Loss puts Grizz in must-win situation
Grizzly defenseman Evgueni Tsybouk covers Grand Rapids' Chris Szysky with a blanket defense Friday night at the E Center. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune)
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BY PATRICK KINAHAN SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
WEST VALLEY CITY -- The margin of error dwindled to practically nothing Friday. The Utah Grizzlies' 2-1 loss to Grand Rapids at the E Center did not kill their postseason aspirations, but pretty much forces them into must-win situations over the last three games. The Griffins clinched the Eastern Conference title and the IHL's best record, but the West standings remain jumbled. The Grizzlies are still tied with Chicago for third place at 83 points. Those teams still can finish first in the conference, but they trail Houston and Manitoba. Utah's objective going into tonight's home game against Cincinnati (7:30 p.m.) is clear. The Grizzlies need to win to stay within striking distance of Houston, which finishes the season with two games in the E Center next Friday and Saturday. Houston has 87 points, two ahead of Manitoba. The top eight IHL teams make the playoffs, regardless of which division. Milwaukee has 86 points and would qualify as the fifth Eastern Conference team to reach the postseason, leaving the West with only three teams. For the first time in series history, totaling 14 games since 1997, the visitor won a game between Grand Rapids and Utah. Much of the credit goes to Grand Rapids goalie Mike Fountain, who stopped 23 shots. Fountain was brilliant in the last minute, when Utah could not convert several chances. "Both teams played well," said Grizzlies coach Bob Bourne. "We played our hearts out. "It was a hell of an effort. I still feel like we're going to make it [into the playoffs]. We just have to win our last three games." Even though Houston took over first place with Friday's 8-3 win over Cincinnati, the fact that Manitoba and Chicago have more games in hand means the Grizzlies' best postseason chance is to catch Houston and eliminate worrying about what Manitoba or Chicago do. Grand Rapids finally broke through at the 14:02 mark of the second period Friday. Right wing David Oliver scored his 14th goal of the season when he slipped the puck past Mike Bales. Dave Roberts picked up his 33rd assist on the play. The Griffins added another goal on Viacheslav Butsayev's shot four minutes into the third period. David Ling scored Utah's only goal at the 12:48 mark of the third period. It was his first goal in 19 games. The Grizzlies' best opportunity to score in the second period came when Jamie Wright got the puck alone about 15 feet in front of Fountain, who made the stop. The second period also featured Ling's brief tussle with the Griffins' Keith Aldridge. It was the pair's third fight in two games. They squared off twice in Wednesday's game, which the Grizzlies won 4-3 in overtime. Defense dominated the first period, as neither team could generate any serious scoring threats. Utah and Grand Rapids combined for only nine shots on goal in the first 20 minutes. team, team Grand Rapids 0 1 1 -- 2 Utah 0 0 1 -- 1 First Period -- No scoring. Penalties -- Butsayev, GR (elbowing), 1:14; Leeb , Utah (holding), 3:18; Tsybouk, Utah (cross checking), 12:35; Oliver, GR (cross checking), 19:35. Second Period -- 1, Grand Rapids. Oliver 14 (Roberts), 14:02. Penalties -- Aldridge, GR (fighting), 14:28; Ling, Utah (fighting), 14:28; Richards, GP (holding), 16:48. Third Period -- 2, Grand Rapids. Butsayev 31 (Ciernik, King), 4:04. 3, Utah. Ling 15 (Morgan, Neaton), 12:48. Penalties -- Miller, GR (tripping), 9:00. Shots on goal -- Grand Rapids 5-8-7 -- 20. Utah 4-9-11 -- 24. Power-play opportunities -- Grand Rapids 0 for 2. Utah 0 for 4. Goalies -- Grand Rapids, Fountain 4-9-11 (24 shots, 23 saves). Utah, Bales 5-8-7 (20 shots, 18 saves). Referee -- Jim Norquay. Linesmen -- Matt Brickley, Michel Voyer. A -- 7,817.
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