Utah Outliers 3, Rock Springs Grizzlies 1
November 14 – Rock Springs, WY
The Utah Outliers hit the road on Friday night for a tough matchup against the Rock Springs Miners and came away with a well-earned 3–1 victory. The win adds two crucial points to Utah’s standings total and showcased the team’s resilience, structure, and growing confidence through all three periods.
From the opening faceoff, the Outliers wasted no time establishing pressure. Utah came out aggressively, initiating a heavy forecheck and forcing the Miners onto their heels. The visitors generated several early scoring chances as they cycled the puck with speed and kept Rock Springs pinned in their own zone. Despite the strong start, Utah couldn’t find the back of the net, with the Miners’ goalie turning away multiple dangerous looks.
At the other end, Outliers goaltender Colin Tornqvist took control early. Making his return between the pipes, Tornqvist delivered a poised and composed first period, reading plays well and turning aside several quality Rock Springs opportunities. His calm presence allowed Utah to settle into its structure and weather the Miners’ push as the period progressed.
Although Rock Springs outshot Utah 13–10 in the opening frame, neither team could break the scoreless deadlock as the clubs headed into the first intermission tied 0–0.
The game’s physical tone ramped up noticeably in the second period. Both teams leaned into their identity—tight-checking hockey, strong gap control, and relentless battles along the boards. Heavy hits were exchanged at both blue lines, and puck battles intensified as each team fought for momentum.
Rock Springs finally opened the scoring midway through the second frame. A shot from the point redirected off a Utah defenseman’s body and slipped past Tornqvist, giving the home team a 1–0 advantage. The goal energized the Miners and temporarily shifted momentum, but Utah responded with maturity and composure rather than panic.
The Outliers evened the score thanks to a heads-up play from forward Carson Young. After intercepting a turnover high in the slot, Young burst in alone on the Rock Springs netminder. With excellent patience, he froze the goalie with a pump fake, waited him out, and calmly deposited the puck into the open cage to tie the game at 1–1.
Both teams continued to exchange chances through the remainder of the second period, and the shots were deadlocked—12 apiece—setting up a decisive third period with everything still up for grabs.
The third period saw Utah steadily take control of the game. The Outliers’ forecheck grew more disruptive, forcing the Miners into hurried decisions and turnovers. Utah’s puck possession increased significantly as they established sustained zone time and cycled with confidence. The constant pressure began to wear down the Rock Springs defense.
The breakthrough arrived when forward Tyler Kedzo created a key turnover deep in the Miners’ zone. He quickly swung the puck up to the point, where defenseman Aidan Gordon stepped into a quick-release shot from the blue line. The rebound kicked out to the slot, and forward Leon Buff jumped on it immediately, burying the puck past the sprawling Miners goaltender to give Utah a 2–1 lead.
The goal shifted the energy. Utah tightened its defensive play, limiting Rock Springs’ entries while continuing to generate dangerous looks at the other end.
With under two minutes remaining and trailing by one, the Miners pulled their goaltender for an extra attacker. After a defensive-zone faceoff, Buff corralled the puck behind his own net and launched a perfect 200-foot shot down the ice and into the empty net—his second goal of the night—to seal the win and secure the Outliers’ 3–1 victory.
The Miners finished the game with a 35–30 edge in shots, but Utah controlled the most critical moments. Tornqvist delivered another strong performance, making several key saves.
After the game, Outliers Head Coach Paul Taylor praised his team’s persistence and ability to elevate their play late in the contest:
“I’m really proud of how our group handled this game. We weren’t perfect, but we stuck with our structure and kept pushing. Our third period was the type of hockey we want to play—fast, heavy, and disciplined. I thought our forecheck created momentum and our bench stayed composed even when we were down. Colin made some big saves and Buff stepped up in key moments. This was a mature win for our team, and we’re continuing to grow in the right direction.”
The Outliers will now return home to prepare for a two-game weekend series against the Pueblo Bulls on Friday and Saturday, November 21–22, at the Black Rock Events Center. Both games will be streamed live on blackbearsports.tv.