08-28-2021, 02:23 PM(This post was last modified: 08-30-2021, 05:57 PM by leafs1997.)
With the preseason at its end, the Great Falls Grizzlies have turned some heads. Expectations don't seem to be very high for the expansion club, yet the Grizzlies' preseason record would say otherwise. Great Falls was victorious in its first ever contest, defeating Nevada by a score of 5 to 2. Great Falls would ride this momentum, winning its next two games verses Detroit and Anchorage. Game 4 brought Great Falls its first loss, but the team still picked up a point in the OT loss. The Grizzlies quickly bounced back, defeating fellow expansion club and rival Regina in a 4 to nothing trouncing, and following that up with a 3 to 1 win over Anaheim. The preseason ended bitter sweet, as the Grizzlies dropped the final came in regulation, 3 to 2 against Quebec City, after a strong third period comeback attempt. A 5-1-1 record was good enough to secure a third place spot for the Grizzlies, only two points behind league leading Carolina. A plus 13 goal differential was enough to net the tied for top of the league, along with Vancouver. The Grizzlies got strong production from their veteran core, with Janis Lux leading the team with 7 goals, 6 assists, 13 points across the seven game preseason. Gerry Atrick wasn't far behind, netting 1 goal with 9 assists for a 10 point preseason. Lux lead the league in goals and points, with Atrick leading in assists. Captain and Alternate Captain Grogu Mandosson and Bjorn Viggosson put up respectable numbers as well, with 6 and 7 points, respectively. Fellow Alternate Captain Jonathon Hagan lead the league in plus/minus this preseason, with an impressive plus 9. The Grizzlies had one of the few fights of the preseason, with Lewis HamiltonIsBlessed picking up a decisive victory in the tilt. Speaking of taking lumps, defenceman Arturs Tumovs was laying down his body for the team, racking up 21 blocked shots in the preseason, good enough for second in the league. Special teams also looked strong for the Grizzlies, as Fedor Sotakov and Sam Badger both lead the league with powerplay and shorthanded goals, respectively. From top to bottom, every skater on the team earned at least a point, save for one. The Grizzlies will need that kind of depth scoring if they hope to make a deep playoff run this year. In between the pipes, rookie goaltender Brick Wall tied the league lead in wins with 4, sporting a 2.00 GAA and a 0.932 S% across 6 starts. Wall also earned his first career shutout. Room to improve, for sure, but a promising start for the net-minder.
So what does this all mean for Great Falls? For one, it shows that this team is ready to compete. Championship predictions after preseason competitions are rarely accurate, but it would be foolish to dismiss this team's 7 game run of success as a fluke. The rookie core of the Grizzlies has already begun to show signs of improvement, and the team's shutdown defensive strategy seems to be working. Other GMs will surely adjust, but the Grizzlies seem poised to make this first season a memorable one. The playoffs are a guarantee for this club, but how far they go is a question only time will answer.
Drafted 59th Overall in SMJHL S58 draft by Anchorage Armada Drafted 9th in SMJHL S60 expansion draft by Great Falls Grizzlies Drafted 36th Overall in SHL S59 draft by Calgary Dragons
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