ECHL Utah Grizzlies

Grizzlies Host Grand Rapids Tonight In Critical Western Conference Showdown

Published on April 2, 2003 under ECHL (ECHL)
Utah Grizzlies News Release


WEST VALLEY CITY, UTAH (Apr. 2, 2003) - The Utah Grizzlies host the Grand Rapids Griffins tonight at the E-Center with face-off scheduled for 7:00 PM.

The Grizzlies are looking to gain ground on clinching an elusive playoff spot. Currently, Utah is in seventh place in the Western Conference with 79 points tied with Milwaukee and leading Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (9th) and Rochester (10th) by two points. The team in the 11th spot is Philadelphia who trails Utah by three points.

The Grizzlies have four games remaining in the regular season beginning tonight with the Griffins. Grand Rapids is the top team in the conference and with a victory tonight they could clinch home ice throughout the Western Conference playoffs. The Griffins come into play tonight with a record of 47-20-8-2 (104 points) and a league best 25-7-3-2 road record.

So far this season, Utah and Grand Rapids have split eight games with seven of those eight contests being decided by one goal. Grand Rapids is 2-1 at the E-Center this year.

Utah is looking to gain four points over the course of their final four games in order to clinch one of the 10 Calder Cup Playoff spots. Losses by the teams trailing Utah could minimize that point total and could give the Grizzlies the opportunity to clinch as soon as Friday night in the regular season home finale again versus Grand Rapids.

The Grizzlies received some help from their National Hockey League affiliate, the Dallas Stars, yesterday when they were re-assigned David Oliver. The 31-year-old veteran had played in six games with the Stars recording three assists. In 33 games with Utah he had scored 11 goals and added 12 assists.

Grand Rapids is paced by two of the AHL's top four point scorers. Michel Picard is second in the league with 81 points (30-51=81) and Mark Mowers is fourth with 77 points (31-46=77).

Should the Grizzlies make it to post-season play, they would begin their quest for the Calder Cup as soon as Wednesday, April 9th.

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