 7. The boys picked up 11 infractions including a game major and game misconduct from Galbraith nearing the end of the 3rd, and a bench minor which ended up in a power play, game winning goal for Stockton. Blah.

Who Made the Difference: Ryan Kinasewich
Ryan was a factor on all 3 Utah goals. Picking up 3 points (1g, 2a), Snatch tied with Hunter for 9 SOG this contest and ended the game with a +1. Kinasewich was the only Grizzly to have a multipoint game. He definitely carried the team tonight. Nicely done.


Stars of the Game:

1. STK - C. Hemingway
2. STK - A. Perugini
3. STK - O. Eizenman


Additional Notes:

> Ryan Kinasewich had a multiple point game tallying 1 goal and 2 assists in the match. The captain also extended his scoring streak.
> Mitch O'Keefe stopped 39 out of the 43 shots he saw in the losing effort.
> Brian Kilburg scored his first goal of the season tonight.
> Defenseman Chad Morin made his debut tonight after being signed to an ATO.

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 7, Grizzlies 5

After losing a quick, one goal lead in the 1st, Utah mounted quite the comeback, but it ended up being too little too late. Still, a decent effort by the boys.

The Grizzlies opened things up with a power play goal 1:26 into the 1st. Idaho responded 1:30 later, then tacked on another to end the period 2-1. The Steelheads continued to dominate in the 2nd period, and after two back to back Steelhead goals, Colley called a time out to let the boys know what he thought. The team responded 20 seconds later with a goal by Nikiforov, but Idaho scored on the power play, prompting O'Keefe to be replaced by Erickson in net. Utah continued to mount a comeback, grabbing two more goals before the end of the 2nd to bring the boys within one goal of the Steelheads, 5-4.

Idaho increased the deficit halfway through the final frame, and the Grizzlies struggled to respond. Utah picked up one more goal before the Steelheads sealed the deal with another of their own to end it 7-5 in their favor.

From the official post game:

Utah took a 1-0 lead just 1:26 into the contest on a Peter Aston power-play goal but that lead would last just 1:30 before Idaho tied the game at 2:56 and took their first lead of the night 6:37 into the opening frame at 2-1. Idaho would never look back as they extended the score to 4-1 and 5-2 before the Grizzlies started to mount a comeback. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Grizzlies Fall 7-5 in Boise
highlights || Game Highlights 3/16/10 at Idaho
gamesheet || Utah at Idaho - 3/16/10
interview || Peter Vandermeer 3/16/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Scoring Summary:

UTA P. Aston (6), 1:26 1st period (Perry, Sixsmith); Grizzlies 1, Steelheads 0
IDH B. Milnamow (3), 2:56 1st period (Derlago, Spurgeon); Grizzlies 1, Steelheads 1
IDH E. Barlow (29), 6:37 1st period (DeVergilio, Rome); Grizzlies 1, Steelheads 2
IDH A. Huxley (7), 2:05 2nd period (Derlago, Flichel); Grizzlies 1, Steelheads 3
IDH M. Derlago (37), 3:37 2nd period (McCutcheon); Grizzlies 1, Steelheads 4
UTA V. Nikiforov (15), 3:57 2nd period (Wilson, Clarke); Grizzlies 2, Steelheads 4
IDH M. McCutcheon (12), 12:34 2nd period (Swanson, Rome); Grizzlies 2, Steelheads 5
UTA A. Perry (24), 15:26 2nd period (Kinasewich, Hunter); Grizzlies 3, Steelheads 5
UTA V. Nikiforov (16), 16:34 2nd period (MacMillan); Grizzlies 4, Steelheads 5
IDH J. Swanson (17), 10:36 3rd period (Derlago, McCutcheon); Grizzlies 4, Steelheads 6
UTA P. Aston (7), 11:44 3rd period (MacMillan); Grizzlies 5, Steelheads 6
IDA E. Barlow (30), 12:58 3rd period (Flichel, Spurgeon); Grizzlies 5, Steelheads 7


What Worked Well: Shooting the puck.
The Grizzlies picked up 30 SOG in the loss and tallied 5 goals from the 30. Ryan Kinasewich once again lead the team with 8 of those 30 with Peter Aston tallying 5 and Sixsmith close behind with 4.

What Could Have Been Better: Goaltending
We typically look to Mitch O'Keefe to be pretty solid for the Grizzlies. Tonight was not the case. O'Keefe allowed 5 goals from 15 shots, and Erickson was only slightly better with 2 goals from 13 shots. Pick it up.

Who Made the Difference: Vlady Nikiforov
While Peter Aston had an incredible night with 2 goals and 5 SOG, we can't help but highlight the way Vlady responded to Colley's time out, and the timing of his second goal, which brought the Grizzlies back to a one-goal deficit before the end of the period. While Vlady did miss a few opportunities, his drive and the timing of his goals propelled the team toward the effort we saw in the final frame.


Stars of the Game:

1. IDH - E. Barlow
2. UTA - P. Aston
3. IDH - M. Derlargo


Additional Notes:

> Both Vlady Nikiforov and Peter Aston picked up 2 goals in the contest.
> Four Grizzlies had multipoint nights: Peter Aston (2g), Vlady Nikiforov (2g), AJ Perry (1g, 1a), and Malcolm MacMillan (2a).
> Newcomer Malcolm MacMillan has picked up 5 points (5a) in his last 4 games.

James Sixsmith rocks and other belated news.

We were on vacation over the last week, and although we're a little behind, we wanted to highlight some things we missed.

First off, a big congratulations to James Sixsmith who was named ECHL Player of the Week for February 22-28. Sixer picked up 9 points (2g, 7a) from 4 games during that week, which is pretty damn amazing. Go Bubba!


So far this year, Sixsmith has earned 42 points (16g, 26a) in 25 games with the Grizzlies. Wow. Adrian Denny interviewed Sixer on his achievement for Grizzlies Live during their trip to Alaska. You can listen to that full interview at the podcast center (which we were super happy about because we can't get reception for Grizzlies Live where we are).

Sixer followed up this honor with an incredible performance against Alaska last week, where he scored both of the Grizzlies goals, one of those unassisted ahd shorthanded. Seriously, can it get any better than that?

Since James was elected the ECHL Player of the Week, Utah youth hockey received a case of pucks from Sher-wood hockey, who sponsors the award.


Vlady Nikiforov also pretty much rocks.


Also in our belated news file, Vlady and the rest of the Grizzlies helped make a fan's wish come true. Ciearra Everill, who is being treated for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, got to meet the team, tour the locker room, and ride the zamboni. You can watch the story on the KSL.com site. We'll admit we got a little teary-eyed when Vlady gave Cierra the puck from his first pro goal.


Other news

The Grizzlies updated their photo gallery at the end of last month, so go check it out. They've got some sweet professional photos (unlike our blurry ones) up for the fans to view. We're still working on getting all of ours up . . .

And for some news from this week: the Grizzlies are holding their annual awards banquet on the E-Center ice March 29. If you're a season ticket holder, you can buy a ticket for $25. If you're not, you can get one for $30. For more info, call the Grizzlies' offices at (801) 988-8800.

Post Game: Reign 3, Grizzlies 1

This was a tight match the whole 60 minutes through, and we honestly thought that the Grizzlies would pull out one of their 3rd period 19:00 goals. Unfortunately, the boys had no such luck.

Utah scored first on the power play at 1:53 of the 1st with a goal from Vlady Nikiforov. This would be the only time the Grizzlies would see the back of Ontario's net in the contest. Four minutes later, the Reign tied things up with one of their own. The match remained tied until Ontario scored midway through the 2nd to gain the lead.

Though the Grizzlies battled, the Reign held their one-goal lead through the 3rd, then tacked on an empty netter to end things 3-1, Ontario.

From the official post game:

The Ontario Reign defeated the Utah Grizzlies (26-23-2-5) 3-1 Saturday night at the Citizens Business Bank Arena. The Reign added a late empty-netter to seal the contest and break the 2-1 score.

Utah had three power-plays in the third period but was unable to beat Reign goaltender Curtis Darling who stopped 28 of 29 Grizzlies shots. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Grizzlies Fall 3-1 in California
highlights || Game Highlights 2/27/10 at Ontario
gamesheet || Utah at Ontario 2/27/10
interview || USA/Canada Gold Medal 2/27/10 intermission
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Scoring Summary:

UTA V. Nikiforov (14), 1:53 1st period (Perry, Sixsmith); Grizzlies 1, Reign 0
ONT J. Francisco (13), 5:34 1st period (Voce, Pelech); Grizzlies 1, Reign 1
ONT M. Egener (6), 11:57 2nd period (Pelech, Jackson); Grizzlies 1, Reign 2
ONT M. Howe (5), EN 19:18 3rd period (Francisco); Grizzlies 1, Reign 3


What Worked Well: Penalty Kill
Special teams were on it again. Even though Utah stayed out of the box for the most part, the few penalties the Grizzlies did allow, they killed off with style. Nice job once again by the PK units.

What Could Have Been Better: 5-on-5 Play
While we're completely impressed by how Utah's special teams have been working, Ontario wasn't. The driving force behind both contests was really 5-on-5 play, and the Grizzlies, while we know they can do it, didn't really match up to the Reign on this.

Who Made the Difference: Tim Maxwell
Beau Erickson in net was amazing and we saw some great puck handling from Sixsmith and Vlady, but Maxwell just had a really good game. He was a real boost to special teams, particularly on the PK and also rallied on the 5-on-5. One of the things we really like about Maxwell is that he has this uncanny ability to keep the puck in, and he showed off that talent superlatively.


Stars of the Game:

1. ONT - C. Darling
2. ONT - M. Egener
3. UTA - V. Nikiforov


Additional Notes:

> James Sixsmith continues his scoring streak tallying an assist in the contest.
> Utah is now 11-1 when Vladimir Nikiforov scores a goal.
> Beau Erickson stopped 29 out of 31 in the loss.

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: 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: 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: Reign 4, Grizzlies 0

Utah came out strong in the 1st period, but neither team was able to light the lamp during the initial 20 minutes. However, 0:15 into the 2nd period, Ontario scored the first goal of the night and continued to take control of the puck, adding 2 more goals to lead 3-0 before the second intermission.

The Grizzlies battled back in the 3rd, but to no avail. Ontario picked up one more late in the period to end the game 4-0.

We're still a little baffled about this one, honestly. We didn't think we played particularly bad, but the push that was there in the 1st didn't seem to translate to the following 40 minutes.

From the official post game:

The Ontario Reign defeated the Utah Grizzlies 4-0 Monday night at the E-Center. Ontario pulled away with a three-goal second period. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Grizzlies Fall 4-0 to Ontario
gamesheet || Ontario at Utah 1/25/10
photos || 1/25/10 - Utah Grizzlies vs Ontario Reign
interview || Kevin Colley 1/25/10 post game (audio)
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog

Photo of the Night:

Vlady goes for the puck.

Additional Game Photos:

Scoring Summary: (we almost didn't torture ourselves with this, but . . .)

ONT T. Voce (12), 0:15 2nd period (Francisco); Reign 1, Grizzlies 0
ONT T. Kraus (7), 8:27 2nd period; Reign 2, Grizzlies 0
ONT T. Voce (13), 18:30 2nd period (Francisco, O'Connor); Reign 3, Grizzlies 0
ONT S. O'Connor (4), 17:25 3rd period; Reign 4, Grizzlies 0


What We Think Worked Well: 1st period
Can we claim a single period worked well? Yes, we think we can. The boys came out strong in the 1st period, battling for the puck and tallying 8 SOG to Ontario's 6. The mental game was there, the fight was there; Utah came out looking to play some hockey. But somehow the 40 minutes following fell desperately short of this 1st period effort.

What Could Have Gone Better: Power Play
We're recycling this one. Yeah, we talked about it after Saturday's game, but it still applies here. Granted, there were less chances, but even so. 0/4 on the power play - need we say more?

Who Made the Difference: AJ Perry
We're not sure there can be a difference maker if you get shut out. Either way, we say AJ Perry was it. Both n00b Allen with the leading SOGs and Vlady with his crazy puck handling were on our list, but Perry was excellent at applying the pressure, finding the puck, and constantly bouncing back into the game even after a minor injury in the 3rd. So, we choose him.


Stars of the Game:

**All from Ontario.

Post Game: Grizzlies 5, Reign 2

Much to our dismay, we missed this one. Somehow we always miss the best games due to scheduling conflicts. This week we were all on the IR and unable to attend. Kidding . . . kind of. But we'll still give you some quotes and links to ACTUAL post games you can review if you also missed it.

What we can say from the stats is that the Grizzlies power play is still alive and kicking. Looks like they did an amazing job; 4 of the 5 Grizzlies goals were scored on the power play.

From the official post game:

The Grizzlies took the game back over with James Sixsmith’s tenth of the year with 2:56 left in the second period as he knocked in a lose puck after AJ Perry brought the puck down the left wing side to make it 3-2 on the power-play. Utah added third period goals from Perry and Tim Crowder to make the final 5-2. [utahgrizzlies.com]

post game || Grizzlies Open Home Stand with 5-2 Win
highlights || Game Highlights 1/22/10 vs Ontario (audio)gamesheet || Ontario @ Utah 1/22/10
interview || Kevin Colley 1/22/10 post game (audio)
interview || Mitch O'Keefe 1/22/09 intermission (audio)
blog || Adrian Denny's game day blog


Scoring Summary:

UTA R. Kinasewich (26), 4:24 1st period (Clarke, Perry); Grizzlies 1, Reign 0
UTA V. Nikiforov (8), 9:45 2nd period (Perry, Sixsmith); Grizzlies 2, Reign 0
ONT D. Walker (5), 13:36 2nd period (Hogeboom, Voce); Grizzlies 2, Reign 1
ONT S. O'Connor (3), 13:58 2nd period (Kraus, Kilburg); Grizzlies 2, Reign 2
UTA J. Sixsmith (10), 17:04 2nd period (Kinasewich, Perry); Grizzlies 3, Reign 2
UTA A. Perry (15), 9:54 3rd period (Nikiforov, Aston); Grizzlies 4, Reign 2
UTA T. Crowder (6), 16:26 3rd period (Aston, Nikiforov); Grizzlies 5, Reign 2


Stars of the Game:

1. AJ Perry
2. Ryan Kinasewich
3. James Sixsmith


Additional Notes:

> Kinasewich, Vlady, and Perry all had multi-point nights from goals and assists.
> N00b Aston picked up 2 assists in the 3rd for his first game with the Grizzlies.
> O'Keefe stopped 32 of 34 shots with another awesome job for the win.

Utah Grizzlies vs Alaska Aces 1/9/10

Grizzlies win.

It looks like the boys traded their 3rd period in for their 1st this game. While the Grizzlies started out shaky, they came back strong in the last 40 minutes with 5 unanswered goals to grab the win. Four Grizzlies ended the night with multiple points: n00b Asselin picks up two goals and the first star of the game, Vlady and Crowder tally a goal and an assist each, and Kinasewich picks up two assists.

We wish we had video of the ref denying the whining of Alaska. It seems to us that if they can't get calls or pull stuff without getting called, they can't play a game. Which is kind of sad (and probably a litte pathetic) for their supporters, but really funny for us!

And as always here are some links to the official post game and the ECHL gamesheet. Our post game is below.

FIRST PERIOD

Utah gets lucky when Alaska misses an open net as O'Keefe comes out of the crease to play the puck. Alaska starst applying the pressure early, and the Grizzlies have problems controling the puck. Friesen gets worked behind the net and draws a hooking penalty on Alaska. Kotsy makes it a 5-on-3 when he goes to the Alaska box for roughing. But the boys spend too much time setting it up and only tally one SOG during the entire power play opportunity. Grizzlies have another power play chance later in the 1st. Just :11 in, Hugo gets called for hooking and negates the power play. Alaska scores on the 4 on 4.

End of first. 1-0, Aces.


SECOND PERIOD

The Grizzlies come out playing aggressively; passes are connecting, they keep control of the puck. Friesen takes a shot through traffic, and Crowder is at the net to deflect it in to tie things up, 1-1. Parnham picks up the second assist on the goal. Alaska almost scores, but it is called off by the ref when he loses site of the puck - nice break for Utah. Carpentier puts the Grizzlies in the lead with a wrap-around goal from behind the net. Kinasewich and Vlady get the assists. The refs call it good, but Alaska disagrees. This is the turning point of the game. Alaska's Martin follows the ref around whining like a desperate jr. high girl who just got dumped; ref tells him to STFU or GTFO, and when Martin doesn't shut up, he goes to the box for Unsportsmanlike conduct. Grizzlies score on the power play when Asselin pokes it in off a centering pass from Crowder behind the net, 3-1. May gets the second assist. 3 minutes later, Asselin tallies his second of the night from a Kinasewich centering pass. It's a little sloppy, but we'll take it with joy!

End of second. 4-1, Grizzlies.

THIRD PERIOD

Ah, the dreaded 3rd. How we hate you. The Grizzlies are looking to defend their lead, and with awesome defense and amazing O'Keefe work, it looks like they're going to get the job done. Vlady sweetens the score by walking in on the Alaska goalie and burying it. After the Vlady goal, Alaska fans start to leave. Utah finishes the game with 5 unanswered goals. O'Keefe makes some beautiful glove saves and the defense stays on their game for the win.

Game.
5-1, Grizzlies.


Stars of the Game
1. Patrick Asselin
2. Mitch O'Keefe
3. Tim Crowder


To continuing the wins . . .

Go Grizzlies!

Utah Grizzlies vs Ontario Reign Post Game 12/4/09

After the harsh game on Wednesday, we entered the E-Center with minimal expectations of a win.

Man, were we wrong.

Solid win by the Grizzlies.

The boys looked good on the ice and played as a team for the entire 60 minutes. May had a 4 point night (1 goal, 3 assists), Shea racked up 2 goals, Snatch was all over the PK, Kotsy picked up 2 assists, and Beljo scored his first professional goal. Nice.

But we've gotta say as far as opponents go, we like Ontario.

Any visiting team that will pucker up for the jumbotron Kiss Cam is down in our book.

UtahGrizzlies.com has the official post game for you. ECHL.com has the gamesheet. And ours is below.

Pregame Warmup: A shot of the warmup.

This is just kind of a cool thought.

We didn't get any good anthem pics, but the group that sang was the best rendition of the anthem we've heard in a long time. Bravo!

Hunter is a scratch; he has the flu.

FIRST PERIOD

Ontario scores 19 seconds in. 1-0.

Damnit.

But Beljo answers 6 minutes later. 1-1.

Kotsy and May get the assists on that.

Ontario takes the puck in the neutral zone.

The plexiglass popped out of frame.

Technical difficulties.

Clarke got the first penalty of the game for roughing.

Faceoff in Grizzlies' end.

Killed.

Ontario puts the pressure on Vlady in the neutral zone.

Ontario goes to the box, and Utah capitalizes.

Shea gets the power play goal. 2-1.

Both Kotsy and May rack up their second points of the night on the assists.

Maxwell takes a tour for tripping.

Snatch is all over the penalty kill.

Ontario gets a hooking call on them at the end of the period.

So Grizzlies will start the 2nd with a power play.

End of first. 2-1, Grizzlies.

SECOND PERIOD

Grizzlies start out on the power play but can't do anything with it.

However, 30 seconds after the power play . . .

May gets a beauty. 3-1.

Unassisted.

May crashes the net.

Shea made one of the best plays of the night during the 2nd.

He checks a guy, grabs the puck, then gets tripped up.

But he holds on to the puck, then gets hit and face plants.

THEN he jumps up, recovers the puck again, and makes a solid pass.

During this entire sequence, he was the only player to touch the puck.

Awesome.

Ontario's netminder Darling makes the save. And 35 other saves, too.

Ontario gets a penalty.

Parnham takes the faceoff in Ontario's zone.

Nothing.

Ontario gets another penalty, and Shea gets his second power play goal of the night.

4-1.

We actually ended up with a shot of the goal right before it went in.

Nice!

Points to Snatch and Bartley on the assists.

Then, Utah gets a penalty and Ontario scores.

Hogeboom, again.

End of second. 4-2, Grizzlies.

THIRD PERIOD

The boys warm up on the ice.

The Grizzlies need to hold their lead.

In fact, our fan chant of the game is: "Don't give up your lead! Don't give up your lead!"

This was from some guy sitting behind us.

We laughed - sure. But we agreed.

Beljo along the boards.

Ontario gets some penalties.

Nothing.

Action in the neutral zone.

Kotsy gets in a fight.

Nice.

O'Keefe makes the save.

Then Vlady gets one. 5-2.
May picks up his 4th point of the night on the assist.

Ontario battles, but they can't get it past Utah's defense.
Man, check out that awesome defense.

Perry gets the empty netter.
Assists to Parnham and O'Keefe on that.
Excellent.

Game.

6-2, Grizzlies.

Stars of the Game:

1. May

2. Shea

3. Kotsy

Nice to see some new stars of the game! (Not that we'd complain either way . . .)

NOTES

Meh. We had some earlier, but then we went to the Festival of Trees.
And the game starts in 90 minutes, so . . .

Go Grizzlies!

Utah Grizzlies vs Ontario Reign Post Game 12/2/09

So, Grizzlies win.

But 40 minutes of this game was all Ontario.

Seriously. Utah gave up 3 goals within the last 3 minutes of the game. And if you look at the SOG for the 2nd and 3rd period, Ontario had twice as many as Utah. Ontario's Hogeboom, who's name sounds like a Harry Potter character, got a (magic) hat trick and tied the game late in the 3rd.

Talk about negating an amazing 1st period.

We're not even sure how to approach this one. All of the europhoria we felt after the first period dissipated halfway through the 2nd. Fortunately, Maxwell was there in OT to save the day.

It wasn't all bad for the Grizzlies. Kinasewich had 4 assists, Vlady had 3 assists, Hunter had 2 goals, and Perry, Bartley, and Parnham all had multipoint games. Utah had 7 goals in total for the night with 22 SOG and 5 of those goals occurring in the 1st period.

For the official post game, check out the Utah Grizzlies' site. The official gamesheet is up at ECHL.com, and our rant is below.

FIRST PERIOD

We knew we would come out strong, but we didn't expect this.

5 goals in the 1st period.

Hell, we're just going to list them and call it good since Ontario only had 2 SOG in the 1st.

1-0

Clarke opens it up on his first night back in the line.

Assists to Bartley and Kotsy.

2-0

Parnham picks up his 4th of the year.

Kinasewich and Perry with the assists on that one.

3-0

Hunter's first goal of the night.

Snatch's second assist of the night.

4-0

Hunter's second goal.

Assists to Snatch and Perry.

5-0

May gets his 7th of the season.

Guthrie and Vlady pick up the assists.

Oh, and May got in a fight somewhere in there, too.

Other than the lackluster hits, the Grizzlies looked like they were an AHL team competing against Ontario.

Not. Even. Kidding.

Incredible.

End of first. 5-0, Grizzlies.

SECOND PERIOD

Apparently it doesn't take much to upset the Grizzlies momentum.

Winning will do it.

Geez.

Ontario comes out strong.

3 goals in 3.5 minutes.

And one of those was a penalty shot.

What the hell happened?

Bartley gets one to stop the bleeding.

Parnham and Vlady get the assists on that.

But this is no where near the team we saw in the 1st.

End of second. 6-3, Grizzlies.

THIRD PERIOD

We're not even going to talk about this period.

Except . . .

Ontario = awe-inspiring.

Even if you hate them, any team that can come up with 3 goals in the last 3 minutes of a game is impressive.

Utah's defense crumbled.

We looked around the internet for some video footage of this but can't find any yet.

If anyone knows where we could find it, comment or email us.

What a rally for Ontario.

End of third. 6-6.

OVERTIME

We're sure by this point, Colley was already carving stakes for heads and the boys knew it.

Losing really wasn't an option.

Utah gets a power play, and Maxwell gets the game winner.

Points to Vlady and Snatch on the assists.

Game.

7-6, Grizzlies.

Stars of the Game

1. Maxwell

2. Hunter

NOTES

So, we were complaining to ourselves that we didn't say enough about our blueliners last week, and now we've got mixed reviews.

3 of the 7 goals were from Utah defensemen: Clarke, Bartley, Maxwell.

Which means our defensemen are amazing offensively.

However, 3 goals were allowed in the last 3 minutes of the 3rd.

What exactly does that say about our blueliners defensively?

We'll leave that to Colley and Curcio.

To a solid win on Friday.

Go Grizzlies!

Utah Grizzlies vs Alaska Aces Post Game 11/28/09

What a night for Alaska.

One of their players got a hat trick and two assists, several of their players had multipoint games, their captain got a 5-on-3 short handed goal, and their goaltender was on fire.

The Grizzlies 3 top players, on the other hand, finished up the game with a -5.

Seriously depressing.

However, Pavli did get his first goal of the season, which was probably the one good thing to come out of this for Utah.

But don't just take our word for it. Go read the official post game at the Utah Grizzlies site and the gamesheet at ECHL.com. Our post game is below.

FIRST PERIOD

Alaska gets the first goal a minute in on Parker.

1-0.

Damnit, this is going to be a repeat of last night.

In the neutral zone: Snatch, Perry, Hunter, Friesen, and Gannon.

Utah pretends to play some defense.

Gannon gets a penalty for tripping.

Killed.

Snatch talks to the ref.

But the Grizzlies hold off Alaska until the end of the period.

When they get their second goal of the night.

End of first. 2-0, Aces.

SECOND PERIOD

Alaska repeats the 1st period, getting a goal in under a minute of play.

3-0.

Different goalie, same lack of defense on Utah's part.

Hughes mourns a missed shot.

Alaska gets a penalty, and the Grizzlies capitalize.

May knocks one in. 3-1.

Points to Hughes and Vlady on the assists.

Goal celebration!

Then Utah gets a penalty.

Parnham goes to the box for high-sticking.

Alaska scores. 4-1.

Some guy at the game got arrested during the 2nd.

This was the most interesting thing to happen for the whole game.

Seriously.

Unfortunately, the picture we got of it is way too blurry.

Alaska gets two more goals in this period.

One of them was a short handed 5-on-3 goal.

Utah was alseep on the ice.

At this point in the game, Kinasewich, Hunter, and Perry all have a -5.

This is not the same team we saw two games ago.

End of second. 6-1, Aces.

THIRD PERIOD

The best thing about this period was Pavli's goal.

His first of the season.

We were actually talking about him getting a goal earlier in the game.

So we were excited about it.

Assists to Dale and Maxwell on that.

Dale is pretty much awesome.

If Kinasewich put in as much effort as Dale did during his shifts, this would have been a completely different game.

There were a lot of penalties.

And two Gannon fights.

The first he was totally punked from behind.

It was ridiculous.

But Alaska probably knew if they didn't cheap shot him, they'd be the one's going down.

Which is what happened in the second fight.

Gannon took Alaska out.

But our camera had died by that point.

Along with the Grizzlies will to live.

Game.

6-2, Alaska.

Post game skate with the team photo:

Stars of the Game:

1. Not Ryan Kinasewich

2. Not Dylan Hunter

3. Not A.J. Perry

NOTES

We're not going to sugar coat this at all. This was quite the pathetic display. And we're pretty sure the boys got an earful from Colley and Curcio, as they should have.

We did have a few questions, though . . .

What happened to our excellent defense?

It seems like Utah was stellar defensively prior to the last two games. Now, all of the sudden the Grizzlies can't break up a play to save their lives, let alone protect the net. There were a couple of moments last night where the defense just let the Aces waltz past them while they were looking at the bench. We could actually see the Aces' setting up the goal from center ice, yet our boys failed to stop it. What gives?

Why aren't we checking anyone?

When Vlady (and Dale) is the only one consistantly throwing a decent check, there's something wrong. May was the only one on our team that looked close to the size of the Alaska players, yet Vlady was the one throwing the checks on these guys? Come on.

Kinasewich, really?

We actually love Kinasewich, don't get us wrong. And when the kid is on fire, he's lethal. He even tallied 9 SOG during this sad excuse for a game. But when you play an entire shift in your defensive zone and your stick doesn't even touch the ice . . . dude. Really? That's a poor show of effort, no matter who you are - from Ovechkin down to peewee hockey. Now, there could be a myriad of reasons as to why Snatch put on such a sad show (jetlag, time zone changes, emo-ness, whatevs), but we still expect to see him play hockey when he steps on the ice.

But again. Who said we knew anything about hockey.
We're just calling it how we see it.

To better luck next time.

Go Grizzlies!