Utah Junior Grizzlies Amateur Hockey

February 2012 the Junior Grizzlies Peewee Select and the Bantam Select Teams played for the Utah State Championship and the opportunity to represent Utah at Nationals.

The Peewee team played against the Regulators in a best of three format.  The first game was Friday night and was a back and forth battle ending in a thrilling 2-1 overtime victory. Mason Mannek scored shorthanded by out-skating a tired Defenseman to an iced puck.

The second game was also low scoring.  After a 1^st period goal by the Jr. Grizzlies, the Regulators tied the game late in the third.  With less than three minutes left in the game, the fantastic breakout by the Jr. Grizzlies led to a Mason Mannek backhand goal over the glove of the Regulator goalie providing the Junior Grizzlies with the victory and the Utah State U12 Championship.

The Bantam division consisted of three teams:  the Junior Grizzlies, Regulators and the Ogden Wildcats.  The round robin, double elimination format began Thursday night with a game between the Jr. Grizzlies and the Regulators.  Both teams were tentative in the first period and though the Jr. Grizzlies applied early pressure they couldn’t crack the Regulators stubborn defense.  Strong back checking by the Jr. Grizzlies kept the game scoreless until the Grizzlies scored the in the third period.   The game ended in a tough fought 1-0 Jr. Grizzlies win.  Due to a Friday night loss to the Regulators, Ogden was facing elimination as they took the ice against the Jr. Grizzlies on Saturday.   Ogden’s determination produced two first period goals.  The score stayed 2-0 until the third period when the Jr. Grizzlies deep bench wore down Ogden.  Three unanswered goals, the last with less than two minutes left, gave the Jr. Grizzlies the victory and knocked Ogden out of the tournament. 

Unlike Thursday night, the Regulators and Junior Grizzlies began the Sunday morning Championship Game with energy and hard hitting.  The Jr. Grizzlies jumped out to an early 2-0 lead.  Facing elimination the Regulators scored later in the first period.   The Grizzlies answered with a power play goal for a 3-1 lead at the end of the first period.   Both teams scored two more goals and the game ended in a 5-3 Jr. Grizzlies victory and the Utah State U14 State Championship. Center Trevin Morgan scored a hat-trick in the Championship game.

Congratulations to the Peewee Select and Bantam Select.  They will be representing Utah near the end of March in Virginia and New Jersey, respectively.    In addition, the Jr. Grizzlies U16 team will also be representing Utah at the National Championship in Greenbay.

             Over the holiday break WMAHA traveled to Phoenix to compete in the Coyotes Cup. I am proud to say WMAHA had a great showing. All 5 teams in attendance finished .500 or better. In addition, the Squirt Select team fought hard in a notoriously tough division and made it all the way to compete in the championship game. Also, big congratulations go out to the U16AA team…who won it all! They brought home the Coyotes CUP Championship banner! Unprecedented.

Hard work and dedication are clearly paying off for WMAHA and it is evident not only in our player development, but also in our team’s success against historically very competitive teams. Great work players, and thank you coaches! Now let’s carry this momentum through the rest of the season!