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Two things needed to happen for the Utah Grizzlies to secure their ninth straight playoff berth as they took the ice against the Alaska Aces Friday night at the Maverik Center: beat their division rivals coupled with a Tulsa defeat at the hands of Quad City. Both occurred. Utah beat the Aces for the ninth time in 10 games this season 6-2 and Quad City defeated Tulsa 5-3.
With three games left in the season and first place still undecided in the West Division, at least Utah knows it will be pursuing the Kelly Cup.
"We've had a good season thus far and this team wants to win," head coach Tim Branham said.
Utah ceded an early goal to Alaska off the stick of Alex Hajdukovich, then responded with a fury, tallying a total of 20 shots and two goals in the frame. At the 11:25 mark, Barry Almeida notched his 25th goal of the season.
Matt Berry blazed the back of the net to make it 2-1 Utah.
A bevy of fights ensued throughout, resulting in several penalties. When the melee's subsided, the Grizzlies came out on top, increasing their lead to 4-2. Alex Krushelnyski logged his 24th goal of the season at the 5:03 mark and Ryan Hayes followed with his 11th goal since being acquired in February. Hayes leads Utah with the most goals in that span.
Brent Gwidt and Almeida thwarted any thoughts of a comeback in the third as each scored, ending the onslaught against the overmatched Aces.
"This is crunch time right now," Gwidt said. "We need to be playing our best hockey regardless of who it is we're facing." —
ECHL standings
EASTERN CONFERENCE
East GP W L OL SL Pts GF GA
x-Manchester 69 38 22 4 5 85 213 203
Adirondack 67 36 25 2 4 78 181 170
Reading 68 34 24 6 4 78 211 183
Elmira 69 36 28 3 2 77 196 203
Norfolk 67 29 33 4 1 63 188 213
North GP W L OL SL Pts GF GA
y-Toledo 68 44 19 2 3 93 213 164
Wheeling 68 34 26 4 4 76 203 203
Kalamazoo 68 35 28 4 1 75 220 223
Brampton 67 20 36 7 4 51 164 243
South GP W L OL SL Pts GF GA
x-South Carolina 68 41 18 6 3 91 206 151
x-Florida 67 43 22 0 2 88 209 164
Orlando 67 31 27 4 5 71 210 212
Atlanta 68 32 29 5 2 71 180 213
Greenville 68 28 30 9 1 66 195 229
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Central GP W L OL SL Pts GF GA
Missouri 68 51 12 3 2 107 226 150
x-Allen 68 38 23 3 4 83 207 193
Tulsa 67 32 30 3 2 69 175 185
Wichita 68 18 38 6 6 48 145 227
Midwest GP W L OL SL Pts GF GA
x-Fort Wayne 67 38 21 6 2 84 225 182
Cincinnati 69 35 25 5 4 79 212 194
Quad City 68 34 28 4 2 74 186 193
Indy 68 31 34 3 0 65 163 187
Evansville 67 27 31 7 2 63 191 223
West GP W L OL SL Pts GF GA
x-Idaho 68 36 22 7 3 82 195 177
Colorado 68 38 26 3 1 80 218 184
x-Utah 69 37 26 3 3 80 214 198
Rapid City 68 28 33 3 4 63 165 199
Alaska 68 26 35 4 3 59 181 226
x-Clinched Playoff Berth
y-Clinched Divisional Title
NOTE: Two points are awarded for a win, one point for an overtime or shootout loss.
Friday's games
Adirondack 5, Norfolk 1
Kalamazoo 5, Greenville 2
South Carolina 2, Orlando 1
Brampton 4, Elmira 3, SO
Toledo 5, Manchester 4
Atlanta 6, Florida 4
Reading 4, Wheeling 1
Allen 3, Missouri 2
Quad City 5, Tulsa 3
Evansville 5, Cincinnati 3
Colorado 5, Idaho 4, OT
Utah 6, Alaska 2
Wichita 3, Rapid City 1
Saturday's games
Atlanta at Florida, 5 p.m.
Kalamazoo at Greenville, 5 p.m.
Brampton at Adirondack, 5 p.m.
Norfolk at Reading, 5 p.m.
Orlando at South Carolina, 5:05 p.m.
Indy at Fort Wayne, 5:30 p.m.
Toledo at Cincinnati, 5:35 p.m.
Manchester at Wheeling, 5:35 p.m.
Allen at Missouri, 6:05 p.m.
Tulsa at Evansville, 6:15 p.m.
Idaho at Colorado, 7:05 p.m.
Wichita at Rapid City, 7:05 p.m.
Alaska at Utah, 7:05 p.m.