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ECHL Utah Grizzlies

Another Great Crowd Watches Grizzlies Beat Colorado

December 30, 2014 - ECHL (ECHL)
Utah Grizzlies News Release


West Valley City, Utah - The Utah Grizzlies defeated the Colorado Eagles 3-2 Monday night at Maverik Center before the Grizzlies second largest crowd of the season as 7,124 fans cheered the team to victory.

The Grizzlies drew their two largest crowds since Opening Night Saturday and Monday with a combined total of 13,651 fans watching the Grizzlies tangle with their rival Colorado.

Grizzlies rookie Alex Krushelnyski led the team with three assists, factoring on all three goals. Leading scorers Michael Pelech and Mathieu Aubin each had one goal and one assist.

"Yeah, they're big points," said Alex Krushelnyski. "More importantly it's at home in front of our fans; we love it and thanks for the support."

Utah jumped up 1-0 with 6:07 left in the first as Jacob Johnston kept the puck in the Eagles zone and Patrick Wellar and Alex Krushelnyski got the puck to Vinny Scarsella on the side of the net for his seventh goal of the year. Utah killed two penalties to wrap up the period and didn't allow a shot to hold the lead going to the second.

"Tim's message to us at practice was we have to get better," said Scarsella. "We have to play faster and I think we did everything that Coach Branham wanted us to do."

The Grizzlies made it 2-0 7:15 into the second period as Jacob Johnston quickly carried the puck up ice and to the Utah zone. Michael Pelech and Krushelnyski grinded down low before finding Mathieu Aubin for his 11th goal of the year.

The Eagles made it 2-1 with 1:42 left in the second period and the Grizzlies had just enough in the tank to keep it 2-1 at the second intermission as Colorado quickly began to attack again.

In the third, the Grizzlies controlled the puck for 32 seconds on the power-play and after some near misses, Michael Pelech tapped in a loose puck for his team leading 15th goal of the season from Aubin and Krushelnyski as Utah made it 3-1 with 16:04 left.

Colorado scored with six seconds left to make it 3-2 and insure the Grizzlies and Eagles of playing their eighth-straight one-goal game.

Ducks prospect Igor Bobkov stopped 24 of 26 shots to earn his third goal of the year.

The Grizzlies now hit the road for Alaska for games Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 9:15 p.m.

Utah returns home to host Alaska Wednesday, January 7 for Wild Wednesday with $2 Soft Drinks, $2 Draft Beers and $5 Student Tickets.

The Grizzlies next home weekend is Friday, January 9 and Saturday, January 10 when they will host Stockton at 7 p.m. each night. January 10 is Star Wars Night and fans are invited to come in costume.

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