West Valley City » The Utah Grizzlies used a proficient power-play performance and a Dylan Hunter hat trick to defeat the Idaho Steelheads 5-2 on Wednesday at the E Center.

The Grizzlies (4-2-0-0) scored on two of five power plays through the first two periods, building a 4-2 lead, and added another power play goal in the third period to ensure the win.

"Our power play was really on and that really helps," Hunter said. Before Wednesday's game, the Grizzles were scoring on 29.6 percent of their power play opportunities, good for third best in the ECHL. That percentage will rise after a 3-for-8 outing.

Utah and Idaho (7-1-0-1) traded power-play goals in the first period, Hunter opening the scoring at 6:26. With two Steelheads sitting in the penalty box, Hunter scored his second at 1:35 in the second period. But Idaho wouldn't go lightly. Four minutes later, Marty Flichel knotted things up with a nifty wrister from straight away, five yards inside the blue line on a power play. Soon after, the Steelheads sprang a short-handed breakaway, and even though Parker Van Buskirk saved two shots to turn them away, a penalty shot was awarded. Van Buskirk deflected the penalty shot away to keep the game tied.

"I want to be a calming influence on this team," Van Buskirk said. "You're just able to do your job and that's just what is expected."

Utah found itself with its own short-handed breakaway later

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in the second, and Hunter's hat-trick try soared over the crossbar. However, he was awarded a penalty shot and put it home for the go ahead goal. Two minutes later, Vlady Nikitorov scored unassisted and the Grizzlies never looked back.

Van Buskirk saved 14 shots on the night, but was kept busy in the third by an aggressive Idaho team that fired off 11 shots in that period alone.