Tag: Mitch Maxwell

Utah Grizzlies vs Rapid City: Fight, Score, Celly

Day 155 of the regular season and we’re still playing the Rapid City Rush. However, despite the billionth meeting of these two teams, there were some changes in the roster. Joey Ratelle (signed at the beginning of the year) finally made his Utah debut, Jake Marchment was once again out with an injury, and Joey Raats was a healthy scratch. Joe Cannata got the start for Utah, and on the other end of the ice, their arch-nemesis Adam Carlson.

First Period

  • Longest first shift in the history of ever.
  • Will Smith looking to stay hot on his first shift of the game.
  • Tyler Poulsen puts the puck through Gage Ausmus and Joe Cannata to put the Rush up 1-0.
  • Not even five minutes in, and already there’s some cantankerousness.
  • Cole Ully doing Cole Ully things.
  • Oh no…that’s exactly how Ratelle got hurt the first time this year…He’s certainly endeared himself to the fans though!
  • Point blank chance for Eric Freschi
  • Both teams playing with a fair bit of nastiness so far, certainly more than we saw in their past games against each other.
  • Freschi’s made some pretty nifty moves tonight, and the night is young.
  • Speaking of nifty, that was a great piece of stick work from Ausmus to take possession of the puck.
  • That was some really nice passing from Freschi and Jack Walker there.
  • That being said, please go spend some extended time in the offensive zone…
  • Pretty sure everyone on both sides moved before that puck got dropped, haha!
  • Well. That’s not good. 2-0 with five to go.
  • Turner Ottenbreit lays a huge hit and gets two for elbowing, leading to the first power play of the night.
  • You know that thing I said about cantankerousness? We’re definitely past “some”.
  • I’m not sure I have ever seen a full line brawl live before. The penalty box is gonna get PREEEETTTY full. Teigan Zahn and Gabriel Verpaelst get five each for fighting, Taylor Crunk gets two for slashing, two for instigating, and five for fighting, and Liam Bilton gets five for fighting.
  • Well. That was…eventful.
  • 2-0 RC, shots 19-7 in their favor.

Second Period

  • Utah opens with two full minutes of power play time, and a minute of five-on-three.
  • That opening power play goes the way of many opening of period power plays. That is to say, nowhere.
  • If nothing else, they got Carlson moving shortly afterwards I guess.
  • Zahn just led a really nice up-ice rush that culminated in a mad scramble around Carlson.
  • Mitch Maxwell with a speedy wrap-around attempt. Shots are now a far better 19-14.
  • More importantly, possession is much improved, and they’re skating hard.
  • Ottenbreit and Caleb Herbert get a really nice chance short handed.
  • MAXWELL WITH THE SHORTY.

  • Utah’s taken over the shot clock, 20-19 with 10:36 to go.
  • If RC had actually managed to pull off that stick toss, it would have been impressive. Illegal, but impressive.
  • VERBEAUTY. TIE GAME.
  • Walker does NOT look like a guy who’s been out for a month and a half with a leg injury.
  • Freschi and Walker get a glorious short-handed chance.
  • Another whistle, another scuffle. Michael Economos and and Garrett Klotz to the box.
  • ECONOMOS WITH THE SNIPE.

  • 3-2 UTAH as Economos positively flew out of the box! Great feed from Zahn too.
  • Carlson starting to look human over there.
  • Everyone falls over each other from both teams. Ice is slippery, don’tcha know!
  • Shots are 20-7 for Utah in the period.
  • The Grizzlies OWNED the second.

Third Period

  • Every time someone blocks a Verpaelst shot, I wince a little.
  • The way Ully just makes space for himself is so effortless.
  • Good start to the period for the boys.
  • I DON’T BELIEVE IT. IT WENT IN. O CAPTAIN OUR CAPTAIN.
  • Free chili for all.
  • Ok, please get back to playing mostly in the offensive zone.
  • Please stop icing the puck…
  • And again…
  • At this rate, we’re gonna have to crack out the Herb Brooks “again” gif. (Only this is not the sort of thing he’d have wanted over and over and over and over…)
  • You know that thing I said about Verpaelst’s shots at the beginning of the period? That.
  • I haven’t really mentioned him so far this game, but Cannata’s been good.
  • Freschi’s been very good this game.
  • BIG save from Cannata!
  • Rush net is empty with 2:30 to go.
  • ECONOMOS INTO THE EMPTY NET!!!
  • GRIZZLIES WIN 5-2!!! And they out-shot RC 34-33 in the end, Cannata going 31/33.

Economos’ two goals and assist earned him first star of the game, while Maxwell (1G, 1A) and Zahn (1G, 1A) took second and third stars. Walters’ assist was his 300th professional point.

“We earned this one.” Tim Branham said after the game. “I didn’t think we were that bad in the first to be honest. We passed up on a lot of scoring opportunities to only get five shots. I thought we had more chances than that. They worked hard, they worked for their bounces that period. Then between the first and second we talked about how enough was enough, we need to out play them and out work them like we did that last third period. The boys came out and took control. Five-on-three, our five-on-three hasn’t been good all year to be honest, I think we’ve maybe scored one, but we got one on the power play, and our penalty kill was huge, and we got one short-handed. So specialty teams was huge, specialty teams has been huge this whole series, and tonight it worked in our favor.”

As has been the case in the last few games, the Grizzlies’ secondary scoring has come through. “It’s huge,” said Branham. “Really, I just rolled the lines there for a while with our ten forwards so I don’t really what was our first, second, and third line, but to get that secondary scoring you’re talking about, it’s huge. Come playoff time, teams are going to be keying in on our top guys, and our second and third line are the ones that gotta to carry the load. Third lines win championships.”

“It’s huge” Economos said of Maxwell’s goal. “When you get a short-handed goal and things aren’t going your way it was something that really sparked us. We just talked about working hard and that’s what we did tonight. It was nothing fancy really about that game out of us tonight, it was just working hard, crashing the net, getting in front of Carlson’s eyes cause he’s been red hot against us, so it was really big for us.”

He was, predictably modest about his own game winner.

“It was just right place at right time. Zahner just happened to look up at the perfect time when I was getting out of the box. The boys were joking with me that I wasn’t trying to go five-hole, and honestly I wasn’t,” he said with a laugh, “But you know sometimes when you miss it works out. Finally a bounce went our way, and it was great to see that go in.”

Military night is always popular in Utah, and Saturday was no exception with 9,237 in attendance, and they made a difference. “It was amazing. Any time there’s a hit, any time there’s a fight, any time there’s a goal, it was just electric in there. Sometimes you don’t hear the crowd because you’re so into the game, but tonight they were a factor, and they definitely gave us some life out there.”

The difference between the Grizzlies’ first period and second and third couldn’t have been more stark. “I think we just said that we got that out of the way. It’s been chippy against them every time we’ve played them, so we kind of got that out of the way and were just able to focus on our game. They might have still been in that mentality of just trying to get in fights and pushing and shoving, and we just wanted to get in front of the goalie’s eyes, put it on net every single time we could, it was great for us.”

The Grizzlies face the Rush for the fourteenth and (thankfully) final time on Monday.

 

 

Goals

  • First Period: None
  • Second Period: Maxwell (Ottenbreit) (SH), Verpaelst (Herbert, Henke) (PP), Economos (Richart, Zahn)
  • Third Period: Zahn (Economos, Smith), Economos (Maxwell, Walters) (EN)

UTA: 1/5 (29 PIM)
RC: 0/5 (39 PIM)

 

Photo courtesy of Josh Pinnau.

 

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Utah Grizzlies @ Allen Americans: The Oscar for best goal goes to…

With Jake Marchment joining the ranks of the wounded (in all seriousness, you could create the majority of a really great forward core out of the injured forwards), the Grizzlies once again found themselves pretty short of forwards in general, and centermen in particular in the final game of the road trip. Joey Raats once again dressed as a forward, and was joined for parts of the later stages of the game by Teigan Zahn, while Joe Cannata got the start.

 

First Period

  • This has been a surprisingly uneventful first period.
  • YIIIIIKEEEEEES. That was so close to disaster.
  • That poke check was disgustingly good from C.J. Motte.
  • Josh Thrower and Michael Economos drop the gloves!!
  • Speaking of disgustingly good…that’s what that Allen goal was. Screened too.
  • ….Where was any of the defense…
  • Not gonna lie, but “allegedly onside” is one of my favorite phrases.
  • Boooooooo.
  • That was no fun. At least shots have evened up considerably.

Second Period

  • I would really, really just like to get through this game without losing anyone else to injury…
  • Well Mr. Smith, if you were waiting for the opportune moment to score your first pro goal, that was it. Beautiful pass from Turner Ottenbreit too.

  • Well, that was definitely the right idea.
  • Caleb Herbert and Josh Atkinson get matching minors for skulduggery.
  • OH MY HOCKEY GODS. SAVE THAT FOR THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK. The Oscar for best goal goes to Ryan Walters. What a move. Spin-o-rama to elude the defenseman fools Motte too, and it’s 3-2!!!!
  • MAXWELL DROPS THE GLOVES.
  • Zahn with a terrific chance on the doorstep, and then Herbert with a great shot.
  • Cannata answering the call on the other end too.
  • Please do not break Michael.
  • WALTERS IS ON FIRE.

Third Period

  • Shots are now 40-28 for the Grizzlies.
  • Please go play in the other end…
  • Thanks Joey.
  • Well. Everyone was pretty much where they should be, but Cannata was completely screened. Boo again.
  • Josh Dickinson is getting worked over with no calls.
  • Motte is pretty pissed at his own guy as Atkinson shoves Dickinson into Motte.
  • ….oh geez, not Turner…Please be ok….
  • How was that slash on Ottenbreit not called, and yet that one Ausmus is.
  • Well, there’s blood, so can’t really argue with that high-sticking call…
  • Oh thank goodness. Ottenbreit is, at the very least, ok to stay in this game. Hopefully he’s actually ok, and not just hockey ok…
  • Zahn is DEFINITELY playing forward.
  • HOWWWWWW DID MOTTE MAKE THAT SAVE??????????????
  • ECONOMOS TIES IT UP.
  • To OT we go. Which will be Herbert-less, as he gets pitched for unsportsmanlike conduct.

OT

  • Thank you Joe.
  • Dickinson probably should have drawn a penalty there.
  • Cannata is down (panic), and we’re off to the power play.
  • (Cannata appears to be alright, everyone can stop panicking. What do you mean I was the only one?)
  • At the end of OT, Emerson Clark got 20 minutes of penalties (slashing and fighting/continuing altercation) and Curt Gogol got ten for fighting/continuing altercation as well. So things got a bit heated there!

Shootout

Allen: Pochiro (goal)
Utah: Herbert (no goal)

Allen: Salituro (no goal)
Utah: Dickinson (goal)

Allen: Miller (goal)
Utah: Walters (no goal)

Allen wins 5-4 in the shoot out, shots 55-41 for Utah.

Walters’ two goals and ten (yes you read that right, ten) shots earned him third star of the game, while Cannata saved 37/41. Ottenbreit had yet another great game, picking up two assists, as did De Jong. As noted at the time, Will Smith got his first pro goal, and Economos was one assist away from a Gordie Howe hat trick.

Goals

  • First Period: None
  • Second Period: Smith (Ottenbreit), Walters (Raats, Ottenbreit), Walters (Herbert, De Jong) (PP)
  • Third Period: Economos (De Jong)

Utah: 1/3 (28 minutes)
Allen: 0/3 (60 minutes)

 

 

Photo courtesy of Action Sports Photography and staff.

 

 

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Utah Grizzlies vs Kansas City: Frustration

After last night’s game, the lines saw some shuffling, though the roster itself remained the same.

First Period

  • Teigan Zahn crushes a guy, and Joe Cannata flashes the leather. Getting the crowd into it right off the bat!
  • Joseph Mizzi to the box with a double minor for high-sticking.
  • Cannata looking particularly sharp. He’s made a couple of nearly identical pad saves followed by a quick stick to bat the puck out of danger.
  • Grayson Downing with a big block there.
  • Downing showing off the physical side of his game with 13:00 to go.
  • Pretty good looking defense tonight. On the other hand, it’d be really nice to get some shots of our own…
  • Eric Freschi with a tremendous takeaway in the offensive zone with half a period to go.
  • Haha that’s what happens when you hit a Moose. The moose is fine, you fall over.
  • KC strikes first on a late power play…where have I heard that one before…
  • McDonald is far too good a goalie only get one shot on and expect good things to happen.
  • End of 20, shots 7-2 for KC, who leads 1-0.

Second Period

  • That’s more like it. The Grizzlies have already doubled their shot count, and we’re not even two minutes in.
  • Ausmus rings iron, shots are now 8-4 in a much better second.
  • Nice crisp breakout from the Downing line.
  • Mizzi is robbed on a point blank chance, and just like that, shots are an even 8-8.
  • Aaaand Greg Betzold beats Cannata on the rebound.
  • Cannata bobbles a seemingly routine save, and it’s 3-0.
  • Ottenbreit with a huge shot, and Zahn lays a big hit, which the fans appreciate.
  • Oooh some animosity brewing.
  • Maxwell didn’t miss by much…
  • After evening up the shots, KC is once again out-shooting Utah 18-9.
  • Shutout Shutout Shutout Shutout Shutout Shutout Shutout Shutout Shutout Shutout  Shutout Shutout Shutout Shutout Shutout Shutout Shutout Shutout Shutout Shutout
  • Freschi’s stick goes flying up in the air, and he catches it, to the crowd’s great delight. Wonder if he’s good at juggling…
  • Dickinson didn’t miss the net by very much there. He’s so sneaky good.
  • Well. Marchment takes a penalty.
  • AND NOW THERE’S A CRAZY SHIFT, AND WATSON TO THE BOX.
  • Well. That was not ideal.
  • 3-0 for KC after two.

Third Period

  • Pretty good shift here from Marchment and company now that all the penalties are killed off.
  • It didn’t pan out, but what a crafty move from Downing.
  • Downing playing with some passion there. He’s definitely not entertained.
  • Every other sentence seems to be about him tonight, but he’s been good.
  • Anderson absolutely wails on a guy, and gets five and a game.
  • Really nice short-handed shift from the boys.
  • Ah great. We just go from bad to worse.
  • Walters to the box and Richart as well, because reasons.
  • …As bad as Richart getting a 10 minute misconduct is…that’s 10 minutes in which he can’t get hurt as this game goes nowhere good in a hurry…if you want to look at it from the very, very, very faint bright side…
  • What a shift from Walters as he flew out of the box!
  • Obviously, penalties aren’t the reason the Grizzlies are currently losing. But KC definitely hasn’t played as clean a game as the score sheet would indicate…
  • And the fans are not happy about it.
  • Hate to sound like a broken record, but…as AD used to say…I don’t know about that…
  • Zahn’s penalty is killed, and Ottenbreit throws a thunderous hit!
  • Well. If you can’t score a ton in front of a big crowd, at least entertain them with big hits, and a surprising fight from Mitch Maxwell!
  • As bad as this game has been, and as many penalties as Utah’s taken, they’ve only got one power play goal against them. That’s pretty impressive.
  • That is the second short-handed dash from Walters and Downing that SOMEHOW didn’t beat McDonald.
  • Welp. I guess that winning streak had to come to an end sometime.
  • Utah falls 3-0.

 

“First off, they played hard.” said Tim Branham after the game. “They came at us hard, we tried weathering the storm, obviously got behind the eight ball early with penalties. Definitely a lopsided affair on the referee’s part. You have the linesmen out there calling penalties, the reason it gets out of hand is because they don’t call the penalties, and they don’t keep it under control. Hockey players handle it themselves. Unfortunately, we face that a lot here with our part-time linesmen, they always seem to have it out for us, but it is what it is.

“I thought there were times where we could have played better,” he added. “I thought we played extremely hard, it’s tough when the power plays were eight to one, the one power play we had was 37 seconds. I definitely saw some penalties out there that could have been called. But it is what it is. I thought the boys played really hard, I was really proud of them, and we gotta regroup here and come back on Monday.”

Despite the lopsided penalties, the Grizzlies only allowed one power play goal — a testament to their defensive abilities.

“I thought our PK was good,” Branham said. “The one that they scored was off of a face-off, and just got a quick shot, nothing structurally or anything like that. It is what it is, those bounces happen, kind of like their one yesterday. I thought we played really well, they had what, three five-on-threes tonight, an extended one for over a minute, and then two shorter ones, the effort is there. We’ve got an unreal team, unreal character, and definitely proud of the way they played. We got the short end of the stick, 100% in front of 8,500 fans and the commissioner here. They couldn’t find one penalty on them. It’s pretty sad.”

The Grizzlies’ eight game point streak and five game winning streak came to an end, as all good things must, but there were valuable things that came from it that will continue to stand the team in good stead going forward.

“We came together as a team, no matter who was in our lineup. Guys are understanding what it takes to win games, I think. Playing short-handed a lot with new guys who aren’t used to playing in this league, it’ll take a toll on you. So when you’re killing that many penalties, you’re really relying on your veteran core guys as well, so they’re getting a lot of ice time as well. It was a good streak, that’s for sure. We’ve got to make sure we put this one behind us and start a new streak.”

Monday’s matinee game against the Mavericks is gonna be a big one.

 

 

Photo courtesy of Action Sports Photography and staff.

 

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Utah Grizzlies vs Idaho Steelheads: Clean Sweep

After taking two in a row against Idaho, the Grizzlies were up against a stiff challenge in game three of the series on Saturday night. Utah’s lineup remained the same as they faced down former Grizz goalie Ryan Faragher.

First Period

  • Idaho to the power play first.
  • The Grizzlies followed up a flawless penalty kill with a wild scramble around Faragher.
  • WALLLYYYYYYYYYYY!! Walters puts the Grizzlies up 1-0 from Taylor Richart!! And it was a very nice one. He took the puck around a crowd of players and past his former teammate.

  • WELCOME. BACK. MITCH. 2-0 Grizzlies!
  • Idaho is definitely trying to pick a fight with whomever will fall for it.
  • Shots are 7-1 for Utah with 8:50 to go in the first period.
  • What a pair of phenomenal saves from Carr as that Idaho penalty came to an end.
  • It feels like every single game Mike Economos gets a step faster. Every single game.
  • A little bit of the old razzle dazzle from Julien Nantel there! (Unfortunately, Faragher flashed the leather with a little flair of his own.)
  • Carr sees Faragher’s flashy moves on the other end of the ice, and responds with one of his own!
  • ONE of these days, Nantel is gonna bury one of those incredible looks.
  • Idaho in on the breakaway, only to be stopped stone cold by Kevin Carr.
  • If Taylor getting pitchforked isn’t a penalty, how’s that play by Ausmus one??? As AD used to say… I don’t know about that…
  • Either way, that was exactly the start the Grizzlies needed. 13-7 are shots for Utah after the first.

Second Period

  • More of that awesome puck support we saw from the past couple of nights.
  • Carr doesn’t often protest after he lets a goal in. He was immediately adamant after that one that it shouldn’t be a goal. Refs are talking about it.
  • NO GOAL. Always trust Carrsy.
  • Don’t know about the rest of you, but definitely not used to Teigan Zahn NOT being the biggest guy on the ice.
  • Kevin Carr, ladies and gentlemen.
  • Walters takes exception to the Idaho pushing and shoving around Carr, and is sent to the box. The fans are not amused.
  • We’re just gonna spend the entire second period on the kill, aren’t we.
  • Idaho to the box, and Herbert and Dickinson join up for a gorgeous four-on-four chance.
  • …Except now apparently Dickinson to the box for…reasons.
  • Idaho scores after being given ever possible chance on the power play.
  • YOU MAY BEAT KEVIN CARR FOUR-ON-THREE, BUT YOU’RE NOT GONNA BEAT HIM ON THE WRAP-AROUND.
  • HOW did Carr save that???? It was already BEHIND him????
  • Kevin Carr is the first star of this game for this period alone, and I don’t care if we lose by six. He is playing lights out.
  • HERBERT SAYS THAT’S RUBBISH AND WE’RE UP 3-1!! What a move.
  • Idaho playing a lot tighter on this penalty kill.
  • UHG. Short-handed goal.
  • Here’s to hoping the Grizzlies are able to score another couple in the third to keep the Steelheads out of the win column…

Third Period

  • Grizzlies are struggling to pass cleanly early on, but are still doing a good job at boxing the Steelheads out…mostly.
  • Five-on-three for Utah. The Grizzlies NEED to get a goal on this one.
  • …This is a very underwhelming five-on-three. No hustle, and the passes are not ideal.
  • That power play could come back to haunt them in a big way.
  • Now would be a really good time for the killer instinct from the first period to make a return.
  • Kevin Carr coming up big again.
  • The way some parts of the second and third period have gone, an argument could be made that the Grizzlies don’t entirely deserve to win this game. On the other hand, Carr definitely does not deserve to lose it.
  • A lot more energy as the final period passes the half-way mark. They’re looking more like the first period team.
  • There’s still too much time…
  • Caleb Herbert, man. The things he can do.
  • Again. Herbert and the things he can do.
  • OH geez… Henke went hard into the boards, and has to be helped off the ice. That’s the last thing this already injury plagued team needs.
  • Idaho’s net is empty with 2:28 to go…
  • Still an empty net…less than a minute to go…Idaho calls their time out…
  • MITCH. MAXWELL. EMPTY. NET. GOAL.
  • CHILI FOR ALL, AND GET OUT THOSE BROOMS.
  • Grizzlies win 4-2.

Mitch Maxwell earned first star of the game with his first and second goals of the year, while Caleb Herbert’s GWG earned him second star. Idaho’s Keegan Kanzig received the third star with a goal and an assist. Carr definitely could have been one of the stars as well, with his outstanding performance–especially in the second period.

“I think it just comes down to team effort,” Maxwell said after the game. “Carrsy was great in the net when we had little lulls he held us in it, and we capitalized on our opportunities. We’re a pretty confident team right now, and we’re just excited to be here at the rink. It was a big three wins for us, and we’re ready to get going for next week.”

Of Carr’s play, especially in the second period, he added, “Carrsy made some huge saves when we had some lulls like I said. Without him we definitely don’t have these three wins. He was a huge part of our success this weekend.”

“We’re playing pretty good hockey right now,” Tim Branham said when speaking of the series in general. “Good goaltending today, that’s for sure. Got some help from our affiliate, those two, Nantel and Downing for the series, and Boikov for the first game, those are three elite players right that can play at the next level. Any time you can add that, it’s great. But you know what, our boys came together there in that last road trip, playing short, understanding what it takes to win, and I think we know now–I think we knew, but we’re proving to everybody–that when we play our style, when we have our lineup, nobody can beat us.”

Speaking of that lineup, Walters appears to be heating up, with points in the last five games (and three multiple point games in that stretch) and ten points in the nine games since he returned, while Herbert has points in ten of the twelve games he’s played since coming back from Colorado, and is now third in the league in points and goals (one behind Zach Pochiro of Allen, and Reid Gardiner of Kalamazoo). Economos has five points in the last five games, and Dickinson has eight points in his last ten since arriving from Colorado. Although he hasn’t scored yet, Downing has been incredible, while Carr is now 5-1-1 in his last seven starts.

“I thought he was just fantastic,” Branham said of Carr. “He’s been that way for quite some time now. I think early on in the year when you’ve got Joe Cannata, and you’re not playing many games, you’re not getting into it. Now he’s playing every game, and we just see what kind of goaltender he is. He was tremendous tonight, tremendous. Just calm, steady back there, controlling the rebounds, he made some big saves. Our D are playing phenomenal, with Zahn leading the way, they’re defending well, trying to keep shots to the outside as best they can. Our forwards do a good job of scoring, and helping track through the middle of the ice to defend. Honestly, that was a complete team effort. Really proud of the boys, and it definitely feels good. Some much needed rest to recover here, and we’ll get back at her next weekend.”

The upcoming games on Friday and Saturday are part of Grizzlies Fight Cancer week, and are the first two of a three game home stand against Kansas City that will conclude on Monday with a matinee game for President’s Day.

 

Goals

  • First Period: Walters (Richart), Maxwell (Zahn, Economos)
  • Second Period: Herbert (Anderson, Marchment)
  • Third Period: Maxwell (EN)

 

 

Photo courtesy of Action Sports Photography and staff.

Utah Grizzlies @ Wichita Thunder: Silencing the Thunder

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.