Utah Grizzlies: 4 second-period goals pave way for Utah's 5-1 win

WEST VALLEY CITY — The Utah Grizzlies scored four second-period goals to whip the Las Vegas Wranglers 5-1 Saturday night at the E Center for their fourth straight win as they improved to 10-4 on the season.

Utah took a 1-0 lead with just 35 seconds left to go in the first period as Vlady Nikiforov picked up a puck from a blocked Vic Bartley shot and fired it home. Jadren Beljo also picked up an assist on the play.

The Grizzlies then exploded for four goals in the second period, two of which came on the power-play to build a 5-0 second intermission lead. Tom May (3), Shea Guthrie (3), Bobby Hughes (1) and again Nikiforov (5) each lit the lamp for Utah.

Utah goaltender Mitch O'Keefe was 4:08 away from his second-straight shutout before Adam Miller got Las Vegas on the board for the first time in two nights with a late third period goal.

Vic Bartley had three assists for Utah. Dylan Hunter and AJ Perry each had two power-play assists for the Grizzlies.

The Grizzlies and Las Vegas complete their weekend series Sunday at the E-Center. Face-off is scheduled for 4:05 p.m.