Dec 20, 2024 | Game Recap
Lucas Mann scored his second goal of the year, but the Grit offense was stymied by Amarillo in a 3-1 defeat at the Budwesier Bull Pen on Friday night.
The Wranglers got the scoring started in the first period after the home side picked up the first power play of the night after an unsportsmanlike conduct minor to Sheldon Rioux. A tipped shot from the blue line found the stick of Carl Jacobsen whose redirection beat Erickson to give Amarillo the lead, 1-0, with 13:22 to play in the first period. Despite the Grit controlling the shot margin, 12-7, Colorado’s best opportunity came in the final seconds of the first period. Kennan Reyelts had two shots right in front of Zolin who kicked both aside to take the 1-0 lead into the intermission.
The Wrangler power play converted for the second time in as many attempts early in the second period. Lucca Ori got hit with a slashing penalty and Amarillo forward Trace Day snapped a wrister past Erickson and double the advantage, 2-0, with 18:45 left in the period. Special teams continued to factor in as the Grit cashed in on their first power play. With 13:22 left in the period, Lucas Mann walked into the low slot on the right wing and buried a snap shot past Amarillo goaltender Charlie Zolin to get Colorado on the board, 2-1. The Grit continued to pepper Zolin – Braden Junker whipped a shot on goal that dislodged the goaltender’s mask with 2:11 to play in the period. The one-goal deficit remained headed into the second intermission.
The Grit notched the first successful penalty kill of the night in the early minutes of the third period to keep it a one-goal game, but the Wranglers doubled their lead after getting back to full strength. Morley Phillips tipped a shot from the right point from Will Wellburn past Erickson to open the scoreline up, 3-1, with 15:11 left in regulation. The Grit power play looked to get back to work moments later and had a brief 5-on-3, but were unable to crack Zolin, who finished with 38 saves. With 2:40 to play, the Grit pulled Erickson for the extra attacker to try and get back into the game. Despite the furious effort and six more shots, the Grit were unable to close the gap. The final buzzer sounded as Colorado’s franchise record seven-game point streak came to a close in the 3-1 defeat.
Dec 14, 2024 | Game Recap
A Colorado comeback fell just short in overtime amid Sheldon Rioux’s multi-goal night on Saturday night as the Grit fell 4-3 to New Mexico in Albuquerque at Outpost Ice Arena.
The home side got the scoring started early in the first period when defenseman Max Matthews pushed a wrist shot past Colorado netminder Jack Erickson and into the back of the net to push New Mexico ahead, 1-0, with 13:58 remaining in the first period. The tally was just the second time the Ice Wolves had tallied in the last 128 minutes against Erickson. After the Grit notched their first successful penalty kill of the evening, the Ice Wolves countered with their first successful power play of the contest. A corner hit from Evan Smutney sent him to the box for boarding and forward Andrew Earl snapped a wrist shot into the net to double the lead for the Ice Wolves, 2-0, with 5:13 remaining in the first period.
From the moment the teams hit the ice for the second period, the comeback was on for Colorado. The Grit offense dominated possession and the shot count in the middle frame, sending 19 shots towards New Mexico goaltender Jackson Fuller. After Willy Johnson forced a turnover behind the Ice Wolve net, he pushed a pass to the top of the crease and Sheldon Rioux powered the puck past Fuller to get the Grit on the board, 2-1, just 3:58 into the second period. Colorado kept knocking on the door and looking for a tying tally and found one through second-year center Landon West. West capitalized on a strong rush to the net from Luc Bydal and poked the loose change past Fuller to tie the game, 2-2, with 2:16 remaining in the second period. West’s 13th career goal moved him into a tie for second place in franchise history for goals scored alongside captain Alex German.
The teams traded tallies early in the third period with New Mexico grabbing a lead for the second time. Ice Wolve forward Bryce Johnson, reinserted in the lineup after missing Friday, barreled into the offensive zone and beat Erickson to restore the home lead, 3-2, with 5:54 played in the third period. Colorado quickly found an answer, however. Rioux capped off his first multi-goal game in his career when he punched a shot past Fuller to tie the game up less than a minute later, 3-3, with 13:08 remaining in regulation.
The tie forced an extra session and the Grit’s lone goal scoring chance was a good one. Defenseman Alex German found space on the left wing and fired a shot at Fuller, who made a glove stop and the carom clipped the crossbar on the way out of play. On the ensuing rush, Herman Asberg skated down the left hand side and Erickson padded the first shot behind the net. The rebound was served back in front after a deflection and Asberg deposited the overtime winner, 4-3, with 1:16 left in the extra session to give New Mexico the extra point.
Dec 13, 2024 | Game Recap
The Grit stretched their winning streak to three games powered by Jack Erickson’s second shutout of the season and three goalscorers to defeat New Mexico, 3-0, on the road in Albuquerque on Friday night.
A physical period backstopped by goaltending carried over the opening twenty minutes. Winger Kennan Reyelts and Ice Wolve defender Andrey Moskvitin got mixed up after a whistle and were handed offsetting roughing minors with 12:43 remaining in the period. Buoyed by Erickson, the scoreless tie remained through the end of the first period. The Grit were unable to convert on a power play in the period’s final minute after George Poirier’s effort was turned aside by New Mexico goaltender Gavin Schahn, who finished with 18 saves.
The Grit’s second power play opened the scoring midway through the second period. After a Herman Asberg head contact minor, the Grit man advantage got to work. The Rakowski-Poirier-Mann line delivered when Poirier sniped a shot past Schahn to give Colorado the lead, 1-0, with 9:15 to go in the second period. Reyelts got the best of his former team when he powered his third goal of the season past Schahn and picked up an unsportsmanlike conduct major in the process. The tally doubled the lead, 2-0, with 2:52 left in the period. Offsetting penalties to Lucca Ori and Nayan Pai meant 4-on-4 hockey to close the period. Luc Bydal took advantage of the extra space and deposited the puck behind Schahn for his fifth goal of the season. The tally stretched the Grit lead, 3-0, with 44 seconds left in the middle frame.
For the second consecutive meeting, Erickson withstood a barrage in the final period. The second-year netminder finished with 28 saves and twelve of them in the third period. Colorado’s penalty kill was called into action three different times in the third period while New Mexico searched for a goal. Ori’s high sticking minor with just under five minutes remaining brought the home side’s best chances. Three efforts were turned aside by Erickson to bring the curtain down on New Mexico as the final buzzer sounded and Colorado poured off the bench with their third consecutive victory.
Dec 9, 2024 | Player News
The Colorado Grit of the North American Hockey League are happy to announce the tender signing of Gunnar Gleasman. Gleasman is from Old Snowmass, CO and continues the string of opportunities for Colorado players. Gunnar is a 2007 birth date, 6’4″ 205lb forward that will bring a good scoring punch to the Grit. Gunnar currently plays for Okanagan HA 18U Tier 1 in Denver, CO.
“Gunnar is doing a great job with OHC continuing to develop the details in his game as he prepares for juniors. Gunnar has a very high work ethic and we are confident he will step in and have a big impact for the Grit. He has great size, skates well with a big shot and most importantly is a great young man” stated Head Coach Kevin Holmstrom.
Dec 9, 2024 | Player News
The Colorado Grit of the North American Hockey League are happy to announce the tender signing of Mitchell Reid. Reid from Dayton, OH is a 6’2″ 2006 defenseman currently playing for the Ohio Blue Jackets 18U Tier 1 team. The Blue Jackets are currently ranked top 15 at the midget level and second in the Mid-Am District.
“Mitchell has been on the radar for some time and we are excited to have him Tendered for the coming season. He plays a physical, smart game and we expect him to make a quick transition to the NAHL” stated Head Coach Kevin Holmstrom.
Welcome to Greeley Mitchell!
