WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah – The Utah Grizzlies dispatched the visiting Tulsa Oilers to claim a Mountain Division Semifinal Series win, in front of 5,006 fans at Maverik Center on Wednesday evening. The 5-2 win marks the first playoff series win for Utah in six seasons.
Utah outshot Tulsa 35-33 on the night, despite the Oilers gaining a 16-6 advantage in the final period in a desperate effort to try and keep their season alive.
Utah struck first mid-way through the opening period, on a power play goal from Kyle Betts. With Tulsa’s Jackson Leef in the penalty box for a tripping minor, Betts re-directed a Luke Martin shot past Oilers goaltender Daniel Mannella at 9:37 for a 1-0 Grizzlies lead.
Tulsa evened things up at 14:03 of the first, when Mike McKee bounced a puck off the arm of Grizzlies netminder Trent Miner and into the net to make the score 1-1. Joe Garreffa picked up the assist with his pass to McKee at the left side of the net.
The Grizzlies reclaimed the lead with 26-seconds remaining on a goal from Charle-Edouard D’Astous. D’Astous took a cross-ice pass from Benjamin Tardif at the left circle, and hammered a one-timer into the net from Mannella’s left side to send Utah into the locker room with a 2-1 lead at the intermission. Utah led Tulsa, 16-10 in shots in the period.
Trey Bradley scored the only goal of the second period, tucking the puck into the net to Mannella’s left side on a short-handed chance to make it 3-1 while the Grizzlies outshot the Oilers 13-7.
Luka Burzan put the Grizzlies up 4-1 at 2:37 of the third, with an assist going to Mason Mannek. Burzan skated from the right circle and fired a wrist shot from the slot that beat Mannella, and gave Utah a three-goal advantage.
Tulsa’s Eddie Matsushima pulled the Oilers back within two goals with 10:10 remaining, scoring on a penalty shot after being held on a shorthanded break-away.
With Mannella pulled for an extra skater, D’Astous added an empty net goal with 34.9-seconds remaining to ice the game, and series for Utah.
The second round of the 2022 ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs gets underway Friday. All Division Finals match ups will be a best-of-seven format.
Utah will take on the Rapid City Rush in the Mountain Division Finals, with game one set for Friday night in Utah.
KELLY CUP PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE
North Division Finals
#1 Reading Royals vs. #2 Newfoundland Growlers
Game 1 – Saturday, May 7 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Reading
Game 2 – Sunday, May 8 at 7 p.m. ET at Reading
Game 3 – Tuesday, May 10 at 7 p.m. NT at Newfoundland
Game 4 – Wednesday, May 11 at 7 p.m. NT at Newfoundland
Game 5 – Thursday, May 12 at 7 p.m. NT at Newfoundland (If Necessary)
Game 6 – Saturday, May 14 at 7 p.m. ET at Reading (If Necessary)
Game 7 – Monday, May 16 at 7 p.m. ET at Reading (If Necessary)
South Division Finals
#1 Florida Everblades vs. #3 Jacksonville Icemen
Game 1 – Friday, May 6 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Florida
Game 2 – Saturday, May 7 at 7 p.m. ET at Florida
Game 3 – Tuesday, May 10 at 7 p.m. ET at Jacksonville
Game 4 – Wednesday, May 11 at 7 p.m. ET at Jacksonville
Game 5 – Friday, May 13 at 7 p.m. ET at Jacksonville (If Necessary)
Game 6 – Monday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Florida (If Necessary)
Game 7 – Tuesday, May 17 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Florida (If Necessary)
Central Division Finals
#1 Toledo Walleye vs. #3 Wheeling Nailers
Game 1 – Friday, May 6 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Toledo
Game 2 – Saturday, May 7 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Toledo
Game 3 – Tuesday, May 10 at 7:10 p.m. ET at Wheeling
Game 4 – Thursday, May 12 at 7:10 p.m. ET at Wheeling
Game 5 – Saturday, May 14 at 7:10 p.m. ET at Wheeling (If Necessary)
Game 6 – Monday, May 16 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Toledo (If Necessary)
Game 7 – Tuesday, May 17 at 7:35 p.m. ET at Toledo (If Necessary)
Mountain Division Finals
#1 Utah Grizzlies vs. #2 Rapid City Rush
Game 1 – Friday, May 6 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Utah
Game 2 – Saturday, May 7 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Utah
Game 3 – Monday, May 9 at 7:05 p.m. MT at Rapid City
Game 4 – Tuesday, May 10 at 7:05 p.m. MT at Rapid City
Game 5 – Wednesday, May 11 at 7:05 p.m. MT at Rapid City (If Necessary)
Game 6 – Monday, May 16 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Utah (If Necessary)
Game 7 – Tuesday, May 17 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Utah (If Necessary)
Contact the writer:John.Hall@prohockeynews.com
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