OUTLIERS DEFEAT MUSTANGS

The Utah Outliers welcomed back the battle of the I-15 rivalry as they traveled to the Ice Sheet to take on the Ogden Mustangs. This was the third meeting between the two clubs this season with each team earning a victory apiece in the first two games. 

Utah Outliers 2, Ogden Mustangs 0  (NOV 2, 2024)

The Outliers headed into the Ogden series having won 3 out of their last 4 games and were looking to continue their strong play. There was a lot of energy and excitement surrounding this much-anticipated tilt as the games are always fast-paced and intense when these two teams face one another. 

Utah's Marcus Ouellet was given the nod in net for the Outliers. The 04-born goaltender from Canada was making his ninth start of the season and he did not disappoint. 

The game started with a lot of spirited play between the two clubs as they both came out with some edge and aggressive physical intensity. Utah began fast, controlled much of the early offensive play, and eventually beat Ogden's netminder, Birkans on the power play to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. Outliers Defensemen Jentzen Kaebel and Chase Nyitray played pitch-and-catch at the blue line before Kaebel spotted teammate Garrett Joss alone in front of the net and released a quick shot from the point which Joss redirected into the back of the net.  The first period would end with the Outliers leading by a score of 1-0 and shots on even at 11-11. 

Utah and Ogden traded chances in the second period but solid goaltending from both sides eliminated any further scoring. Ogden was unable to capitalize on a couple of odd-man rush situations while the Outliers generated some quality looks at even strength and on the power play but couldn't convert. Shots in the second period favored Utah 14-8 but the game remained low-scoring with Utah holding a 1-0 edge after two periods.  

In the third period, the action continued back and forth but the goalies became the storyline as they denied everything that came their way. This game would come down to the wire with Ogden pulling its netminder late in the game for an extra attacker in an attempt to make one final push at the Outliers net. Fortunately, for Utah, forward Garrett Joss would gain control of the puck in his zone and release a shot down the ice and into the empty net to secure a Utah victory with just 1.5 seconds remaining in the game. 

Marcus Ouellet earned the shutout and the star of the game by making several key saves throughout the contest to give the Outliers a well-deserved 2-0 road victory.