OUTLIERS REMAIN PERFECT IN NEW YEAR

For the second weekend in a row and second time of 2019, the Utah Outliers have completed a three game sweep. This weekend the Outliers went to Cheyenne, Wyoming and came back with three near perfect wins. In total, the differential in the set was an astonishing 33-2 margin. Numerous players for the Outliers were able to find the score sheet as well as improve on their individual skill sets. As a team, the offensive barrage is a trend in which they hope continues as they prepare for Ogden this upcoming weekend. With the sweep, Utah has now won eight of their last nine games, and has had an incredible 7.6 goals per game average in that span while only allowing 1.7 against. The team will look to keep that recent success as the second half of the season carries on.

In game one of the series, Matt Bartel was the story of the game. The 98’ forward increased his team lead in goals by scoring 5 goals (including 4 in a row in the second period) to help the Outliers’ offense. Utah also received 2 goal performances by both Jan Dvorak and Miroslav Hradecky. Other goals were scored by: Benji Mickel, Jakub Lelek, Zach Dornseifer, and Brad McCloskey. Four players for Utah led the way in assists, as Tristan Slot, Ryley Bast, Benji Mickel, and Nicholas Ness all had 3. From a team aspect, the Outlier’s powerplay went 2 for 6 and also added a shorthanded goal. Oscar Wahlgren picked up the win in net.

Game two saw a new offensive threat emerge as Dornseifer did his best to repeat Bartel’s big night from the game before. The Captain scored 3 goals in the first eight minutes of play before contributing his 4^th of the night to end the scoring in the first. The third year forward also contributed 2 assists for an impressive 6-point night. Bartel kept his offense going by also adding 2 goals. Other multiple goal scorers from the game included Slot and Mickel. Dvorak, Alex Charin, and Reese Tambellinin chipped in a goal as well. Jake Papesh earned 3 assists from the back end to lead Utah in playmaking. Once again special teams favored the visiting team as Utah scored two more shorthanded goals and another power play goal. Jack Walsh turned away 19 shots en route to his 8^th win of the season.

In the last game of the series, the powerplay for Utah came alive as the visitors managed to put up 4 powerplay goals. Dornseifer repeated his scoring trend by starting the onslaught, burying the first 2 goals of the game. Charin earned his second in as many nights, as did Mickel and Dvorak. Nicholas Ness put one past the Stampede net minder on a beautiful individual effort, outmuscling 2 defenders to take the puck to the net and slipping it five-hole and just over the goal line. Kaeden Meuer also added his first goal of the weekend in the third period. Hradecky led the Outliers with 2 assists, and Oscar Wahlgren earned his league leading 4^th shutout of the season.

The Outliers return to Utah to prepare for a one game meeting against the first place Ogden Mustangs this Saturday, January 19^th, 2019 at the Ice Sheet in Ogden, UT. This will be the first time since early December that these two teams have met. Utah and Ogden will do battle 5 times in the next 8 games, with three of those games taking place at the Acord Ice Arena and two at the Ice Sheet. Stay tuned for more information regarding the matchup between two of the top teams in the WSHL as Utah looks to make up ground on an Ogden team that currently sits at the top with a 32-1-0-1 record. For the Outliers, they now currently rank number 3 in offense and number 4 in team defense, and also have 75 points, good for 3^rd place overall in the WSHL. It should be a very exciting game this Saturday, so be sure to tune in to Blackdog Enterprises to follow the action.

Go Outliers!