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Salmon Kings clinch playoff berth, defeat Utah 7-1

March 28, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Victoria Salmon Kings News Release


Victoria, BC - The Victoria Salmon Kings, proud affiliate of the Manitoba Moose and the Vancouver Canucks, gouged the Utah Grizzlies 7-1 in game one of the series, to tally their fourth straight win and guarantee a playoff appearance.

The Salmon Kings scored four goals in their first four shots of the game in the first period. Wes Goldie tallied his 38th goal of the season just 21 seconds into the frame for the Victoria 1-0 lead. Goldie nabbed a loose puck for a breakaway and popped it top corner past Netminder Rob McVicar. Milan Gajic soared down the right wing and scored his 20th goal of the season 13 seconds later for the two goal lead.

Victoria continued to press and in a rush to the Utah zone, Jordan Krestanovich finished a feed from Gajic at the right circle to bank in the puck from left of the crease for a 3-0 advantage at 9:41 into the first period. McVicar was replaced by Netminder Ben Gray.

Mike Stutzel earned his fourth point in two games for the 4-0 goal lead at 10:06 into the game. In the first shot on Gray, Stutzel capitalized on a pass from rookie Defenseman Seamus Young.

Still in the first, Utah solved Goaltender Bryan Bridges as Ed Campbell spotted Joel Irving for his 18th goal of the season to close the gap 4-1.

Bridges made 21 saves in the second stanza to keep the Grizzlies off the board, and Victoria's Marc-Andre Bernier beat Gray from the right wing with 56 seconds left for the 5-1 Salmon Kings lead.

Victoria added two more goals in the third period to solidify their fourth straight victory. After a five week absence on the injured reserve, rookie Warren McCutcheon scored his fourth goal of the season at 2:58 into the period with a backhand slice to the net that went five-hole on Gray. Derek Krestanovich tapped in a pass from Bernier in the right corner for his third point in two games, and the Salmon Kings grabbed the 7-1 lead with 4:14 remaining in the game.

Bridges notched another 11 saves in the final frame and earned the first star for the fourth consecutive game.

Final: 7-1 Salmon Kings

Bridges banked his twelfth win of the season, and McVicar was given his 26th loss, despite playing under ten minutes of the first period. Victoria was 0 for 5 on the powerplay and Utah was scoreless in four opportunities with the man advantage. The Grizzlies outshot the Salmon Kings 46-29. The Salmon Kings (31-32-1-3) and Utah Grizzlies (22-38-3-4) meet again for game two of the series on Friday at the E-Center, starting at 7:05 (MT).

NOTES:

- The Salmon Kings clinch their first playoff berth.

- Bryan Bridges earned a pro career best 0.978 save percentage; his fourth straight win.

- Milan Gajic is on a four-game point streak (3g, 4a).

- Jordan Krestanovich is on a four-game point streak (3g, 2a).

- Kiel McLeod is on a three-game point streak (2g, 3a).

- F.P. Guenette posts his 50th point of the season with an assist.

- Seamus Young earns team-high plus/minus rating in one game (+5)

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