After last night’s 2-1 shoot-out loss, there were some changes on the ice. Brandon Saigeon drew back in after Dalton Mills was released, J.C. Brassard returned to the press box, while Brad Barone got the night off. Jeff Smith backed up starter Martin Ouellette, and Yuri Terao joined Ty Lewis, and Tim McGauley on the first line.
Utah had the jump early on, picking up the first five shots of the game in the opening six minutes. Terao and Taylor Richart teamed up to get perhaps the best chance during that time, Terao pouncing on a rebound from the Captain’s shot, but Nick Schneider covered it up.
Josh Dickinson and C.J. Eick had strong shifts for their respective teams around the nine minute mark, and McGauley drew the first power play at 12:28. The Grizzlies got one of those illusive first goals, Ryan Wagner opening the scoring from Richart and Eric Williams on the advantage.
McGauley drew another power play, this one a double minor, at 15:42, and the Utah power play got back to work.
They were unable to score on the advantage, but picked up 13 shots to Kansas City’s 3 by the end of the frame.
Utah got goal number two at 3:40, Dickinson saucing the puck across the crease to a WIDE open Wagner. Wagner made no mistake on his seventh of the season, and Eric Wlliams got his second secondary assist as well.
The Grizzlies picked up the third power play of the game at 9:24 as they out-shot KC 20-7. Wagner nearly capped off his hat trick with about two to go, Terao put the puck in off his hand (no goal), and was knocked down. Joe Wegwerth took umbrage, and was given a roughing call with about 25 seconds to go. At the end of 40, shots were 27-8 for Utah.
Utah comfortably killed off the Wegwerth penalty to start the third, Tischke playing the part of Griffen Molino with McGauley in one of those traditional two-on-one short-handed chances. Utah killed it off, but Wagner found himself back in the box at 7:58. This time, it was Jack Jenkins who sprinted in short-handed with McGauley, and threw the puck on net. The puck hit the post, and McGauley put the puck in from the blue paint for the third off the night.
By the fifteen minute mark, shots were 33-15 for the Grizzlies, but Richart took a roughing call at 16:27. Wagner had yet another chance to complete the hat trick short-handed, but was denied.
With just five seconds to go, Loren Ulett slashed Garrett Klotz, and the two dropped the gloves, Klotz getting the definitive victory. When the final buzzer sounded, Utah too had a definitive victory, out-shooting the Mavs 34-17 in the 3-0 shut out.
Wagner, Ouellette, and Williams got the three stars of the game, and Utah closed off the homestand on a definite high note.
Photo courtesy of Tim Broussard.
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