Utah Grizzlies Down 3-0, team staring at elimination

WEST VALLEY CITY — For now, forget about trying to win a Kelly Cup.

Forget about trying to win a playoff series.

Forget about trying to win a playoff game.

Forget even about trying to win a period.

To overcome the monumental task of trying to overcome a 3-0 series deficit against the Idaho Steelheads in the second round of the Kelly Cup playoffs, the Utah Grizzlies can't focus on anything beyond their next shift.

Taking a shift-by-shift approach will be Utah's way when it takes the ice at 7 Friday night inside the E Center for Game 4 against the Steelheads.

"That's basically what we talked about (before Game 3), but it's even more important now," said Utah coach Kevin Colley. "We set out to win a Kelly Cup, and elimination stares us in the eyes. We're gonna find out what kind of character we've got.

"When character stares you right in the eyes, do you fight back or do you give in? I don't believe anybody in that locker room's ready to give in (but) just lay it on the line and just start with the game Friday."

The question that Colley posed is paramount heading into tonight.

Asked after Game 3 whether he was worried that some of his teammates would mentally be moving on to next season, forward Tom May said he hoped that wouldn't be the case.

"I'd like to think that we'll be professional enough to come to the rink to play," said May. "Anything can happen. We're a good enough team — if we're all on the same page and we're all playin' our best game — it doesn't matter what the series is. We've won four in a row before. We can do it again.

"Just gotta hope that everyone's on board and playin' the right way."

If nothing else, Utah will hope to avoid the types of things that happened in a disastrous 6-1 home loss to Idaho in Game 3. In that contest, the Steelheads went up early, got the Grizz relegated to their penalty box for most of the evening and just generally frustrated the daylights out of the Utah club.

"We have to stay out of the penalty box. We have to stay out of the penalty box," said Colley when asked what must happen for his club to be successful tonight. "We have to outskate 'em for the first 10 minutes — especially in our rink — try to get one or two goals and carry momentum."