WEST VALLEY CITY — Best in the American Hockey League. That's a title the Utah Grizzlies are sporting on several fronts 10 games into the season.
Thursday's 4-2 win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the E Center lifted Utah (8-2-0) to a league-high 16 points. The Grizz also own the AHL's most successful power play — scoring at a rate of 33.9 percent and netting a goal in every game this season.
Though Utah coach Don Hay acknowledges power plays have delivered his team some big goals — including two in its latest triumph — he's convinced the Grizz are winning because their team play has been strong.
"It's still early. We've played a lot of home games and that has given us an advantage," said Hay. "It's given us a real good opportunity to gain our confidence."
The strength of the Grizzlies, he added, is good balance and a feeling that everyone is contributing.
While goaltender Wade Flaherty was improving to 4-0-0 by making 34 saves, Utah's offense featured four scorers and seven players tallying assists.
Justin Cox, who joined Serge Payer with power play goals for the Grizz, said good things are happening for a reason.
"The key to our success is definitely hard work," he noted.
And much of it came without a man advantage.
The go-ahead goal, for example, came in an even-handed situation. A day after recording a hat trick, Jon Sim once again came through for Utah. The left wing slipped a shot past Penguins goalie Robbie Tallas at 3:12 of the second period to break a 1-1 tie and give the Grizz a lead they never lost.
Utah added a pair of insurance scores in the third period when Roman Lyashenko and Cox netted goals. The first was needed as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton capped all scoring with a late shot by Tomas Surovy. The second, meanwhile, upped the Grizz power play total to 19 on the season.
The Grizzlies prevailed for the second straight night by moving the puck around. Hay once again credited successful positional play for countering the Penguins' physical style.
Steve Gainey wound up with a team-high two assists for Utah, while Greg Hawgood, John Erskine, Eric Beaudoin, Ryan Jardine, Marcus Kristoffersson and Lyashenko each finished with one.
Early on, however, Utah had a little trouble. Slashing penalties on Jim Montgomery and Lyashenko proved costly for the Grizzlies. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton capitalized on a 5-on-3 advantage at 5:36 of the first period when Peter Ratchuk fired the puck past Flaherty. It came on the Penguins' second shot-on-goal in the game.
Trailing 1-0, the Grizz retaliated at 12:16 with a power play goal of their own. Payer evened things up with a shot from near the left pole.
SLAP SHOTS: Utah's nine-game homestand concludes with contests against the Cleveland Barons (San Jose Sharks) Saturday and Tuesday . . . The attendance was 4,145 . . . As part of a season-long promotion, each time the Grizz score four or more goals at home fans are given a coupon for a free hamburger at Carl's Jr. Utah has already reached the mark six times (in seven games), costing its sponsor 33,125 burgers.
E-MAIL: dirk@desnews.com