With Kevin Davis, Tim McGauley, and Joe Cannata all up in Colorado, and Jack Walker and Austin Carroll out with injuries, the Grizzlies were very, very short-handed in Wichita, even with the addition of returnee Mitch Maxwell. Kevin Carr got the start, and Joey Raats drew back in at forward against Gabriel Verpaelst, Ralph Cuddemi, and the Thunder.
First Period
- Mitch Maxwell starting strong.
- “Marchment allegedly on side.” That’s definitely putting it generously.
- It would definitely be advisable to stop passing the puck to Thunder players, boys…
- Josh Dickinson is a power play drawing machine.
- WALTERS WITH THE POWER PLAY GOAL. Jake Marchment continues to pile up the points.
- Shots are 6-1 for Utah with half a period gone. That may be pretty good.
- Carr spins through the crease, but somehow still has the puck.
- Walters definitely wants another goal. He’s had a couple looks up close since he opened the scoring.
- Oh great. Dickinson taking a puck to the face is the absolute last thing we need.
- I guess if we can’t have Carroll on the ice, looking sharp on the bench is the next best thing? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
- GEEEEZZZZ that goal-mouth scramble almost ended very badly.
- However, all’s well that ends well.
Second Period
- Ausmus with a great move there to take the puck away on a one-on-one there.
- Oooh that backhander didn’t miss by much.
- The Thunder are pressing now.
- Zahn to the box.
- Dickinson to the box…minute plus of five-on-three….
- What a kill. Especially the end there, what with the Carr save, the pipe on a wide open net, and a huge clear from Richart to swipe the puck out of the blue paint.
- Wichita should get a penalty just for making us listen to the entire Baby Shark song.
- Walters with more nice shots there.
- Kevin Carr has been stellar. Unfortunately, so has Ty Rimmer.
Third Period
- Gotta love all the praise for Ausmus! He’s just been playing really well lately.
- Verpaelst giving us a power play. Definitely a Grizzlies sleeper agent! 😛
- ECONOMOS WITH THE POWER PLAY GOAL.
- Tyson, that is not how you don’t talk about the goalie thing-that-must-not-be-named-until-it’s-completed!!!!!
- Raats with the first even-strength goal of the game!!
- Less than a minute later, Herbert puts the puck on Rimmer, and Walters taps it into the wide open net!!!!!! There’s that second goal!
- Wowwwwwwwwww that was quite the melt down for Wichita.
- The Grizzlies definitely don’t look like a team with only fourteen skaters dressed.
- TYSON. STOP TALKING ABOUT IT.
- Mitch Maxwell making his return felt by dropping the gloves!
- Oh geez. Wichita is taking out their own guys by accident. That’s never good.
- KEVIN CARR SHUTS THEM OUT.
- Grizzlies win 4-0, shots 34-31 in their favor!
Kevin Carr was the well deserved first star of the game with his third shutout of the year, and Walters got second star with two goals and a team leading nine shots. Mike Economos was named third star, while Jake Marchment had his fifth straight multi-point game, and Eric Freschi also had two assists.
If the Grizzlies continue to be this short-handed, today’s game will be the biggest test of the road trip as they look to remain undefeated against the Thunder this season. It will also be interesting to see if Tim Branham goes with Carr, or if Christian Frey will get his first start.
Photo courtesy of Tim Broussard and staff.
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