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With one minute remaining in a tie game, Grizzlies forward Colin Martin scored his second goal of the night to lift Utah over the Tulsa Oilers, 3-2, and extend its win streak to four games the longest winning streak of the season.
"Sometimes you have to find a way to win ugly and we did that and we got the two points and that's what matters," head coach Tim Branham said. "Martin was huge for us tonight and he has been all year."
The Grizzlies came out blazing in front of the largest crowd at the Maverik Center so far this season. Before Tulsa had even recorded a shot on goal, Martin scored his first goal of the night to give Utah a 1-0 lead.
Erik Bradford then fired a shot from the blue line to make it 2-0 as Utah continued to apply the pressure in the first. Tulsa could barely generate any offense against Utah's stifling defense, which held the Oilers to a meager seven shots on goal.
In a reversal of fortune (as far as shots are concerned), Tulsa applied the pressure in the second period but were no match for Utah goalie Ryan Faragher. Tulsa fired a barrage of 22 shots Utah's way, but Faragher didn't allow a single one to sneak through.
Faragher's most impressive save came on a breakaway by Danick Paquette as Faragher extended his left pad and denied the Tulsa forward.
"Faragher stood on his head and Tulsa made him work tonight," Branham said. "They're a good club but we're as confident as we have been all season."
The Grizzlies held 2-0 lead in the third, but Tulsa refused to go quietly. Darcy Murphy and Danick Gauthier both scored to pull the Oilers into a 2-2 tie, wiping away Utah's lead with five minutes to play.
Martin put the game away for the Grizzlies with a minute remaining.
ECHL standings
EASTERN CONFERENCE
North GP W L OL SL Pts GF GA
Manchester 43 26 10 3 4 59 170 137
Reading 41 24 14 1 2 51 150 114
Wheeling 40 23 14 3 0 49 144 118
Brampton 41 21 15 2 3 47 140 148
Adirondack 40 20 13 4 3 47 141 128
Elmira 41 9 27 5 0 23 92 161
South GP W L OL SOL Pts GF GA
Florida 41 28 9 2 2 60 150 117
Greenville 43 23 16 3 1 50 135 142
South Carolina 41 23 15 2 1 49 123 109
Orlando 42 21 15 4 2 48 153 153
Cincinnati 42 18 20 4 0 40 116 125
Atlanta 42 16 19 6 1 39 143 160
Norfolk 41 15 22 4 0 34 112 148
Western Conference
Central GP W L OL SOL Pts GF GA
Toledo 41 31 8 1 1 64 172 117
Fort Wayne 42 24 14 4 0 52 154 128
Tulsa 48 23 21 4 0 50 137 140
Quad City 42 22 18 0 2 46 126 132
Kalamazoo 42 20 18 1 3 44 116 139
Wichita 39 15 22 1 1 32 112 148
Indy 43 14 26 1 2 31 106 160
Mountain GP W L OL SOL Pts GF GA
Allen 45 26 15 2 2 56 164 130
Colorado 44 26 14 1 3 56 160 136
Idaho 43 24 14 3 2 53 147 140
Alaska 40 23 12 1 4 51 139 126
Utah 43 20 19 3 1 44 136 147
Missouri 43 18 18 2 5 43 138 150
Rapid City 41 14 20 7 0 35 125 148
Saturday's games
Reading 6, Fort Wayne 1
Adirondack 8, Elmira 2
Wheeling 4, Brampton 0
South Carolina 5, Florida 4, OT
Toledo 6, Rapid City 2
Norfolk 4, Manchester 3, SO
Quad City 6, Indy 2
Missouri 5, Cincinnati 2
Utah 3, Tulsa 2
Colorado 9, Wichita 4
Idaho at Alaska, late
Sunday's games
Allen at Orlando, 11:30 a.m.
Wheeling at Kalamazoo, 1 p.m.
Quad City at Indy, 1:05 p.m.
Atlanta at South Carolina, 1:05 p.m.
Adirondack at Elmira, 2:05 p.m.
Manchester at Reading, 3 p.m.
Rapid City at Toledo, 3:15 p.m.