Grizzlies Fall in 16-Goal Game
Published on December 18, 2002 under ECHL (ECHL)
Utah Grizzlies News Release
Hartford, Connecticut - The Grizzlies and Wolf Pack put on an offensive display on Wednesday night but it was Hartford's four unanswered third period goals that unraveled the Grizzlies and put an end to the Grizzlies three-game winning streak and Jason Bacashihua's four-game winning streak.
The Wolf Pack got off to a quick start scoring two goals 16 seconds apart in the first 1:06 of the game. Nils Ekman scored his fifth of the year and Ken Gernander scored his 11th of the season giving Hartford a 2-0 lead just over a minute into the game.
Utah would counter with three first period goals taking a 3-2 lead into the first intermission. Barrett Heisten returned to the line-up after missing 17 straight games and he made an impression scoring his second goal of the season and his first against his former team. Steve Gainey would add a power play goal and Gavin Morgan would score a shorthanded goal for the Grizzlies giving them the one-goal lead. Utah outshot the Wolf Pack 21-7 in the first period as Jason Labarbera made 18 saves for Hartford.
The Wolf Pack would turn the tide in the second period outscoring the Grizzlies 3-1. Dean Arsene scored the first goal early in the frame tying things up for Hartford. Dixon Ward would one-time a power play goal past Jason Bacashihua off a nice cross-ice pass from Ted Donato regaining the lead for Hartford. Eric Chouinard would tie things up for Utah after redirecting a Steve Gainey shot past Labarbera continuing the offensive display. With the score tied at four goals apiece, the Wolf Pack would capture their fourth lead of the night when Layne Ulmer would lift a shot past Bacashihua after finding himself wide open in front of the net scoring his fifth goal of the season giving Hartford a 5-4 lead after two periods of play.
The Grizzlies would find themselves two goals behind for the second time in the game when John Tripp redirected a power play goal past Bacashihua giving Hartford a 6-4 lead. Chouinard would rattle off two more goals netting the Grizzlies first hat trick of the season pulling the Grizzlies even once again this time at six goals apiece but Hartford would have the final say scoring four straight goals to end the period. Ted Donato and Jamie Lundmark each scored a pair of goals with each player netting a shorthanded goal.
Utah outshot the Wolf Pack on the night 43-34 but it wasn't enough as the 10 goals scored by Hartford was a franchise high for most goals in a game and a franchise high for the Grizzlies for most goals allowed in a game. The 16 total goals also established a Grizzlies franchise record.
Three Stars: 1. Ted Donato (Wolf Pack) 2. Dixon Ward (Wolf Pack) 3. Eric Chouinard (Grizzlies)
Next Game: The Grizzlies will have the first ever meeting with Worcester on Friday night. Face-off is 5:05 PM mst.
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