Grizzlies Insider Adam Turner on 4-1 Monday Win

Utah Grizzlie forward Yuri Terao is a wizard with a hockey puck. In Monday night’s finale against the Tulsa Oilers, Terao, looking more like a running back in football than a hockey player, managed to spin around the Oilers defense and accrue a penalty. It was only fitting, then, that Terao would collect the ensuing power play goal to tie the contest at 1-1. Indeed it was the spark that Utah needed. Although the decade has nearly come to an end, the Grizzlies torrid hot streak hasn’t. Utah put the final touches on a masterpiece, winning 4-1 and completing the three game sweep of Tulsa.

“Yuri has a really high skill level and more importantly is a great human being,” head coach Tim Branham said. “He needed that goal for his confidence. I wish the fans would be able to get to know him better because he’s an amazing person. If we can get him going and get some scoring depth we’re a dangerous team.”

“Hockey is simple and I need to shoot,” Terao said. “I’m so happy because we have a great coach and great players and fans,” Terao said. 

Following a lethargic first period, Utah righted the ship in the second and absolutely lit the building on fire in the third. Fans barely had time to sit between a trio of goals registered in a blazing 49 second span in the sessions initial minutes. Usual suspect Tim McGauley gathered the lead for the home team when a pair of unlikely suspects, Josh Anderson and Peter Tischke struck gold and blew open what was a closely contested game until that point. 

“Everybody was on the same page and we’re doing everything the right way and did what the coaches asked,” Anderson said. “We can score on any night and we answered the bell.”

It appears that something special is brewing with this hockey team and nothing has been more important than two things: the formation of the Ty Lewis, Tim McGauley and Griffin Molino line, and the acquisition of goaltender Martin Ouellette. The six year veteran, having arrived from the Atlanta Gladiators, has been nothing short of sensational in a Utah uniform. He is 8-0 as a Grizzlie with a sparkling 1.55 GAA and a .939 save percentage.

“Martin is a rock back there,” Branham said. “He allowed us to battle through some things until we were able to put the puck in the back of the net. I can’t say enough about him and how proud I am of this group and the way they battled. We’re going into the new year on a high.”