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The Utah Grizzlies and Alaska Aces is one of the marquee rivalries in the ECHL, and Saturday at the Maverik Center marked the 126th time the two clubs squared off.
There will not be a 127th.
With Alaska folding at the end of the season and both teams vying for the final playoff spot in the Mountain Division, it was fitting that the final matchup would be closely contested. Ultimately Alaska couldn't contain Colin Martin, and behind his hat trick, the Grizzlies prevailed 5-4.
"This whole series I don't think we put together a full 60 minutes until tonight," Martin said. "We took it to them from the puck drop to the final buzzer. That's what we need to do every night. It's playoff hockey and it's time to go."
The game was tied at 4 in the third following Alaska defenseman Nolan Descoteaux's second goal of the evening. However, Utah wouldn't be denied as Mathieu Aubin provided the game winner and sent the crowd into a frenzy.
Utah came out of the gates blazing with a pair of goals. Jon Puskar, receiving a pass from Ralph Cuddemi, spun and fired a rocket past Aces goalie Kevin Carr. Martin began his campaign by rifling a shot at point blank range to give the Grizzlies a 2-0 lead. Utah would withstand a five on three Aces power play but couldn't stop Yan-Pavel Laplante from getting the visitors on the board to reduce the deficit to 2-1.
The Grizzlies were clicking on all cylinders early in the second period and were awarded when Martin scored his second for a 3-1 advantage. However, Alaska pushed back and tied the contest with a pair of goals less than two minutes apart when Descoteaux and Daniel Moynihan scored. Martin, though, ensured the Grizzlies would end the period with the lead when he completed his hat trick.
"We were determined as a group and we talked about it on the bench that we were going to win this hockey game," Utah coach Tim Branham said.
ECHL standings
EASTERN CONFERENCE
North GP W L OL SL Pts GF GA
Manchester 58 31 16 7 4 73 217 200
Brampton 56 32 17 3 4 71 204 194
Reading 57 33 21 1 2 69 206 167
Adirondack 56 29 17 6 4 68 197 175
Wheeling 56 28 22 6 0 62 190 179
Elmira 58 12 38 7 1 32 130 220
South GP W L OL SOL Pts GF GA
Florida 55 38 12 2 3 81 204 155
Greenville 58 32 21 4 1 69 201 198
Orlando 58 29 20 6 3 67 217 210
Cincinnati 60 31 25 4 0 66 167 174
South Carolina 59 31 25 2 1 65 181 174
Atlanta 56 21 27 6 2 50 181 219
Norfolk 56 21 31 4 0 46 161 209
Western Conference
Central GP W L OL SOL Pts GF GA
Toledo 56 40 13 2 1 83 234 153
Fort Wayne 56 34 15 5 2 75 209 168
Quad City 57 32 22 1 2 67 179 170
Kalamazoo 58 29 25 1 3 62 166 184
Tulsa 60 26 28 5 1 58 168 192
Wichita 55 17 34 3 1 38 150 214
Indy 57 15 37 3 2 35 139 229
Mountain GP W L OL SOL Pts GF GA
Colorado 59 40 15 1 3 84 229 170
Allen 59 37 17 3 2 79 235 170
Idaho 58 33 18 5 2 73 195 177
Alaska 56 28 20 2 6 64 183 183
Utah 58 27 24 5 2 61 182 203
Missouri 56 26 23 2 5 59 181 188
Rapid City 58 21 29 8 0 50 180 211
Saturday's games
Reading 2, Manchester 1, OT
Florida 4, Atlanta 0
Orlando 5, Greenville 3
Toledo 3, Kalamazoo 0
Elmira 6, Norfolk 3
Fort Wayne 4, Wheeling 3
Cincinnati 3, Adirondack 2
Wichita 3, Tulsa 2, SO
Allen 4, Missouri 2
Quad City 6, Indy 1
Utah 5, Alaska 4
South Carolina 4, Colorado 1
Idaho 4, Rapid City 2
Sunday's games
Adirondack at Kalamazoo, 1 p.m.
Wheeling at Fort Wayne, 3 p.m.
Norfolk at Reading, 3 p.m.
Tulsa at Missouri, 3:05 p.m.
Brampton at Toledo, 3:15 p.m.