ECHL Utah Grizzlies

Grizzlies Open Season Friday In Las Vegas

Published on October 15, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Utah Grizzlies News Release


Going For Two-Straight To Start The Year

Last year, the Grizzlies battled back from a 2-0 first period deficit and defeated Idaho 3-2 in a shootout in Kevin Colley's Head Coaching debut on October 17, 2008. The win was Utah's first on opening night since 2001.

Opening On The Road

2009-2010 marks the fourth-straight season that the Grizzlies have opened the season away from the E-Center.

Lots Of Las Vegas

The Grizzlies will play nine of their first 15 games against the Wranglers. Utah went 4-2-2-0 against Las Vegas last year, including 2-1-1-0 at the Orleans Arena.

Returning To The Scene Of The Crime

Utah goaltender Parker Van Buskirk will get the start Friday for Utah in Las Vegas. Van Buskirk finished the 2008-2009 season with a game seven loss to the Wranglers as a member of the Stockton Thunder in game seven of the ECHL's National Conference semi-finals.

Returning To Las Vegas

Grizzlies forward J.D. Watt returns to Las Vegas as a member of the Grizzlies. The Calgary Flames prospect put up five goals and nine assists for 14 points and 51 penalty minutes in 18 games last year with Las Vegas while also playing 42 games with Calgary's then AHL affiliate in Quad City.

Preseason Rewind

Rookie Shea Guthrie led the Grizzlies with two goals in two preseason games scoring in both last Friday and Saturday's games against Idaho.

More On Last Weekend

The Grizzlies power-play tallied two goals in each game last weekend, getting points from four different defensemen in Luke Sellars, Vic Bartley, Dustin Friesen and Josh Meyers.

Year Five

Ryan Kinasewich enters his fifth year in a Grizzlies sweater. Kinasewich, who served as the Grizzlies captain in 2008-2009, returns to Utah as the second leading scorer in team history with 108 goals and 145 assists for 253 points in 180 total games. He is 25 points away from tying Chris Taylor to become the leading scorer in the organization's history; while trailing Taylor by three goals for the all-time team lead. He is second all-time with 33 power-play goals, tied for third with 13 game-winning goals and is second in shots with 886.

On-The-Air

Friday's game will air on the radio in Utah on 1230 KJQS, The Home Of Fox Sports Radio with coverage beginning at 7:35 p.m. with "Grizzlies On-The-Fly." All games will be simulcast on the internet as well at www.utahgrizzlies.com. To download a Grizzlies broadcast schedule click here.

Last Second Addition

Rookie defenseman Jake Gannon has been assigned to the team by the Grizzlies and Islanders AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.

Check out the Utah Grizzlies Statistics

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ECHL Stories from October 15, 2009


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