Grizzlies disappointed with loss

WEST VALLEY CITY — Getting swept in your last home series when you're still fighting for a playoff spot is just not the way to make yourself feel good about a season.

"It's the most disappointed I've been in a long time, in my career," said Grizzly captain Travis Rycroft after the Grizzlies fell 5-1 as the Victoria Salmon Kings scored three goals in a 2 1/2-minute span in the second period before 6,088 in the E Center in Utah's final home game of 2006-07.

"There's no words to explain it," Rycroft said.

"It's just unacceptable, really. We were in a position. We've got these games, the biggest games of our year, and I just don't see the urgency, you know? And It's disappointing."

The Grizzlies' loss coupled with Phoenix's 4-2 win over Fresno eliminates them from postseason contention as they are last in the National Conference with 52 points and three games left Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at No. 1 Alaska.

Long Beach has 53 points, and Phoenix had a five-point lead over Utah going into Saturday's games.

"It's been a year to, I don't want to say forget — we've got some great guys in this locker room — but It's been a roller coaster," said Rycroft, in his second season with Utah.

He said he was trying to "pick out all the positives we can, I guess."

Grizzlies' coach Jason Christie was calm following the loss, calling it "disheartening. We're in a game, and then we screen the goaltender (a goal at 15:17 of the second by Victoria's Paul Ballantyne from the right-wing faceoff circle that was hidden by Utah forward Jake Riddle), and, three quick goals there."

Mike Stutzel scored on a power play at 16:22, and Robin Gomez turned a giveaway by Ian Forbes in front of Utah's net into a goal at 17:48, chasing goalie Ben Gray in favor of veteran Rob McVicar, who played for Victoria last season.

"We just lost battles," Christie said, noting that Friday night's overtime loss found Utah going toe-to-toe with the Salmon Kings with all of its lines contributing.

"Tonight, just a couple of lines were going, and it hurts," Christie said. "Nobody ever wants to be in this position, and we've been talking about the same thing, except for last night, for the last two weeks.

"Sooner or later it's the pride factor and intensity level," Christie said, missing both from much of his team. "It's gut-check time. We still had opportunities."

No more.