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Review-Journal
Two defensive breakdowns in the third period led to a pair of Utah goals and ruined an otherwise strong effort by the Thunder as the Grizzlies claimed a 4-3 victory Monday at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.
Utah's Vladimir Orszagh deked his way around Thunder defenseman Ruslan Salei for a goal at 13:20 that snapped a 2-2 tie, then Las Vegas' Steve Bancroft got caught in his own end as the Grizzlies scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal.
Bancroft failed to hold the puck in at the right point with the Thunder down 3-2 and about three minutes left. The Grizzlies got the goal on a rebound when tough guy Mick Vukota, who had Utah's first two goals, centered it to Ray Whitney on the doorstep.
The Grizzlies got the only goal in an evenly played first period. Vukota was alone between the circles and snapped a 40-footer past goaltender Parris Duffus for a power play goal at 1:27.
Las Vegas scored the first two goals of the second period to take its only lead. Alexander Semak, who had a strong game, got the first when he whistled a wrist shot from the high slot past Utah goaltender Mark McArthur at 5:29.
Patrice Lefebvre then put the Thunder ahead. He intercepted a Utah clearing pass after a faceoff, moved between the circles and blasted a shot past McArthur at 13:22 to put Las Vegas on top.
Utah tied the game just before the end of the period. Vukota slapped a 30-footer past Duffus from the left circle at 17:25, just seconds after the puck hopped over Joe Day's stick and onto Vukota's.
Orszagh then beat Salei early in the third, putting the puck between Salei's legs and jumping around him and beating Duffus as he was falling to the ice.
Whitney's goal made the score 4-2 before Semak got his second of the night, a brilliant individual play to get free and fire a shot from the slot past McArthur.
"It's always an emotional game when we play Utah," Lefebvre said. "We didn't play that well as a team, but we still gave them a good fight. We had our chances to win the game."
The game was broadcast locally on Prime Cable Channels 1 and 48, but was plagued during the second half by a poor satellite transmission. A Howard Stern show kept bleeding into the broadcast.
Las Vegas will return to action tonight against Manitoba at 7:05 at the Thomas & Mack Center.
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