Hockey: Grizzlies beat Idaho in home opener,..

ECHL • Goaltender Engelage rides shutout into final eight minutes for Utah.

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

West Valley City • Andrew Engelage has a problem: What does the Utah Grizzlies' goaltender do for an encore?

Engelage was superb Saturday in a 2-1 ECHL victory over Idaho in the Grizzlies' home opener at the Maverik Center.

In front of 7,247 fans, Engelage stopped 36 of 37 shots and carried a bid for the 11th shutout of his seven-year pro career into the final eight minutes.

"That's one of the better games I've seen him play," said Grizzlies coach Kevin Colley. "... That's the goaltending we need to be successful."

Engelage needed to be sharp from the start. Thirty seconds into the game, he stopped Idaho's David DeKastrozza on a breakaway.

"It gives you a good mental boost — a confidence going forward," Engelage said. "... You don't want to be in a hole that early, so it was good to get that one."

After two early minor penalties on the Grizzlies, the Steelheads dominated the first period, firing 13 shots at Engelage.

"We got our feet under us a little bit in the first period," Engelage said. "Once the second got started, I thought we really got into a rhythm out there — doing the right things. And it paid off for us."

The Grizzlies needed only 1:11 of the second period to grab a 1-0 lead.

After Idaho goalie Tyler Beskorowany left the net to control a loose puck, he failed to clear the zone. Colin Vock grabbed it along the boards, spun, fired and scored.

With 5:24 left in the period, Utah made it 2-0 when Paul McIlveen took a centering pass from behind the net and beat Beskorowany with a rising wrist shot from the slot.

Engelage lost his shutout with 7:59 remaining when Idaho's Matt Case scored from a scramble in front, but the Grizzlies held on.

"I thought we were a little sluggish," Colley said. "Maybe we went too hard last week trying to get everybody in tip-top shape. I'll take responsibility for that."

luhm@sltrib.com —

Utah 2, Idaho 1

R Goaltender Andrew Engelage stops 36 of 37 shots.

• The largest crowd for a homer opener since 2001 — 7,247 — watch the Grizzlies win.

• Colin Vock and Paul McIlveen score second-period goals as Utah improves to 2-0.

Hockey: Grizzlies beat Idaho in home opener, 2-1