KANSAS CITY — If Mike Barrie had merely made a good first impression on his new team, the Kansas City Blades might have had a chance Wednesday night.
As it was, Barrie, the newest Grizzly, led Utah to a 3-0 victory over the Blades at Kemper Arena. It was quite the impressive debut for Barrie, who joined the Grizz on Tuesday after being signed to a contract following two seasons in Europe.
Barrie, a 1993 eighth-round draftee and younger brother of Florida Panthers center Len Barrie, scored a pair of power-play goals in his first game in the IHL. The center's goals came back-to-back within a four-minute span in the second period.
The Grizz also received a solid combined effort in goal from Rick Tabarraci and Mike Bales to preserve the shutout. Tabarraci, who improved to 7-5-1, turned away 28 shots until he was ejected with 4:16 left in the contest. Bales stopped the two shots he faced to complete the blanking.
Jamie Wright also had a goal and an assist for Utah, which avenged a 7-4 loss to Kansas City on Tuesday. Corey Schwab surrendered all three goals on 26 shots to suffer his fourth defeat.
The Grizzlies have Thursday off before traveling to the Great White North, where they'll face the Manitoba Moose on Friday and Saturday.