Grizzlies off to best start in four years

With a pair of one-goal wins over Mountain Division rival Colorado over the weekend, the Utah Grizzlies enter the third full week of the ECHL season at 5-1-0 for 10 points, tied with the Eagles for first place in the division. Utah is 5-1-0 for the first time since 2012-13, and just the third time in the last nine seasons.

Utah opened the two-game weekend series with a 4-3 win on Friday. Four different Grizzlies tallied goals in the win with Austen Brassard picking up a pair of points, including the game-winning goal 3:39 into overtime. Ryan Faragher earned the win in goal stopping 28 shots.

On Saturday, the Grizzlies and Eagles again went to extra time with Utah skating away with a 3-2 shootout win. Shane Walsh and Kenton Helgesen scored for the Grizzlies in regulation with Walsh scoring the only goal of the shootout for either team in the fourth round. Faragher was strong in net again for Utah notching 31 saves and stopping all four shootout attempts he faced.

Walsh has scored four goals on the season, which is tied with Jon Puskar for the team lead and is tied for second among all ECHL rookies. Puskar has three assists to go with his four goals for a team-leading seven points.

Faragher is 4-0-0 in his four appearances with a 2.38 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage, and ranks second in the league in wins.

The Grizzlies have a busy week ahead with four games in five days as they visit Tulsa on Wednesday and Sunday and Wichita on Friday and Saturday.