Outliers Take Down Grizzlies

The Outliers played a home-and-home series this past weekend against the Rock Spring Grizzlies and came out on top by scores of 2-1 and 5-0. 

Utah Outliers 2, Rock Springs Grizzlies 1 (Feb 21st, 2025)

The Outliers started goaltender Matthew MacArthur in Friday's contest. MacArthur was sharp throughout the low-scoring affair, and although he wasn't heavily tested, he made a number of key saves. 

Utah hounded the Grizzlies early in the first period and dominated play, outshooting Rock Springs 18-5, but could not capitalize on a handful of high-danger opportunities. The period would come to an end with the score tied at zero. 

in the second period, Utah continued its dominance and carried much of the offensive play but struggled to find the back of the net. It appeared the Outliers had taken a 1-0 lead on a goal by Kaleb Pitman, but the goal was called back for a hand pass prior to entering the net. 

The Outliers entered the third period with a distinct shot advantage of 31-13 and were determined to get the game's first goal. Halfway through the final frame, Utah found the back of the net. After an offensive flurry, defenseman Nathan Huntington danced around a sprawling Grizzlies player. Huntington would take the open ice given to him at the point and find Thomas Duhamel on a cross-ice pass. Duhamel was able to fight the defender off and position himself well for the easy backdoor conversion. This was Duhamel's 4th goal of the season with assists going to defensemen Nathan Huntington and Edvin Edlund. 

The Outliers appeared to be in full control of the game and ready to close it out with a shutout but the Grizzlies had other plans. Rock Springs tied the game with just over two minutes left in regulation when they executed a rush attack up ice and placed a shot that slipped through MacArthur's arm to tie the game at 1-1. 

Utah did not let up and kept pushing the pace, and with just under a minute left in regulation, Garrett Joss would step up to score and give Utah the 2-1 victory. After the puck was kept in the offensive zone by defenseman Makar Klochkov, Joss quickly fired it towards the net. The shot was blocked in the low slot, but forward Kaleb Pitman found the loose puck and settled it. Pitman sent a spin-o-rama pass over to Joss on the backdoor, which he converted into the wide-open net. This was Joss's 29th goal of the season.

Utah Outliers 5, Rock Spring Grizzlies 0 (Feb 23rd, 2025)

Utah started veteran goaltender Marcus Ouellet, who looked to continue his hot streak in net on Sunday. Even though the Grizzlies held the shot advantage 14 to 10, the Outliers were the only team to find the scoresheet during the opening frame and skated into the intermission with a 1-0 lead. 

Once again, Garrett Joss continued his hot streak as he converted on a beautiful top-shelf goal. With three and a half minutes remaining in the first period, Joss had ample room below the dot on the powerplay. After reviewing his options, Joss picked the top corner for his first goal of the night and 30th of the season. Micheal Schwartz had the primary assist on the goal.

In the second period, the Outliers heavily swung the shot advantage in their favor and again found the back of the net. Utah's Jentzen Kaebel picked up the puck at the redline and burst into the Grizzlies zone quickly. After faking a slapshot, Kaebel toe dragged around the defender and put himself in a prime scoring opportunity. After the initial play was stopped, Magzhan Sagadiev settled the puck and dished it back to Kaebel, who found Xavier Brooks open at the top of the circle, and his shot went five-hole for his 3rd of the season. 

The Outliers were not content with winning this game by just two goals, as they scored three more during the third period. Around the seven-and-a-half-minute mark, with the puck in the Grizzlies zone below the goal line, the puck quickly moved from Brooks to Kaebel and then to Joss. Joss was primed and ready to fire off a one-timer for his second goal of the night and 31st of the season.

As the game continued, Joss was destined to find the back of the net again and complete the hat-trick. After killing off a power play, Joss recovered the puck and skated end to end. Once he finally reached the opposing goal line, he fired a fluttering puck over the goaltender's shoulder for his 3rd of the night and 32nd of the season. 

With a little over four minutes remaining in the contest, Utah would find the back of the net for their final time on Sunday. During the penalty kill, Justin Obrochta denied the Grizzlies its zone entry at this blueline and took off with a breakaway where he buried his 14th goal of the season. 

Marcus Ouellet stopped all 25 shots fired his way to secure another shutout and an impressive 5-0 Outliers’ win.

Utah will play three games at home next weekend. They host the Pueblo Bulls on Friday, February 28th, the Casper Warbirds on Saturday, March 1st, and the Bulls again on Sunday, March 2nd.