AHL Utah Grizzlies

Utah beat by Chicago

April 16, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Utah Grizzlies News Release


ROSEMONT, ILL - The Grizzlies ran into a buzz saw on Saturday night in Chicago in front of 15,277 fans in the Allstate Arena in the season finale for the Wolves who needed a win to clinch the West Division title and got the victory 5-1. The Wolves used five different goal scorers and two-point nights from J.P. Vigier and Lonny Bohonos to deal the Grizzlies their 50th loss of the season.

The teams played a fast-paced first period that was scoreless until less than a minute to play. Chicago scored the first goal of the game at the 19:35 mark when J.P. Vigier found Lonny Bohonos across the ice and he buried the puck top shelf over Jamie Storr. For Bohonos it was his 20th goal of the season assisted by Vigier and Tommi Santala. The goal came one second after a Grizzly penalty had expired. Utah squandered a five-minute major power play earlier in the period. Each team collected 10 shots on goal in the first period with Storr making nine saves and Kari Lehtonen making 10 saves.

In the second period, the Wolves added to their lead just 1:26 into the frame as Derek MacKenzie roofed his13th goal of the season over Storr assisted by Tim Wedderburn. Chicago made it 3-0 on the power play with a blast by Joe Corvo earning his seventh goal of the season assisted by Vigier and Bohonos at 7:27. The Grizzlies would get on the board with the man advantage ending Chicago's run of 26 straight penalty kills. The score came when David Cornacchia;s blast was deflected to the right circle and Fredrik Sjostrom found the back of the net for his 14th goal of the season assisted by Cornacchia and Peter White at 14:31.

Chicago added to their lead in the third period when Karl Stewart scored on about the fourth chance for the Wolves as Storr was scrambling doing everything he could to keep the puck out but Stewart eventually lifted it over Storr for his 16th goal of the season assisted by Steve Maltais and Paul Flache. The Wolves put the icing on the cake with a late goal by Stephen Weiss, his 22nd of the year, earning the victory.

Chicago outshot the Grizzlies 37-21 in the game as Storr made 32 saves in the loss and Lehtonen made 20 saves earning his 28th victory of the year.

The Grizzlies finish the season tomorrow in Houston with face-off scheduled for 4:00 PM (mst).

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American Hockey League Stories from April 16, 2005


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