Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Phoenix, Arizona - The Utah Grizzlies will open their second season in the ECHL and their 13th campaign overall when they visit the Phoenix RoadRunners Friday evening at the US Airways Center. Face-off is scheduled for 8:11 p.m. Mountain Time. The Grizzlies will continue the road series with Phoenix Saturday and Sunday evenings. Opening weekend for the Grizzlies at the E-Center is next Friday (27th) and Saturday (28th) when Utah welcomes in longtime rival Las Vegas.
Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Jason Christie looks to build off of last year's 36-30-6 record and playoff appearance as the team lost over 300 man-games to injury. The Grizzlies were the only one of three new ECHL teams in 2005-2006 to finish with a winning record and qualify for the playoffs.
This year's team returns the ECHL's leading goal scorer, Ryan Kinasewich, who tallied 39 goals last year with the Grizzlies. Matt Craig, the team's leading rookie scorer from last season is also back, after tallying 27 goals and 27 assists in 59 games in 2005-2006.
Christie will turn to two new faces between the pipes with Rob McVicar and Sean Fields. McVicar spent parts of last season with the NHL's Vancouver Canucks, the AHL's Manitoba Moose and the ECHL's Victoria Salmon Kings. Meanwhile, Sean Fields finished with 32 wins, (4th in the ECHL) leading the Gwinnett Gladiators to the ECHL's Kelly Cup Finals.
On defense, Ed Campbell signed with Utah following 10 previous seasons in the AHL and the IHL where he became a very familiar opponent for the Grizzlies at the E-Center. Power-play specialist Ed Hill and 6-foot-6 Ian Forbes return to Utah and will join Campbell on the blue line. Forbes was named the Grizzlies "Defenseman of the Year" in 2005-2006.
In addition, energy-liners Brad Herauf, Travis Rycroft and Utah native D.J. Jelitto have all re-signed following their breakout seasons with Utah last year. Fan favorite Justin Cox will be donning a Grizzlies sweater for the fifth time in six years, boasting nearly 300 games played with Utah in the AHL.
Scorers Blake Robson (Long Beach, Phoenix) and Mike Wirll (Victoria) joined the Grizzlies during the summer after opposing Utah last year in the ECHL's National Conference.
The Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL, enter their second season in America's "Premier AA Hockey League." There are currently 23 former Utah Grizzlies players on NHL rosters. The Grizzlies are owned and operated by the Elmore Sports Group and play at the E-Center of West Valley City, which hosted hockey during the 2002 Winter Olympics.
