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ECHL Utah Grizzlies

Grizzlies Can't Hold On Versus Houston

March 28, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
Utah Grizzlies News Release


West Valley City, Utah - The Utah Grizzlies and the Houston Aeros began a three-game weekend series tonight that will see the first two games at the E-Center and the final game at the Compaq Center. Utah held a third period 2-1 lead but failed to maintain it as Houston scored the game's final two goals to gain the 3-2 victory over the Grizzlies taking control of the season series 6-2.

In the first period the visiting Aeros didn't take long to show the Grizzlies why they are second in the Western Conference. At 2:43, Houston barreled down on Corey Hirsch as Aeros Kyle Wanvig tried to stuff the puck past Hirsch on the far side and the puck trickled out front where Tony Tuzzolino picked it up and sent it into a wide open net with Hirsch on the ground. After twenty minutes of play, Houston out-shot Utah 14 to 6 and held a 1-0 lead.

The second stanza got off to a slow start as neither team could get anything going in the offensive end. Utah had a couple of great scoring chances and came up just short. With a man down, Jim Montgomery got the puck in the Houston zone at the near circle and tried squeaking the biscuit past Houston goalie Johan Holmqvist but was denied twice. At the 15:04 mark, Utah's perseverance finally paid off as Justin Cox showed some great hustle, battling for the puck along the near boards in the Houston zone. Cox got enough wood on the puck to get it to Garvin Morgan who skated behind the Aeros net and then proceeded to jam the puck at the side of the net. After being rejected initially by Holmqvist, the rebound came out front where Steve Gainey (9-16-25) at the top of the crease sent the puck into the back of the net, tying the game at 1-1. For Cox, it extended his point streak to six consecutive games (2G, 4A). After forty minutes, Utah gained some ground on Houston, out-shooting them 12 to 11 in the second.

At the drop of the puck in the third period, the Grizzlies had a determined look in their eyes and skated with a sense of urgency. At the 3:55 mark, Utah had a man advantage and made the Aeros pay. From the far blue line, Greg Hawgood blasted a hard slap shot past a screened Holmqvist to lift Utah to a 2-1 lead. Marc-Andre Thinel and Jim Montgomery (20-42-62) picked up the assists on the play. At the 12:47 mark, Houston got the equalizer from Travis Roche as he took a hard slap shot from the point that was redirected by all kinds of traffic past a sprawled out Hirsch tying the game 2-2. The Aeros did not take long to regain the lead as less than two minutes later Jean-Guy Trudel controlled the puck along the near boards and quickly turned around to send a wrister at Hirsch, Mark Cullen was in front of the Utah net making it difficult to pick up and getting a stick on the shot redirecting the puck into the Grizzlies goal giving Houston a 3-2 lead.

Three Stars: 1. Mark Cullen (HOU) 2. Jean-Guy Trudel (HOU) 3. Corey Hirsch (UT)

Next Game: Utah will host the Houston Aeros to a rematch tomorrow night, March 29, at the E-Center. Puck drops at 7 PM.

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