It's been a while: Grizz win 7th straight game

WEST VALLEY CITY — It's been a while since this kind of thing has happened in the E Center — the home team with a seven-game win streak.

Last season's team didn't do it. The one the season before didn't do it.

But even though Friday's encounter with the Phoenix Roadrunners was closer and lower-scoring than many of the Utah Grizzlies' outcomes this season — this one was 2-1 — it was an ECHL-high seventh straight win for Utah and seventh straight nonwin for the 'Runners.

"We started off 2-3," Utah center Barret Ehgoetz said, "and lost that game in Victoria. It was kind of a turning point, a little bit of a wake-up call for us, and since then we've kind of put our hard hats on and went to work, and we've just been able to get the results."

Ehgoetz got the game-winning goal — the kind that usually goes to linemate Matt Craig, who is tied for the league lead with three — at 13:42 of the third period when he shot from the right-wing circle and never saw the result because a Phoenix defender screened him and possibly the defender's own goalie.

"I was going to go hard up the ice, and James Laux just got the puck over to me. I don't even know where it went in on him. I thought it was under his arm. It was a good feeling," said Ehgoetz of his fifth goal and eighth point of the season.

He and Craig played together in juniors and have formed two-thirds of the Grizzlies' most potent line.

Ehgoetz also had an assist.

Coming off a three-game road trip with such a streak and a day or two off, Grizzlies coach Jason Christie had wondered whether there would be a little letup with players feeling too good, and there was, but it didn't last long enough to hurt.

The Grizzlies and Roadrunners meet again tonight at 7 in the E Center, and the Grizzlies will host fellow expansion club Stockton (Calif.) Thursday at 7 p.m. before embarking on a seven-game road swing.

Doing the ceremonial puck drop for Friday's game was former Salt Lake Golden Eagles' fan favorite Doug Palazzari (1977-78 to 1981-82), who went on to become executive director of USA Hockey and preside over the American team for the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics. He spent 14 years with that organization.

Palazzari resigned his position with USA Hockey on May 2 after six years. He and his family still live in Colorado Springs, and he said he is still deciding what to pursue next.