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The Utah Grizzlies fought their way back from a two-goal deficit for a gutsy 3-2 win.

Making just his second start of the season and first at home against the Rapid City Rush, Grizzlies goalkeeper Ryan McKay exited in the third period after suffering a puck to the face. After McKay returned to the ice to a standing ovation, he didn't allow a shot past him the rest of the game.

"We haven't exactly been on a roll lately or playing our best hockey but we found a way to come through and that's what matters right now," McKay said. "Gutsy is the best way I'd describe how we fought back for the win."

Erik Higby scored two goals for the Grizzlies and, in his second season with the club, now leads the team with eight goals on the season.

"When McKay came back in that kind of energized us and I was fortunate to have a back door opportunity that found its way in the back of the net," Higby said.

Following a scoreless first period, Rapid City broke through with a pair of goals recorded just two minutes apart: Nicholas Miglio got the visitors on the board with a slapshot that beat McKay. Then Josh MacDonald wove his way through the Grizzlies defense and nestled a shot into the back of the net.

Facing a two-goal deficit, Utah sprung to life as Higby launched a shot that beat former Grizzlies goalie Adam Morrison to give Utah hope as the second period drew to a close.

Trailing 2-1 as the third period began, Utah's Mathieu Aubin took advantage of a power play with his seventh goal of the season to level the contest at 2-2.

With 40 seconds remaining, Higby scored his second goal of the game to give Utah the win. —

NHL standings

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlantic GP W L OT Pts GF GA

Montreal 28 19 6 3 41 91 62

Ottawa 28 16 10 2 34 69 73

Boston 29 15 12 2 32 69 70

Tampa Bay 29 14 13 2 30 81 81

Florida 29 13 12 4 30 70 77

Detroit 28 13 12 3 29 70 76

Toronto 26 11 10 5 27 78 81

Buffalo 27 10 11 6 26 56 72

Metropolitan GP W L OT Pts GF GA

Pittsburgh 28 18 7 3 39 97 84

N.Y. Rangers 29 19 9 1 39 100 70

Columbus 26 17 5 4 38 87 56

Philadelphia 30 17 10 3 37 100 94

Washington 26 16 7 3 35 69 59

New Jersey 27 12 9 6 30 69 77

Carolina 27 11 10 6 28 66 72

N.Y. Islanders 27 11 11 5 27 71 81

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Central GP W L OT Pts GF GA

Chicago 29 17 8 4 38 78 69

St. Louis 28 16 8 4 36 78 76

Minnesota 26 14 8 4 32 72 55

Winnipeg 30 13 14 3 29 78 87

Nashville 27 12 11 4 28 78 78

Dallas 29 11 12 6 28 74 93

Colorado 26 10 15 1 21 57 85

Pacific GP W L OT Pts GF GA

Anaheim 28 14 9 5 33 76 74

Edmonton 30 14 11 5 33 90 83

Calgary 30 15 13 2 32 75 84

San Jose 27 15 11 1 31 64 58

Los Angeles 27 14 11 2 30 71 70

Vancouver 28 12 14 2 26 67 83

Arizona 27 9 13 5 23 62 83

Saturday's games

Philadelphia 4, Dallas 2

Los Angeles 4, Ottawa 1

Columbus 6, N.Y. Islanders 2

Pittsburgh 4, Tampa Bay 3

Toronto 4, Boston 1

Montreal 10, Colorado 1

Florida 4, Vancouver 2

Arizona 4, Nashville 1

Winnipeg at Calgary, late

Carolina at San Jose, late

Sunday's games

Ottawa at Anaheim, 2 p.m.

Philadelphia at Detroit, 3 p.m.

Vancouver at Washington, 3 p.m.

St. Louis at Minnesota, 4 p.m.

New Jersey at N.Y. Rangers, 5 p.m.

Colorado at Toronto, 5 p.m.

Dallas at Chicago, 5 p.m.

Winnipeg at Edmonton, 7:30 p.m.

—

ECHL standings

EASTERN CONFERENCE

North GP W L OL SL Pts GF GA

Manchester 24 15 7 1 1 32 91 74

Adirondack 22 13 4 2 3 31 78 60

Reading 24 14 8 1 1 30 85 74

Brampton 21 11 7 1 2 25 81 83

Wheeling 20 11 7 2 0 24 66 59

Elmira 22 6 12 4 0 16 52 74

South GP W L OL SOL Pts GF GA

Florida 22 15 4 1 2 33 78 62

Orlando 22 13 7 2 0 28 86 74

Greenville 22 11 9 2 0 24 67 70

South Carolina 21 11 9 1 0 23 57 54

Atlanta 24 10 11 2 1 23 85 90

Cincinnati 23 9 10 4 0 22 64 74

Norfolk 23 3 16 4 0 10 45 89

Western Conference

Central GP W L OL SOL Pts GF GA

Toledo 20 17 3 0 0 34 89 53

Tulsa 25 16 7 2 0 34 77 68

Fort Wayne 22 13 6 3 0 29 81 62

Quad City 23 13 7 1 2 29 66 61

Wichita 19 10 8 0 1 21 59 56

Kalamazoo 25 9 14 0 2 20 59 87

Indy 22 8 12 1 1 18 54 79

Mountain GP W L OL SOL Pts GF GA

Colorado 23 13 6 1 3 30 77 71

Alaska 20 12 4 1 3 28 68 51

Idaho 23 13 8 2 0 28 76 71

Allen 26 13 12 1 0 27 78 78

Missouri 23 9 10 1 3 22 68 81

Utah 24 9 13 1 1 20 67 86

Rapid City 23 7 11 5 0 19 69 82

Saturday's games

Kalamazoo 2, Fort Wayne 1

Reading 3, Indy 1

Adirondack 8, Norfolk 1

Elmira 4, Florida 2

South Carolina 8, Greenville 2

Quad City 4, Cincinnati 3, OT

Wichita 5, Allen 4, OT

Tulsa 3, Missouri 2, SO

Utah 3, Rapid City 2

Idaho at Colorado, late

Toledo at Alaska, late