So … what did we learn?

Two preseason games in the books.  Idaho loses at home, then wins on the road.  Can you put much stock into these games?

Yes … and no.  Don’t hang on every little thing but, at the same time, consider some of the overall themes:

1)      Utah played largely the same lineup each night.  There were a couple of changes in Utah Saturday night (former Steelhead Cody Lampl did not play), but Grizz coach Kevin Colley kept most of his forward lines the same.  Idaho’s Hardy Sauter did not.  There is sound reasoning behind both decisions – Colley wants to build continuity and chemistry, Sauter is giving some players a chance to win jobs by putting them on the power play, offensive-zone draws, late-game shifts, etc.  Camp is about seeing what guys are capable of doing when given opportunity.  I don’t know that there’s a player who played this weekend who can say “I didn’t get a chance to show what I can do.”  The line of Marc Rancourt – Ian Lowe – Chad Klassen was outstanding in the third period Saturday night.  We didn’t see that combo together in Boise on Friday, because Rancourt didn’t play.  Meanwhile, Kael Mouillierat, Marty Flichel, and Tristan King all stayed in Boise on Saturday.  Sauter left them at home and let the youngsters find a way to win, which they did.

2)      Speaking of Rancourt, Sauter seems to have recruited some pretty bright kids.  The bus that the team took to Logan had wireless internet capabilities, but the bus driver didn’t know the password.  Rancourt, Klassen, and goaltender Thomas Speer cracked the code, figuring out the password before the bus driver had a chance to call back to headquarters and ask what it was.  Look out Aaron Hotchner and Penelope Garcia, we’ve got the makings of our own BAU unit (reference to TV show “Criminal Minds,” if you aren’t familiar with the names).

3)      Idaho may not have a superstar in net along the lines of Tyler Beskorowany or Richard Bachman, but I think they’ll be okay in goal.  Jimmy Spratt was solid Friday night through two periods and rookie Steve Christie, despite allowing two goals, was solid through two periods on Saturday.  Oh, Thomas Speer, the rookie who had a rough third period in Boise on Friday, was splendid in the third period, overtime, and shootout Saturday in Logan.  He made a couple of huge saves, including stoning a pretty good forward (Utah’s Chris Donovan) on a breakaway in overtime.

4)      Idaho has a solid core of defensemen, but I’m intrigued to see how Sauter pairs them when the regular season starts next week.  How do the numbers fit?  You’ve got good, known-quantities in Matt Case, Chris Hepp, Kory Scoran, and Steve Oleksy.  Cam Ritchie played well over the two preseason games, while both Derek Matheson and Ryan Rorabeck showed that they can handle this level of play.  And don’t rule out the possibility that we could see someone sent down from the Stars organization before long.  Texas, Idaho’s AHL affiliate, had a couple players injured to start the season, players who figure to be in the lineup when they get healthy, which could mean another defenseman joining the mix in Idaho.

5)      The best period (by far) that Idaho played in the two preseason games was the third period in Logan on Saturday.  Sauter said he wanted to see improvement from Friday to Saturday and, aside from a rocky first period, he saw it.  It stands to reason that the sixth period of play would be the best for a group of guys who have barely played together … the guys are starting to find a comfort level.  They ran Utah ragged in the third period, peppering Utah’s Shane Owen in net and keeping the Grizz on their heels the entire 20 minutes.  It was impressive.  It’s a young (in terms of professional experience) team and it’ll probably take a little bit of time for this group to hit on all cylinders.  Back in 2009-10, the team hit the ground running because a lot of guys had a lot of professional experience.  Tyler Spurgeon, Mark McCutcheon, Ashton Rome, Mark Derlago, Flichel, etc.  It allowed the younger guys, like Evan Barlow and John Swanson, to come along a little slower.  This year’s team may not have that luxury.  The Steelheads may need guys like Lowe and Klassen to play leading roles alongside Mouillierat and Flichel.  However, if they can stay together (no rash of callups/injuries/etc), this could be a very, very good hockey team when it’s all said and done.

Oh … and one bonus observation for you.  The team bus?  They have those ginormous windshields in the front.  Based on the size of splats on that windshield, I’m guessing our bus may have hit some cattle at some point.  Holy cow (pun not really intended, but I’m leaving it), what a mess.

Regular season opens Friday back in Utah against the Grizzlies.  This time, we’ll be in Utah’s normal arena instead of the Eccles Ice Center in Logan (which, by the way, is a nice little building … would LOVE to see one like it in the Boise area along with Idaho IceWorld).

Home opener is Saturday night, the 15^th, at CenturyLink Arena in Boise.  See you there!