During the 2017-18 season, we chatted with a handful of Grizzlies, including Ryan Walters, Travis Howe, Taylor Richart, and coaches Tim Branham and Ryan Kinasewich about their favourite foods, recipes, and more. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be publishing one every Monday, so get out your pots and pans, and enjoy!
What’s your favourite kind of food?
My favourite kind of food is probably pasta, which is good cause I eat it every pre-game meal. In the summer I don’t eat it a lot just because I’m not skating as much, and it’s carbs, obviously, so I have to cut it back in the summer, but definitely some type of pasta dish.
What’s your favourite recipe, and who makes it best?
I’d have to say my favourite recipe is a lasagne recipe, and my mom makes it best. Usually my dad does the cooking, but my mom makes the best lasagna.
Do you like to cook?
Yes, I enjoy cooking. Usually I cook almost every meal at home, rarely will I go out to dinner. Usually me and Brad are always whipping something up in the kitchen. Yeah, I enjoy it. I’m pretty healthy, so I like knowing what’s going into my food.
What do you like best about the recipe you provided?
I think just knowing that it’s home cooked, and that my mom puts time and effort into it, and then you get to see the result. I think it makes her happy that we think that she has the best lasagna, so just knowing that it’s home cooked and she enjoys it as well.
Who on the team, or among your roommates would you say is the best cook?
Me and Brad are up there, but I’d have to say Howie, Chef Howie. He’s a good cook. He’s been doing cooking for a while. I think that was one of his jobs as well, so he can whip up some good meals.
Who do you think is the worst cook?
The worst? I’d probably have to say…I don’t really know, but I’d have to say Sam Windle, probably cause he’s always cooking fish sticks and little hamburger helper meals like that. So I’d have to throw him under the bus!
Creamy Lasagne
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 14.5-ounce can tomatoes, cut up
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1/3 cup water
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 8-ounce package Philadelphia brand cream cheese, cubed
Brown meat in large skillet: drain. Add onions, cook until tender. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, water, garlic and seasonings. Cover: simmer 30 minutes.
Combine cream cheese and milk in saucepan: stir over low heat until smooth.
In 13×9-inch baking pan, layer half of noodles, meat mixture, cream cheese mixture, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese: repeat layers. Bake at 350, 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving
Makes 6-8 servings
If you try this recipe, or any of the others, take a picture and share it with us on social media (Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram)!
During the 2017-18 season, we chatted with a handful of Grizzlies, including Ryan Walters, Travis Howe, Taylor Richart, and coaches Tim Branham and Ryan Kinasewich about their favourite foods, recipes, and more. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be publishing one every Monday, so get out your pots and pans, and enjoy!
So what’s your favourite kind of food?
I think my favourite food is probably Mexican food.
Why is it your favourite?
I like spicy food, so anytime I can mix that in, and you can get a lot of different options out of it, whether its burritos, nachos, tacos, anything of that sort.
What’s your favourite recipe?
My mom’s chicken wild rice soup.
Why is it your favourite?
I think I like it just cause she used to start it in the morning in a crock pot and then it’s always there. I could eat it from probably 5:30 to 10:30 and then the next day have leftovers the whole day.
Do you like to cook? And are you good at it?
I like to cook a little bit. It’s not my favourite thing. I’d rather have someone else cook for me. I’m ok at it. Nothing special.
What do you like best about the recipes you provided?
I just grew up with it. With my family, a lot of times we’d eat as a family every night, kind of have the same seven meals your whole life, so I enjoy them.
Who on the team is the best cook?
We’ve got a couple of healthy guys that cook pretty well. I’d have to say Travis Howe is the best cook. I go over to his house for meals every once in a while. He enjoys it.
Who would you say is the worst cook on the team?
Well, I room with Mitch Jones, and it’s gotta be him. He only knows how to cook hamburger helper or throw a pizza in the oven.
A couple of guys have thrown you under the bus and said you. Do you have have an answer for them?
Oh, I don’t think I’m the worst cook, I just might be the most unhealthy.
They also said you weren’t necessarily the worst cook, you just cook the same things all the time.
Yeah. Yeah, I got a couple meals on my repertoire!
Wild Rice Soup
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, minced
2 cups water
4 cups milk
2 cans cream of potato soup
1 pound velveeta cheese in chunks
1.5-2 cups cooked wild rice
Optional: 10 strips crisp bacon, crumbled for garnish
Saute onion in butter until tender. Add water, milk and potato soup. Increase heat to medium, stirring occasionally. When mixture is hot, add cheese. When mixture is creamy, add the cooked wild rice.
Garnish with crumbled bacon.
To cook wild rice: Wash 1/2 cup wild rice thoroughly. Add to 1.5 cups boiling water, salted to taste. Return to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered 50-60 minutes or just until kernels puff open. Uncover, fluff with fork. Simmer 5 more minutes. Drain any excess liquid. makes 1.5-2 cups.
Meat Loaf
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
2/3 cup finely crushed saltines
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
Dash of pepper
1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add milk, saltines, onion, salt, sage and pepper. Add beef and mix well. Shape into an 8-1/2-in. x 4-1/2-in. loaf or an ungreased shallow baking pan. Combine remaining ingredients; spread 3/4 cup over meat loaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-65 minutes or until no pink remains; drain. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with remaining sauce.
Yields 6-8 servings
If you try these recipes, or any of the others, take a picture and share it with us on social media (Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram)!
During the 2017-18 season, we chatted with a handful of Grizzlies, including Ryan Walters, Travis Howe, Taylor Richart, and coaches Tim Branham and Ryan Kinasewich about their favourite foods, recipes, and more. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be publishing one every Monday, so get out your pots and pans, and enjoy!
What’s your favourite cuisine?
I’m just gonna have to say American, the standard steak and potatoes and all that good stuff.
Do you have a favourite recipe?
I do. It’s tater tot casserole. It’s something my mom has made for a long time.
So I assume that your mom makes it best?
Oh yeah. Absolutely, my mom or grandma, that’s for sure!
Do you like to cook?
I do. Especially if there’s a grill, I’m all about cooking.
Are you good at it?
I would say so. Sometimes not so good at other things, but when it comes to cooking something on the grill, or smoking something, I’m pretty good at it.
So you gave us a chicken casserole as a recipe, what do you like about that one?
I just think it’s pretty good. The combination between the soup, the rice, and the chicken, and crackers on top make it pretty tasty.
Who on the team, or among your roommates is the best cook?
I would have to say probably Windle. He makes a pretty good hamburger helper lasagna.
Coming back from a brief Christmas break, the Grizzlies looked to erase the memory of a tough OT loss against Colorado on the 23rd. With Brendan Harms and Ryan Olsen back in the lineup, C.J. Eick, and Brad Navin went on reserve, while Howe served the second to last of his nine game suspension, and Kevin Carr got the start.
The whole evening did not begin well, what with the anthem singer momentarily forgetting the words, and the zamboni having to come out after the ceremonial puck drops to repair some ice behind the Grizzlies’ net.
Then, once the game started, a bad second shift allowed Jefferson Dahl to wheel around the net uncontested to make it 1-0 on a wrap-around :58 seconds into the game. Considering how bad the Grizzlies’ record is when the other team scores first, how the last home game against Idaho went (5-2 for the Steelheads), and how dominant Idaho looked early, there were definitely some causes for concern.
The weirdness didn’t stop there, as Idaho held possession through the first four minutes, and a hard shot got the head referee right in the head. Fortunately, he appeared to be none-the-worse for wear.
Utah had a few good shifts, but largely struggled to establish possession in the zone. There were signs of life though, from Leibinger, and the Ryan Line most noticably, but from the rest of the line-up as well.
However, off another long stretch in the defensive zone, Michael Pelech took an unforced delay of game penalty, putting the puck over the far glass at 9:14. The penalty kill got the job done, and the score remained unchanged.
Kyle Thomas and Corbin Baldwin got into a scuffle with just over five minutes to go, following a strong shift from the first line, but nothing came of it. That was about the time, however, that the Grizzlies came alive.
At 15:16 Ryan Olsen chipped the puck up to Ryan Misiak, Misiak fed Ryan Walters the perfect pass, and he converted to tie the game. Olsen got the secondary assist.
57 seconds later, Leibinger wired the puck from the point to give Utah the lead from Hanson and Thomas.
Idaho made a push to answer, and Harms took a penalty with 1:59 to go, as the third line continued to have a rough first period. Richart got tripped up with 1:13 to go, and the teams played four-on-four.
Thomas just missed Hanson on a two-on-one, and the Steelheads were likewise unable to tie it up in the final moments of a weird first period. Although Utah led 2-1, shots were 12-9 for the Steelheads.
The Grizzlies got off to a decent start in the next frame, following the 46 seconds of power play time. Leibinger almost got his second of the night on a beautiful move, and Carr flashed the leather on the other end. Unfortunately, Idaho tied it up right off the next face-off at 1:29.
The Grizzlies dodged a major bullet shortly thereafter as Carr made a huge save, and was out of position for the rebound. Fortunately, the Utah defensemen stopped the puck in the blue paint, and the Grizzlies got a chance of their own on the other end.
In the end, it was another rocket from a defenceman that gave Utah back the lead, as Sam Windle scored from center ice at 4:24 with assists from Leibinger and Erik Higby.
The third line had a great shift with around twelve minutes to go, but on the next shift, Misiak went down at the blue line. Already mysteriously down Zach Saar (later revealed to be an apparent illness according to the broadcast), and with Misiak gone, Idaho scored on the shift after that. The good news was that despite being helped off the ice, Misiak was back in short order, and Baldwin’s illegal contact to the head penalty at 11:30 on Higby sent Utah to the power play.
The second half of the period (and indeed the game) was far more characteristic of the Grizzlies and Steelheads, playing a much more structured, and less sloppy game.
Olsen gave up a bad turnover at the offensive zone blue line, but got it back before the puck crossed the Grizzlies’ blue line, and set up Hanson on a breakaway. Unfortunately, Philippe Desrosiers shut the door with about 4:30 to go in the frame.
The second ended with the Ryan Line buzzing, and after 40, shots were 23-18 for Idaho, tied 3-3.
“Just win the third” said Sam Windle in the intermission interview, and boy did the Grizzlies ever. Though, not so much in the first three minutes.
Utah got into gear after that though, and with 11:53 to go, Leibinger sprang Puskar on a gorgeous breakaway. That was the game breaker, and less than two minutes later, Higby forced a turnover, and Pelech scored off the cross-bar and in.
Taylor Richart put the cap on the night with another big shot from the blue line, giving the Grizzlies the 6-3 lead at 13:45, and breaking a goalless streak dating back to November 18th.
Puskar went to the box at 14:25, and again with 1:18 left in the third, but other than a net-front scuffle around Carr after a whistle, and another breakaway chance for Thomas and Hanson, they were both fairly uneventful.
With less than 30 seconds on the clock, Richart and Charlie Dodero tangled at center ice, and Mitch Jones and Corey Durocher dropped the gloves. Both got five for fighting, Dodero got two for roughing, and Utah closed out the night with their fifth win in the last eight.
After a rough first period, the third line really got going in the second, and in the third, scored (or were involved in) two of the Grizzlies’ goals three goals in the frame. Moreover, Leibinger was terrific all over the ice, throwing hits, blocking shots, making plays, getting chances, and of course, scoring a goal, and two assists. He was named third star of the game.
“He skates really well, he reads the play really well” Tim Branham said of Leibinger. “He trusts himself, he can make plays, that’s why he was really effective today. I thought he played really well defensively, had a good stick on puck, had a good gap all night, obviously made plays offensively, which we need, get some production from our back-end there. I though he was excellent tonight. We gotta follow that up with another good one though.
The Grizzlies got goals from every line, three from forwards, and three from defensemen. So what do they have to do to keep the offense rolling?
“This game is all about confidence. And you could tell. Once the score got 6-3, we started making some plays that we never would really make normally, and you could just tell that they were making them with confidence. This game is funny. That’s what it’s all about, hopefully this gives us the confidence to get going.
Leibinger thought the Christmas break also did the team some good. “We had some time away from the rink, sometimes that’s good for a team,” he said, “Especially if you’re struggling a little bit. You feel rejuvenated when you come back, see all the guys again, even if it’s just a couple of days”
“Carrying it forward,” he added, “I think we put a lot of effort in tonight, played hard, so I think if we do that every night, we have the talent to make plays, so I think it’s just all work ethic.”
Hard work and confidence. Those sound like good things to build success on going into the new year.
James Melindy returned from San Diego, and Chris Leibinger made his Grizzlies debut against Tulsa on Friday night. Tim Branham went with the hot hand in goal, and Kevin Carr got the start against his former team, and boy was it a good one. Facing him in nets was the reigning ECHL goaltender of the month in Devin Williams.
Carr made the first of many nice saves about thirty seconds in, and Utah drew the first power play of the game about a minute later, following a strong offensive push by the Grizzlies.
Although Utah picked up a number of good scoring chances, they were unable to capitalize on the man advantage. Carr made another spectacular save about four minutes in, and Sam Windle scored his first pro goal on a beautiful shot from the left circle. Brendan Harms and Michael Pelech got the assists.
Harms rang the post, and Zach Saar also had a chance crashing the net about half-way through the first. Unfortunately, though, Tulsa scored the next goal at 13:59 as multiple Grizzlies got tied up in the offensive zone, and Taylor Richart was left all alone to defend a two-on-one.
Ryan Olsen took a slashing call at 15:11, but the Grizzlies killed it off, and after 20, the game was still tied 1-1, shots 14-12 for Tulsa.
The Oilers came out flying in the second, but Utah held them off early, and Saar drew a power play. Kyle Thomas made it 2-1, pouncing on Ryan Walters’ rebound and firing bar down into the open net. Walters and Richart got the assists on Thomas’ second of the year.
Thomas took a hooking call at 8:08, and Windle took another about a minute later, but Carr held down the fort, and the penalty kill remained perfect, as it did again when Windle went to the box again with four minutes to go.
Carr made several more incredible saves, (are you sensing a theme here?) including an especially spectacular moment where Carr and Richart combined to snatch the puck from the goal line on yet another two-on-one. The play drew a penalty for charging with less than a minute to go in the frame. After 40, shots were 33-26 for Tulsa, but Utah held the 2-1 lead.
Utah opened the third with 1:06 on the power play, but it did not go well, Evan Richardson scoring short handed 15 seconds in.
Olsen had a fantastic chance a little bit more than two minutes in, splitting the Oilers’ defense, and beating Williams, but either the puck bounced off Williams’ gear or off the back of the net, and there was no celebration, no goal light, and play continued.
Melindy and Kale Kessy got tangled up and both got two, while Melindy got an extra two for unsportsmanlike conduct. The penalty kill remained perfect once more.
Tulsa and Utah exchanged penalties through the middle of the period, the Oilers taking two, and Utah one, but neither team was able to draw ahead.
Williams went down holding his back with 26 seconds left in the third, and it looked bad for a while, but though Jake Hildebrand warmed up in front of the bench, Williams remained in the game.
Forty two seconds into OT, Thomas was tripped up as he flew into the offensive zone, and Utah got a four-on-three.
The Grizzlies got set up, and after a back and forth between Walters and Richart, Taylor got his league leading third game winning goal of the year to win the game from Walters and Thomas.
The Grizzlies are now 5-5-0-0 on the year, are 3-0 in OT games, and have won four of their last five. Walters has three assists in two games, all three on the power play, which he has helped improve immensely.
Richart was named first star of the game with the goal and the assist, and Carr was a most deserving second star with 39 saves on 41 shots.
Utah is back in action tonight (Saturday), before they head out to Wichita tomorrow.
Photo courtesy of Tim Broussard, Jess Fleming and staff
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