This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Utah Grizzlies are known throughout the ECHL as one of the fastest and most athletic teams in the league.
Playing against the worst team in the ECHL in the Wichita Thunder provided a chance to put those skills on full display. And the Grizzlies didn't disappoint, overwhelming their opponent 7-3.
"We have a lot of skill and speed and it isn't a great matchup for them," Grizzlies coach Tim Branham said. "Our work ethic was there the entire game and I'm proud of the way the boys competed."
Following a four-goal effort against the Tulsa Oilers on Wednesday night, forward Barry Almeida scored two goals in the first seven minutes of Friday's game. It was Almeida's fifth and sixth goals in 16 minutes.
The first came on the Grizzlies' first power play of the night. Almeida positioned himself behind the net, patiently awaited a pass from T.J. Syner, and wrapped it neatly around Thunder goalie David Shantz at the 3:01 mark.
At 6:45, Shantz came out to play the puck but instead of clearing it, bounced it off the pads of Grizzlies forward Charles Sarault, who directed it to an open Almeida in front of an exposed net.
The Grizzlies weren't finished, however, as Roberts Lipsbergs' slapshot blazed the net to make it 3-0 as the rout was on.
Wichita would attempt to make a game of it in the second with a pair of goals by Christian Isackson and Andrew Huff. However, each time Wichita found the back of the net, Utah responded, scoring two power-play goals by Syner and Josh MacDonald.
And where Almeida began the night ablaze, MacDonald finished as the rookie scored his second goal of the night on a breakaway at the 4:26 mark of the third. Wichita would keep some hope alive on a shorthanded goal by Andrew Huff at 12:07. But Sarault would keep those thoughts at bay by finishing the Thunder off at 14:13 to complete the scoring.
ECHL standings
EASTERN CONFERENCE
East GP W L OL SL Pts GF GA
Manchester 37 22 12 0 3 47 109 100
Adirondack 33 22 9 1 1 46 97 76
Reading 37 18 14 2 3 41 114 96
Elmira 37 20 17 0 0 40 101 115
Norfolk 40 15 23 1 1 32 104 131
North GP W L OL SL Pts GF GA
Toledo 35 21 10 1 3 46 103 83
Wheeling 35 15 16 2 2 34 105 114
Kalamazoo 37 14 19 3 1 32 99 128
Brampton 36 12 18 4 2 30 99 127
South GP W L OL SL Pts GF GA
Florida 39 27 11 0 1 55 126 82
Atlanta 37 23 12 2 0 48 110 110
South Carolina 37 20 14 2 1 43 99 82
Greenville 38 18 14 6 0 42 113 119
Orlando 36 16 15 2 3 37 119 121
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Central GP W L OL SL Pts GF GA
Missouri 34 29 3 1 1 60 119 59
Allen 35 20 14 1 0 41 102 99
Tulsa 32 16 12 2 2 36 88 81
Wichita 37 9 23 1 4 23 72 127
Midwest GP W L OL SL Pts GF GA
Fort Wayne 33 20 11 2 0 42 110 87
Quad City 36 18 15 1 2 39 97 104
Indy 38 17 19 2 0 36 88 102
Cincinnati 34 15 14 3 2 35 98 96
Evansville 35 13 18 3 1 30 98 122
West GP W L OL SL Pts GF GA
Utah 36 21 13 2 0 44 120 103
Rapid City 34 17 14 2 1 37 89 93
Idaho 37 16 16 4 1 37 102 107
Colorado 35 16 17 2 0 34 89 89
Alaska 36 13 18 2 3 31 95 112
Friday's games
Reading 4, Elmira 0
Toledo 5, Evansville 1
Florida 5, Brampton 1
Rapid City 4, Indy 0
Atlanta 4, South Carolina 1
Fort Wayne 5, Orlando 2
Quad City 3, Kalamazoo 2, OT
Utah 7, Wichita 3
Missouri at Colorado, late
Tulsa at Idaho, late