Then, an implosion.

In a matter of six minutes, the Grizzlies gave up a goal with 3:45 left in the third period and another in overtime to lose their second of a three-game series 3-2 against the Salmon Kings. The late-game breakdown has become a familiar scenario for the Grizzlies as of late, and coach Kevin Colley knows it.

"We were just hanging on. We thought we had it in the bag," said Colley said. "It was just another mental breakdown."

But Utah kicked things off early, hoping to redeem its Wednesday night 4-2 loss to the Kings, when Evan Kotsopolous and Tim Verbeek found Vladimir Nikiforov in front of the net, knocking in the short-handed goal to give the Grizz a 1-0 lead and all the momentum heading into the second period. The story of the night, however, was Utah goalkeeper Michael Mole. After the Grizzlies let a huge shot-on-goal advantage dwindle to nothing in the third period, Mole had to pick up the slack. And he did, fending off a firing Victoria offense that had rebounded from its sluggish opening 20 minutes.

"He played excellent," said Colley. "It's time we start helping him out a little."

Utah broke a 1-1 tie with a short-handed goal, assisted by Jon Gleed 8:21 left in the second period, but the Kings kept firing and Mole deflected two powerful short-handed shots with under two minutes remaining to deny the Kings a game-winning goal. But Victoria dominated the overtime period and Shaun Landolt lobbed in the game-winner 2:35 into overtime to hand the Grizzlies their seventh loss in eight games and drop them to 7-9 on the season.