Utah Grizzlies have best season in 12 years

Yes, that was in the AAA-level International Hockey League, and the Grizzlies won the Turner Cup for the second straight year in 1995-96, their first season in Utah.

But in 2007-08, their third year in the AA-level ECHL and their first season of again being affiliated with the New York Islanders, the Grizzlies made their way back to some respectability.

They won two playoff series, despite being underdogs in both, before succumbing in the National Conference Finals of the Kelly Cup playoffs in four games to the Las Vegas Wranglers.

Utah won its first-ever Kelly Cup playoff games this past season and finished with an 8-7 postseason record for 2008.

The Grizzlies had an odd regular season, playing just .500 at home, 15-15-2-4, and not winning a game in March — 0-7-2-3 — as the inevitable player call-ups took a toll. But they had an eight-game road-win streak, Jan. 29-Feb. 29. And they were 17-15-0-4 away from home — perhaps a reflection of a youthful club that felt more pressure in the E Center than on the trail.

They improved in the regular season to 16th in the ECHL from 24th in 2006-07.

"Nobody wants to lose out in the conference finals like we did," said Grizzlies coach Jason Christie, who will be retained for next season, said club owner David Elmore.

"But overall, I like how the guys really (came) together there at the start of the playoffs. We went up against three really good teams (higher-seeded Fresno, Victoria and Las Vegas), and I thought we went out, and we matched up well."

In the postseason, Utah got many of its called-up players back from AHL Bridgeport and even the Islanders (goalie Mike Mole).

"Even in the finals round against Vegas we had a lot of chances and just couldn't capitalize on them," Christie said. He had the feeling that if Ryan Kinasewich could have converted a 2-on-1 early at Vegas, the series might have been different. "We didn't have that next step."

For the season, he said, "What I liked is how game-in and game-out our guys competed mentally and physically. They took pride in what they wanted to get accomplished.

"It was enjoyable going to the rink just to be able to work with these kids that wanted to be at the next level and were going to work to be able to get there. We were young this year, and they went out and competed hard. They were just one phone call away. The Islanders have been first-class," Christie said.

That's how having the Islander affiliation helped. Even free agents signed by Utah got their chances. Two of them, defensemen Scott Ford and Andy Sertich, played most of the season in Bridgeport, and on Feb. 28, both were signed to contracts with the Islanders' organization.

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