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Wearing Kelly green and gold jerseys in homage to the 1972-87 Salt Lake Golden Eagles, the Utah Grizzlies were shutout for the first time this season in a defensive struggle against the Rapid City Rush 2-0.

It snapped the Grizzlies' five-game winning streak in a contest that was marred by a total of 11 penalties. And although Utah outshot the Rush by a total of 20 shots, they were unable to get any by Rapid City goaltender Marek Langhamer, who blocked simply spectacularly.

"Sometimes you just run into a hot goaltender," head coach Tim Branham said. "Goalies look at our lineup and know that they are going to face a lot of rubber and it gives them motivation to play."

Rush forward Destry Straight won a faceoff at 11:17 of the first period and quickly blasted the puck past Grizzlies goalie Ryan Faragher for a 1-0 lead. It would prove to be not only the game winner, but the only goal scored until 18:58 of the third period, an empty netter credited to Rush defenseman Dakota Mermis that rolled its way down the ice and into the unprotected net.

Faced with a one-goal deficit entering the third, the Grizzlies put their feet on the gas pedal and fired a barrage of shots against Langhamer, but the Rapid City netminder was up to the task and brushed aside every attempt. His most spectacular save came against Utah forward Kenton Helgessen with less than three minutes remaining, snatching a shot out of midair from just a few feet away.

Things got testy in the second period when a skirmish broke out in front of the Rapid City bench between players on both sides that delayed play for over five minutes as penalties were sorted out. Ultimately, Grizzlies forward Jon Puskar and Rush forward Daniel Barczuk were sent to the box.

The altercation seemed to light a fire beneath both teams, as play accelerated quickly at both ends of the ice. However, the second period ended with Rapid City clinging to a 1-0 lead. —

ECHL standings

EASTERN CONFERENCE

East GP W L OL SL Pts GF GA

Adirondack 11 9 2 0 0 18 38 22

Reading 11 7 4 0 0 14 40 28

Manchester 10 5 5 0 0 10 33 34

Elmira 12 5 7 0 0 10 31 43

Norfolk 12 5 7 0 0 10 34 40

North GP W L OL SL Pts GF GA

Wheeling 12 6 5 1 0 13 37 33

Kalamazoo 13 6 6 1 0 13 37 46

Toledo 11 5 5 0 1 11 29 30

Brampton 11 4 6 1 0 9 30 36

South GP W L OL SL Pts GF GA

Florida 15 11 4 0 0 22 56 27

South Carolina 14 7 5 1 1 16 31 33

Orlando 11 6 3 1 1 14 39 32

Atlanta 12 6 5 1 0 13 36 48

Greenville 12 5 7 0 0 10 30 45

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Central GP W L OL SL Pts GF GAMissouri 13 10 2 0 1 21 38 21

Allen 13 9 4 0 0 18 41 34

Wichita 14 5 8 0 1 11 29 41

Tulsa 11 4 6 0 1 9 23 27

Midwest GP W L OL SL Pts GF GA

Cincinnati 11 7 2 1 1 16 34 22

Indy 11 7 3 1 0 15 34 28

Quad City 13 5 5 1 2 13 38 40

Fort Wayne 10 6 4 0 0 12 34 30

Evansville 9 3 6 0 0 6 16 24

West GP W L OL SL Pts GF GA

Utah 13 8 4 1 0 17 42 34

Rapid City 11 5 5 1 0 11 27 38

Idaho 14 4 7 3 0 11 40 49

Alaska 14 4 8 0 2 10 34 46

Colorado 12 4 7 1 0 9 32 32

Saturday's games

Florida 3, Idaho 0

Greenville 3, Adirondack 2

Toledo 6, Manchester 2

Reading 3, Norfolk 2

Kalamazoo 2, Cincinnati 1, OT

Orlando 2, South Carolina 1, SO

Brampton 4, Elmira 1

Indy 3, Alaska 2, SO

Evansville 2, Wheeling 1, OT

Missouri 3, Wichita 2, SO

Colorado 8, Allen 1

Rapid City 2, Utah 0