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ECHL Utah Grizzlies

Grizzlies Can't Solve Milwaukee; Three-Game Win Streak Comes To An End

February 26, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
Utah Grizzlies News Release


West Valley City, Utah - The visiting Milwaukee Admirals still have the Grizzlies number as they continue to roll over them, winning 5-4 in front of 4,969 Utah fans giving Milwaukee five victories in six games versus the Grizzlies.

The Grizzlies found themselves behind in the early going of the first stanza. At 6:20, Admiral center Greg Classen was at the right place at the right time. Utah mishandled the puck deep in their own zone and Classen picked up the biscuit in the slot and drilled a hard wrister past Jason Bacashihua on the blocker side, giving Milwaukee the early lead.

The Grizzlies didn't let that get them down for long. At the 11:36 mark, Utah capitalized on the power play as Alexei Komarov controlled the puck at the far side of the blue line and passed it cross-ice to Greg Hawgood, just inside the blue line on the near side. Hawgood took his time as he slowly skated in towards the net and suddenly zipped a pass across the goal mouth to Eric Landry on the far side of Admiral goal tender Chris Madden and Landry (22-27-49) one-timed the puck into the net, tying the game at 1-1.

A few minutes later, Milwaukee would get the go-ahead goal at the 14:14 mark. Admiral defenseman Pascal Trepanier received a pass from Peter Smrek and went untouched into the Grizzlies zone. From the far circle, Trepanier let loose a laser that beat Bacashihua over the left shoulder and into the net, giving Milwaukee a 2-1 lead. After 20 minutes of play, Utah out-shot the Admirals 13 to 11.

In the second period, the visiting Admirals started where they left off. At the 4:24 mark, the Grizzlies just finished killing a Milwaukee power play but couldn't clear the puck out of their own zone. From behind Bacashihua, Admiral center Wyatt Smith passed the puck out front on the far side to teammate Andrew Hutchinson who one-timed the puck past Bacashihua to extend the Milwaukee lead to 3-1. As the second stanza neared its end, Milwaukee would get another goal from Utah's sloppy play in their own end. Utah again mishandled the puck, giving it up to Admiral forward Martin Erat who shoveled the biscuit to teammate Domenic Pittis on the far side, deep in the Utah zone and Pittis slapped it by Bacashihua giving the Admirals a commanding 4-1 lead.

The Grizzlies stopped the Milwaukee momentum in the waning moments of the second. At the 19:19 mark, Eric Landry had the puck on the far boards in the Admiral zone and took a shot that Madden got a piece of, but the rebound trickled out front where Greg Hawgood came in from the blue line and wound up for a hard slap shot that went right by Madden. The goal was Hawgood's 9th (9-36-45) of the year and made it a two-goal game, trailing 4-2. The Admirals completely dominated shots on net with 9 versus Utah's 3 in the second period.

Utah was an entirely different team in the beginning of the third period. Only 39 seconds transpired before Jim Montgomery (20-39-59) lit the lamp as he received a pass from Marcus Kristoffersson and found himself all alone in front of Admiral goalie Chris Madden. Montgomery faked Madden low and then lifted the puck top shelf and got the Grizzlies to within one, 4-3. Montgomery would later leave the game with a injury putting Utah shorthanded to finish the contest.

Milwaukee would answer back at the 6:56 mark. Wyatt Smith slapped the puck from the far boards that was re-directed fooling Bacashihua and went into the net, lifting the Admirals back to a two goal lead, 5-3.

The Grizzlies never did throw in the towel and fought for every possession. At 14:15 the hard work paid off. From behind the Milwaukee net, David Gosselin (10-14-24) managed to chip the puck out front where Mike Sgroi was camping out and banged home the biscuit to get the Grizzlies within a goal. The goal was Sgroi's (1-0-1) first of the season and first American Hockey League goal. Utah's Marc-Andre Thinel, David Gosselin and Gavin Morgan would crash the net moments after Sgroi's goal putting a four-shot flurry on Madden that he responded to by making four saves and keeping the game at 5-4.

As time started to diminish, Jason Bacashihua left the pipes at the 18:49 mark to give the Grizzlies an extra attacker on the offensive end. After a couple of close calls, the Admirals were able to hold on for the victory over Utah. The Grizzlies would rattle off 19 shots against Madden in the third period and finish with the game lead 35-28.

The Admirals move to within three points of the Grizzlies in the West Division standings and further improve their playoff position.

Three Stars: 1. Andrew Hutchinson (MIL) 1 goal, 2 assists 2. Greg Hawgood (UT) 1 goal, 1 assist 3. Wyatt Smith (MIL) 1 goal (GW), 1 assist

Next Game: The Grizzlies will face-off against the Milwaukee Admirals again on Friday, February 28, in Milwaukee. Puck drops at 6:12 PM (MST)

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