ECHL Utah Grizzlies

Post-Season Drive Continues with Four Divisional Games

Published on March 24, 2003 under ECHL (ECHL)
Utah Grizzlies News Release


UINTA BEER WHAT'S ON TAP

Mon. Mar. 24 – at San Antonio Rampage, SBC Center - - 6:00 PM mst – ESPN Radio 1230-AM
Fri. Mar. 28 -- Vs. Houston Aeros, E-Center - - 7:00 PM mst – ESPN Radio 1230-AM
Sat. Mar. 29 -- Vs. Houston Aeros, E-Center - - 7:00 PM mst – ESPN Radio 1230-AM, Z-24 UPN TV
Sun. Mar. 30 – at Houston Aeros, E-Center - -4:00 PM mst – ESPN Radio 1230-AM, Fox Sports Net

SLAP SHOTS

~The Grizzlies have gone to overtime in four of their last five contests
~Utah finished the season 8-2-1-1 versus the South Division including a four-game sweep over Philadelphia
~The only period Utah has outscored the opposition is the second (78-70)
~Utah is 14-7-1-1 when having one day off between games
~The Grizzlies are 27-3 when leading after two periods this season
~Utah is 14-1-2-2 when scoring two or more power play goals in a game
~The team is 25-8-2-2 when scoring three or more goals in a game
~Greg Hawgood is tied for the lead among defensemen with 49 points (13-36=49) and has scored at least one point versus each Grizzlies opponent this season and has scored four goals in his last five games
~Bubba Berenzweig has three assists in his last four games
~Jim Montgomery has just two points in six games since returning from his knee injury
~Utah has given up eight goals in its last 12 periods of play but no more than one goal in any one period
~Steve Gainey has two assists and is a +2 in his last three games
~Jim Montgomery notched his team leading 18th multiple point game and his team leading 10th multiple assist game with two helpers in victory over Milwaukee on Sunday
~Dylan Gyori has three goals and one assist in his last four games and eight points (7-1=8) in 13 games with Utah
~Justin Cox has scored two goals in two games since returning from a hand injury
~The Grizzlies have allowed more than three goals just once in their last seven games

A LOOK AT LAST WEEK (0-1-1-1, 2 points)

Wednesday vs. Hershey Tie 3-3

Friday vs. Hershey OT Loss 3-20

Saturday at San Antonio Loss 4-1 The Grizzlies began the week heading to overtime for the third straight game and ended up finishing with a 3-3 tie against Hershey. Utah fell behind early when Cail Maclean gave the Bears a 1-0 lead but Alexei Komarov quickly tied the score on a great individual effort getting three shots on net before finally beating Phil Sauve. Dylan Gyori added a pair of goals for Utah but power play goals by Brad Larsen and Eric Bertrand sent the game to overtime where Utah's Mark Wotton had the best opportunity hitting the post with a shot but in the end Sauve made 32 stops earning his 12th tie of the season. For Utah, Jason Bacashihua made 34 saves. In the rematch with Hershey on Friday night, the teams again could not solve anything in regulation finishing the first 60 minutes at 2-2. The Grizzlies outshot the Bears 44-32 but Sauve was the star of the night stopping 42 shots. Justin Cox scored his first goal in 47 games in the early stages of the first period giving Utah the 1-0 lead but Bryan Muir netted a goal also in the first period tying the game at one goal apiece. The Bears would take the first lead of the night when Steve Brule beat Bacashihua giving the Bears a 2-1 lead which is where it would stay until near the end of regulation when Gyori threw a pass across the ice finding a streaking Greg Hawgood who slipped a redirection past Sauve. The goal by Hawgood sent the game to overtime gaining at least a point for Utah. In the overtime, Brule made a great pass from the corner throwing the puck into the slot where Bertrand was coming in towards the net. For Bertrand, it was his third point of the night (1-2=3) earning him first star honors and earning the Bears three points on their two-game trip to the Salt Lake Valley. Utah traveled to San Antonio for a game on Saturday night and the Grizzlies rarely looked like they had gotten off the plane. After a hard-fought first 20 minutes of scoreless hockey, the Grizzlies gave San Antonio two consecutive five-on-three power plays that they capitalized on each time. The first goal was scored by Pascal Trepanier and the second by Jeff Toms who also contributed two assists on the night. The Rampage would extend their lead to 3-0 after Rocky Thompson scored his first goal since April of 2001. Former Grizzly Ryan Jardine scored in the third period on a 3-1 breakaway putting the game away fro the Rampage at 4-0. The lone goal for the Grizzlies came late in the third period while shorthanded when Cox beat goaltender Chris Mason snapping his bid for a shutout. For Cox, it was his second goal in as many nights. Mike Smith was outstanding in net making 41 saves. Mason finished the game making 26 saves earning his 23rd win of the season. San Antonio finished the night 2-7 on the power play.

ROSTER REPORT

The Grizzlies lost Captain Mark Wotton in Friday's game versus Hershey when he fractured a bone in his wrist. Utah also lost and then gained John Erskine when he was summoned by Dallas on Friday and then returned to the Grizzlies on Saturday

THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT

San Antonio Rampage – 34-25-10-4, 82 pts. (3rd – West Division)...The Rampage is 22-10-5-2 since January 1st. On home ice, San Antonio is 22-7-6-1 and they are currently battling to host a first round series as they are currently in the fifth spot trailing Chicago by three points. San Antonio is 3-0 at the SBC Center against the Grizzlies and lead the season series 4-3. Houston Aeros – 43-20-7-3, 96 pts. (1st – West Division)...The Aeros are in a fight with Grand Rapids for the best record in the Western Conference and currently trail by four points. The Grizzlies have yet to win a game in Houston (0-4) but are 2-1 in the three games played at the E-Center. Houston has put their faith in newly acquired netminder Johan Holmqvist (previously with Hartford). Gone after the trade deadline are Cory Larose and Lawrence Nycholat.

GRIZZLIES THREE STARS OF THE WEEK

1.) Justin Cox – two goals
2.) Dylan Gyori – two goals and an assist
3.) Greg Hawgood – game tying goal versus Hershey

Check out the Utah Grizzlies Statistics

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ECHL Stories from March 24, 2003


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