It’s a new year, and I’m going to try something a little different. The Grizzlies always post a game recap on their website, so I’m going to take a leaf out of the Habs Eyes on the Prize book and do a modified version of what we call “Top Six Minutes”, which is very informal in style, and therefore much easier to produce while running around like a mad person during home games.
With the return of Travis Barron, Nolan De Jong, and Jake Marchment, as well as the signing of Stanislav Dzakhov, the Grizzlies played with the closest thing to a full roster that they’d had in weeks. Kevin Carr got the start behind ten forwards and five defensemen, and with Joe Cannata back in the AHL, Jay Stevens made an appearance as the EBUG.
First Period
- Naturally, former Grizz Ralph Cuddemi gets the first shot of the game. Fortunately, Carr smothers it.
- Wichita scores first. Not an ideal start, that’s for sure.
- Really nice defensive move by J.T. Henke there to prevent a one-on-none.
- Wichita has jumped out to a 5-0 lead in shots…
- That was a really nifty spin-o-rama from Ryan Walters to hold onto puck possession, and look at that! A power play!
- Some really quick whistles in a row here…
- After a rough start, Utah seems to have settled down nicely. Carr with some good saves, and shots are now 5-4.
- Jack Walker with those wheels.
- Utah takes over the shot lead with just under five to go in the first!
- That Sweet Carroll Line picks up right where they left off at the end of last year! Austin Carroll from Walker and De Jong to tie the game!
- That was NOT a good hit on Dzakhov. He’s down on the ice, and Jakob Stukel gets a match penalty for an illegal check to the head.
Second Period
- The good news is that Dzakhov is on the bench to start the period.
- The bad news is that penalties to Marchment and Richart killed off the remainder of that lengthy power play pretty effectively.
- Of course Cam Reid scores on the power play with an assist from Ralph Cuddemi.
- Walker ties it up, tapping the puck past Stuart Skinner for his first! Carroll and Marchment get the assists.
- Barron makes it 3-2 on the power play! Assists to Henke and De Jong.
- Another power play for Utah, and less than a minute after Barron’s goal, Marchment makes it 4-2 with a sweet move. Carroll and Richart get the assists.
- PHEW. That was a wild couple of minutes!!
- Now if they’d stop the insanity for just a few minutes so I can catch my breath…
- Side note, shots are now 24-10 for Utah!
- Well, that was a FUN period.
Third Period
- One of these days that big shot of Gage Ausmus’ is gonna find the back of the net.
- TIM MCGAULEY GOES BAR DOWN!!
- Goal number five spells the end of Skinner’s night. Edwin Minney is in net now.
- Carroll getting up in a Wichita player’s face. Boy is he fun to have back in the lineup. He brings it all: goals, exciting skating, and all that snark!
- Walters in on a breakaway short-handed gets tied up, but gets an offensive zone draw!
- McGauley wanted another one, but Minney shuts him down.
- MacMillan gives Dzakhov a couple of jabs, and when Dzakhov turns around to retaliate, he’s dinged with a penalty.
- With just under three to go, Iacobellis gets a third, on yet another assist from Reid.
- 1:30 to go, Wichita’s net is empty…
- GRIZZLIES WIN 5-3!!! Final shot count 31-22 for Utah.
- Aaaaand of course there’s nonsense after the buzzer!
The three stars of the game all went to members of the Carroll Line. Carroll himself got first star with a goal and two assists, Walker’s first goal and sixth assist of the year earned him second star (and his five shots led the team), and Marchment got third star, also with a goal and an assist.
“I thought the first ten minutes of that hockey game we were just losing battles, they were beating us to pucks, winning battles, and then as the first period went on I thought we got better” said Tim Branham. “We took control in the second with our power play, for sure, and then in the third I thought we played well too. But there’s still some things we need to clean up to make things a little easier on ourselves, but definitely proud of our effort tonight. We’re short-handed again, and found a way to win.”
When asked what Carroll brings to the lineup, and what his return means to the team Branham said, “American league experience, winning experience, he can make plays, a big part of the early success of our hockey club, it’s definitely nice to have him back for as long as we have him.”
The Grizzlies will face off against the Thunder once again on Friday and Saturday.
Photo courtesy of Tim Broussard and staff.
belowthehashmarks.com 