Grizzlies Fall 5-2 at Fort Wayne
West Valley City, Utah – The Utah Grizzlies got goals from Tyler Penner and Mick Messner but it wasn’t enough as the Fort Wayne Komets got a 5-2 win behind 2 goals and 2 assists from Alexis D’Aoust and Xavier Cormier in the opener of a three-game weekend series.
Komets got on the board with 2 unanswered in the first period as D’Aoust scored on a rebound 1:45 in. Cormier made it a 2-0 game 13:02 in. Komets led 2-0 after 20 minutes of play. Fort Wayne extended the lead as Cormier scored his second of the game 11:43 into the second period. Tyler Penner got Utah on the board as he batted the puck about waist high 16:41 in. Later in the second period the Komets extended their lead as D’Aoust scored on a one-timer from the right circle 19:01 in. Fort Wayne led 4-1 after 2 periods.
Matt Wedman made it a 5-1 Fort Wayne lead as he scored on the power play 10:54 in. Wedman had 1 goal and 2 assists on the night. Mick Messner scored Utah’s second goal of the night on a one-timer from the right circle from a Brandon Cutler pass 15:43 in. Messner now has 8 goals and 4 assists in his last 12 games. Messner led Utah with 7 shots on goal.
Fort Wayne outshot Utah 45 to 28. Utah was 0 for 2 on the power play. Fort Wayne was 1 for 5. Will Cranley saved 40 of 45 in his Grizzlies debut. Quinn Wichers had 1 assist in his first game with Utah after being acquired in a trade with Wheeling earlier in the week.
On Friday afternoon Grizzlies captain Josh Wesley was recalled to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. Wesley has 4 goals and 5 assists in 20 games this season.
The series continues on Saturday night at 5:30 pm.
3 stars
- Xavier Cormier (Fort Wayne) – 2 goals, 2 assists, +3, 7 shots.
- Alexis D’Aoust (Fort Wayne) – 2 goals, 2 assists, +4, 9 shots.
- Matt Wedman (Fort Wayne) – 1 goal, 2 assists, +3, 3 shots.
Adirondack Thunder
Allen Americans
Atlanta Gladiators
Bloomington Bison
Cincinnati Cyclones
Florida Everblades
Fort Wayne Komets
Greenville Swamp Rabbits
Idaho Steelheads
Indy Fuel
Iowa Heartlanders
Jacksonville Icemen
Kalamazoo Wings
Kansas City Mavericks
Maine Mariners
Norfolk Admirals
Orlando Solar Bears
Rapid City Rush
Reading Royals
Savannah Ghost Pirates
South Carolina Stingrays
Tahoe Knight Monsters
Toledo Walleye
Trois-Rivières Lions
Tulsa Oilers
Utah Grizzlies
Wheeling Nailers
Wichita Thunder
Worcester Railers