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The quest for the Kelley Cup begins Friday as the Utah Grizzlies open their 21st season on the road against rival Colorado in what figures to be an exciting campaign.

Eight players return from last year's squad, including forwards Brent Gwidt and Barry Almeida, who led the ECHL in preseason play with four goals. Both players missed the postseason last year due to injuries but enter this season healthy and are antsy to hit the ice.

"Expectations are high and our goal is to win a championship," Almeida said.

The goaltending appears to be solid, as two of Utah's three goaltenders from last year's squad are on the opening day roster. Ryan Faragher, who attended the Anaheim Ducks Prospects Camp and Eric Levine combined to go 14-10-2-1 last season.

Plenty of fresh faces abound on this year's team as well. Alex Krushelynski is touted as the team's fastest skater and the club is also excited about 21 year old rookie Josh MacDonald.

"We've got a great team here," MacDonald said. "We're starting to gel on the ice, which is good. There is a lot of talent here."

Not only new faces, but new teams will be visiting the Maverik Center. The Central Hockey League combined forces with the ECHL in the offseason and the American Hockey League expanded into California swallowed old ECHL markets such as Fresno and Bakersfield.

The new-look ECHL has 28 teams in all, divided into two Eastern and Western conferences. The Grizzlies' schedule is Utah's most diverse since the 2001-02 season in which the team played 13 opponents in the AHL. The Grizzlies will only face three teams in the Eastern Conference this year — the Toledo Walleye and Kalamazoo Wings on the road and the Gwinnett Gladiators at home. New Western Conference foes — the Allen Americans, Quad City Mallards, Rapid City Rush and Tulsa Oilers — will all travel to Utah for the first time.

However, the Grizzlies remain in the same division with longtime rivals Colorado, the Idaho Steelheads and the Alaska Aces, and they will be joined this season by a newcomer, the Rapid City Rush.

Tim Branham, 345, enters his third rd year with the Grizzlies. He is 75-51-17 as Utah coach, guiding the club to the playoffs in each of his first two seasons. Utah, in fact, has made the postseason in 8 consecutive years and hopes to make it nine.

Branham's expectations are also high.

"It's a process," he said. "I want to keep improving every single day and I want to work toward a common goal of winning a championship."

After its two games against Colorado, the Grizzlies will return to the Maverik Center on October 23-24 to square off against the defending champion Allen Americans.

The puck drops at 7 p.m. both nights. —

Season opener

O Utah Grizzlies at Colorado Eagles

Friday, 7 p.m.

Home opener • Allen Americans at Grizzlies, Friday, Oct. 23, 7 p.m.