WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah – Goaltender Igor Bobkov topped his season high with a 39-save shutout and the Utah Grizzlies held off the Alaska Aces for the second straight night, 3-0 before 5,634 fans at Maverik Center at Saturday. The Aces finished their season-long ten game road trip at 5-5-0 and Utah scored twice, shorthanded (Alex Gallant and Matheiu Aubin’s empty netter). The Aces, three points behind Utah for the final playoff spot, have three home games remaining while Utah has three left, all on the road. The first period began with the Aces generating several looks at the Utah net, while Troy Redmann was forced into action after starter Niklas Lundstrom was unable to play due to an equipment issue – Redmann turned in 11 saves in the opening period. Gallant was the only player to beat Redmann in the first period on a shorthanded breakaway at 14:02, after H.T. Lenz collected a turnover at his own blueline and fed a streaking Gallant up ice. Camden Wojtala put Utah up 2-0 on a power play goal at 7:18 of the second period after Ryan Hayes’ dump in caught an unconventional bounce off the glass. Wojtala collected the puck and burier a wrist shot from the right circle for his sixth goal of the season. The Aces, posting 14 shots in the second period, came back with 13 in the final period and nearly drew to within a goal when Chris Francis and Greg Wolfe generated a two-on-one shorthanded rush, but Wolfe’s deflection at the right post slid too wide. Aubin sealed the game with 16 seconds left on an empty net lob from his own zone. Redmann earned 25 saves, marking the first time he has absorbed a three-game losing streak this season. NOTES: The Aces scratched Nilan Nagy, Erik Higby, Evan Renwick, Slater Doggett, Tim Coffman, Ryan Tesink, and Brad Gorham … the Aces finished the series, 4-5-1 against Utah and with a road record of 15-18-3 … Francis registered a game-high eight shots … Justin Hamonic made his Aces debut, paired with Brad Cole, and posted a shot on goal while earning playing time on the Aces’ penalty kill.
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