AHL Utah Grizzlies

Late goal spells doom for Grizzlies

Published on March 3, 2005 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Utah Grizzlies News Release


ROSEMONT, ILL - Should of, could of, would of was the thought after Wednesday's 4-3 shootout loss to the Chicago Wolves as Utah played an exciting, terrific hockey game but allowed a goal with 16 seconds remaining tying the game and sending it to a shootout where the Wolves prevailed extending their winning streak to five straight games. J.P. Vigier scored the game-deciding goal in the shootout and Erik Westrum and Joe Corvo each had two regulation goals as the Wolves pulled to within five points of the Western Division leading Milwaukee Admirals.

Utah jumped out and played their best first period of the season scoring twice against the AHL's first half MVP (Kari Lehtonen) according to the Hockey News. The first goal came on a poor line change by Chicago. Erik Westrum knocked ahead a bouncing puck and carried it in on a breakaway where he went to the backhand beating Kari Lehtonen for his 11th goal of the season at the 1:13 mark marking the fastest goal of the season to start a game for the Grizzlies. Utah scored again just 1:44 later when on the power play. Peter White scored the goal, his 11th of the season, after cleaning up a rebound off a Terry Virtue shot. The other assist went to Randall Gelech ending a five-game scoring drought for the Grizzlies rookie. Utah outshot the Wolves 13-9 in the period going 1 for 2 on the power play, while not allowing the Chicago power play to get a chance.

Chicago came storming back in the second period tying the game with goals from Brian Maloney and Joe Corvo. Maloney's goal came on a re-direction at the 5:26 mark of the period, his seventh of the season, assisted by Brian Sipotz and Derek MacKenzie. Corvo scored his first goal as a member of the Wolves on the power play on a great feed from Tommi Santala. Greg Hawgood also drew an assist and for Santala his helper extends his point streak to 10 straight games (2-11 -13). Utah would regain the lead on a power play with Erik Westrum splitting the defense and snapping his second goal of the night past Lehtonen assisted by Grizzly goaltender David LeNeveu, his first professional assist, at the 13:58 mark of the game. Chicago outshot the Grizzlies 13-7 in the period as LeNeveu made 20 saves through two periods.

The game stayed at 3-2 until their was less than 16 seconds remaining when Corvo scored his second of the night with the extra skater on the ice and with a Wolves' player in the penalty box making it officially a shorthanded goal tying the game at 3-3 sending it to overtime.

In the extra session neither team scored sending the game to a shootout where the only skater to score was J.P. Vigier in the bottom of the fourth round earning the victory and the extra point for the Wolves.

Chicago outshot the Grizzlies 33-30 in the game with Lehtonen earning his 28th victory of the season making 27 saves and for LeNeveu he drops to 6-23-3 making 29 saves in the game. The Grizzlies fall to 6-4 in shootouts on the season.

Utah will face Milwaukee for the eighth time this season on Friday night in the Bradley Center. Face-off is scheduled for 6:00 PM (mst).

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American Hockey League Stories from March 3, 2005


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