Back on their home ice, at full strength and in front of an energized crowd, the Park City Pioneers took matters into their own hands against their loathed rivals, the Utah Dawgs.
After falling behind 3-2 in the first period, the Pioneers took out all the frustration of a two-game losing streak in the second and third periods, scoring 12 goals and going on to obliterate the Dawgs 14-4 Saturday night at the Park City Ice Arena.
The Pioneers had three players with hat tricks on the evening as forwards Aaron Burrell, Erik Milliron and Michael Spawton each scored three goals.
Captain David Imonti, who got in on the scoring as well, admitted that the level of intensity wasn’t as high as the Pioneers would have wanted.
The Pioneers had a couple of tough losses to the Sun Valley Suns in Idaho last weekend in which they were missing a few key players, some hampered with injuries.
But the Pioneers, who returned to full strength at home, were imposing after the first period against the Dawgs.
“It’s just the first game back together,” Imonti said. “They maybe had a little more energy in the beginning, but we started to wear on them a bit.”
Wear on the Dawgs they did. Park City’s somewhat slow start soon turned into a rout as the offense kept the Dawgs at bay for the rest of the evening.
“It’s great,” said Burrell, a native of Thunder Bay, Ontario. “We come out every game ready to play. We were ready for a battle against these guys and it’s nice to beat them by 10.”
Burrell provided the equalizing goal for the Pioneers with 14 minutes left to play in the first period with an impressive wrist shot.
Once the second period began, Park City’s depth and versatility took center stage.
Burrell tied it up again, this time at 3-3, less than two minutes into the period and from there, the Pioneers would score five unanswered goals in the second.
“Our goal is to put on a show for the fans,” Imonti said.
Once the rout was on, the Dawgs began slowing the game down with some chippy plays, in the third and final period. Multiple penalties were called as many Pioneers stood up for themselves and teammates against the dirty Dawgs.
“It angered us a little bit at the end with them trying to start things with our guys,” Imonti said. “So we kind of poured it on there in the last bit to kind of send a message.”
Burrell echoed the thoughts of his captain.
“We’re not going to put up with that,” he said. “Not in our house. Not on our rink.”
A Dawgs player well known around the league for being dirty began enticing Pioneers players to start something, but then would quickly retreat and tell the officials that Park City was the instigator.
It was settled once and for all when burly defenseman and former NHL draftee Jeremy Goetzinger used his imposing frame to let the Dawgs know that the Pioneers would not tolerate any sort of provocation.
“No matter if they have their best guys or worst guys, they’re always going to come hard,” Imonti said. “Same with us. Everyone has to keep their head on a swivel.
“They want to knock their head off just as much as you want to knock theirs off.”
Burrell said that he had never been part of a game in which a team had three different players earning hat tricks.
“I’m going to have to retire after that one,” joked Burrell.
With the much-needed win, the Pioneers improved to 3-4 on the young season and will welcome the Suns to their home ice on Jan. 7 and 8. The chemistry earned in the win is crucial going forward.
“We have nothing but confidence,” Burrell said. “We know we can play like that.”
When asked if the Pioneers will struggle against the Suns, Imonti was straightforward.
“That’s not going to happen again,” he said.