In the first game of the lengthy and final road trip of the regular season, the Grizzlies faced off against the Allen Americans. Kevin Carr got the start, while Ryan Galt made his Utah debut. J.T. Henke and Will Smith sat this one out, while Jake Marchment, Grayson Downing, Joey Raats, and Josh Winquist all remained out of the lineup as well.
First Period
- Both teams trade penalties in the first six minutes or so.
- A lot of twos on that particular penalty kill, 21-12, 20-27.
- Half a period to go, shots 6-3 for Allen.
- Carr’s made some nice saves.
- Tentative is the word I would use to describe this game so far.
- Also, uneventful. Though that was a nice shift from Austin Carroll, Ryan Walters, and Cole Ully.
- Huh. I thought Tanner Nagel beat out that icing.
- It’s been a pretty quite game, but boy it sure is nice to be watching them play someone other than the Rush…
- Allen with a lot of possession here with under four to go. Not that they’re doing much with said possession, but they’ve had it.
- Fourth best power play, second best PK in the league? Nice.
- Goal light went off behind Carr, but the puck appears to have hit the post and gone out. The ref was pretty adamant in waiving it off immediately.
- That was a really, really nice back-check from Josh Anderson with two to go.
- Carroll splits the D, gets a shot, and draws a power play.
- Turner Ottenbreit with the BLAST just seven seconds into the advantage!
- After 20 Utah leads 1-0, shots 10-7 for Allen.
Second Period
- Allen getting all the shots in the first three minutes. Not ideal.
- Carr’s been seeing them comfortably though.
- Jack Walker to Michael Economos from behind the net and it’s 2-0 for Utah!
- And on the very next shift, Allen makes it 2-1.
- Economos and Ottenbreit both looking to get goal number two on this advantage.
- A bit of a crowd gathers as Allen returns to full strength. Would seem like the feeling out process is over.
- Nifty mitts from Eco there.
- Ully draws a power play, Ottenbreit and Taylor Richart with a couple of cannons. Good movement from the Grizzlies in general, really.
- The pace in the second period has been far quicker, both teams having to scramble in spots.
- Zach Pochiro and Nagel collide, and Pochiro is pretty mad that nothing was called.
- They’ve been calling offsides really tightly tonight. Not sure Allen was actually offside there though.
- RATELLE SCORES HIS FIRST!! The puck somehow trickled past C.J. Motte. Not sure exactly how, but WHO CARES!
- Walters racking up the points again.
- Carrsy tells Pochiro YOU SHALL NOT PASS.
- Allen pressuring with about two to go.
- Some big shot blocking, and after 40, Utah leads 3-1, shots 24-19 for Allen.
Third Period
- SECOND GOAL FOR RATELLE!!! Nagel gets his first pro point on that!
- Adam Miller gets a penalty shot, and Kevin shuts him down.
- It’s been an eventful two minutes!
- Really nice shift from Richart, followed by a really nice stretch from Carr.
- Utah, please go play on the other side of the ice for a while…
- First pro game, first pro goal for Galt!! Walker has HIS second point of the game, and Gage Ausmus picks up the secondary. Looks like Verpaelst may have grabbed the puck for Galt as well!
- Atkinson goes after Herbert, Ratelle responds, and there are lots of penalties coming.
- Ok, after all that, Teigan Zahn and Curt Gogol get thrown out, Pochiro, Economos, and Ratelle all get two, so it is a power play for Allen.
- That was the saddest celebration on that Allen power play goal.
- This is probably the longest final two minutes I’ve ever witnessed.
- One final penalty for Allen.
- GAME WON, PLAYOFF SPOT CLINCHED.
- 5-2 Utah.
Ratelle’s two goals earned him first star, while Carr took second star with 37/39 saves, and Ottenbreit snagged third star with a goal and an assist. Walker and Walters both picked up two assists each.
This was exactly the kind of win the Grizzlies needed to kick off the road trip, now they just need to keep their foot on the gas and keep going.
Goals
- First Period: Ottenbreit (Richart, Walters) (PP)
- Second Period: Economos (Walker, Maxwell), Ratelle (Walters, Carroll)
- Third Period: Ratelle (Nagel, Ottenbreit), Galt (Walker)
UTA: 1/6 (23 PIM)
ALN: 1/3 (34 PIM)
Photo courtesy of Action Sports Photography.
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