Sports stats

AHL Utah Grizzlies

Grizzlies Gain Overtime Satisfaction Against Manchester

March 1, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Utah Grizzlies News Release


Manchester, NH - The Utah Grizzlies (20-32-4-3) earned their first points of their current eight-game road trip and earned their first overtime victory of the season as Rob Valicevic came back to haunt his old team scoring the game winner in the extra session. Jason Bacashihua was outstanding in goal making 37 saves earning his ninth victory of the season and stopping a first period Joe Giuliano penalty shot.

The first period saw a little bit of everything as their were four goals scored, three fights and a penalty shot. The bottom line was a two all tie as Utah erased a pair of one-goal deficits. Yanick Lehoux scored the first goal of the game just 50 seconds into the game on a two-on-one breakaway as he received a pass from one of the league's top scorers, Pavel Rosa, and put the puck underneath Jason Bacashihua. Utah would tie things up at the 12:30 mark of the first period when Timo Helbling banged home a second effort in front of Adam Hauser who had a personal shutout streak end at 170:10. Barrett Heisten and Zenon Konopka each drew assists on Helbling's first goal of the season. Manchester regained the lead when Bryan Muir blasted a shot past Bacashihua through a Chris Schmidt screen. Rosa and Lehoux each were credited with assists earning their second points of the night. Utah would again score a dirty goal at the 17:18 mark when Jarrod Skalde banged home a rebound off a Mathias Tjarnqvist miss tying the game at two goals apiece. Utah's John Erskine, Mike Sgroi and Helbling and Manchester's Ryan Flinn, Joe Rullier and Maxim Kuznetsov all drew fighting majors in the period and Giuliano received his penalty shot against Bacashihua who turned away his fourth penalty shot of the season. Each team mustered 12 shots on goal in the period.

Things were dramatically different in the second period as the goaltenders and defense went on display. Hauser was the one tested in the first half of the period and Bacashihua in the second half of the frame. Utah squandered two power play opportunities and the Monarchs one as Manchester finished the period outshooting the Grizzlies 7-6 but neither team was able to score. Erskine and Flinn each earned their second fighting majors of the night as the game remained physical.

Nothing going in the third period as Bacashihua had to turn away 15 Manchetser shots taking the game to overtime where the Grizzlies had to begin the frame shorthanded. Utah was able to kill off the Monarchs power play and 3:33 into the extra session were able to gain the victory and the two points as Mike Siklenka's hard work behind the net forced a turnover and created the chance for Valicevic to score the game winner and his eighth goal of the season.

Manchester outshot the Grizzlies 39-28 in the game as Bacashihua made 37 saves including the penalty shot earning one of the stars of the game.

Utah will travel to Worcester to take on the IceCats on Sunday night in the Centrum Center. Face-off is scheduled for 5:00 PM (mst).

Check out the Utah Grizzlies Statistics



American Hockey League Stories from March 1, 2004


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Utah Grizzlies Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central