Utah Grizzlies: Aggressive Aces take charge of series vs. Grizzlies

WEST VALLEY CITY — On the heels of an overtime win over Alaska in Game 3 of their best-of-seven first-round Kelly Cup playoff series, the Utah Grizzlies expected to get the Aces' best shot when Game 4 arrived Friday evening.

Alaska indeed came out swinging in the pivotal Game 4 before 5,692 fans inside the E Center, and the punches the Aces landed proved to be way too much for Utah to handle.

Showing a ruthless streak in front of goal, Alaska jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the first period and never looked back en route to a 5-2 win on the night and a commanding 3-1 series lead.

"They just took it to us," said Utah captain Ryan Kinasewich, whose team now faces elimination. "They outplayed us from the get-go, and we were playing catch-up from the drop of the puck."

Not that the Grizzlies have any time to feel sorry for themselves. Indeed, face-off for Game 5 will take place at 7 tonight at the E Center, and Utah knows it must win — or else.

"We just need to come out and play our game, play greasy and get in front of the goaltender's eyes," said Ryan Kinasewich.

That's something the Grizz certainly didn't do on Friday, and Alaska capitalized when early opportunities presented themselves.

"We definitely didn't come out the way we did Wednesday night," said Utah coach Kevin Colley. "I don't know if the guys were starting to feel the pressure again tonight or if it was inexperience. I don't know what it was, but we definitely weren't mentally ready to go."

Tyson Marsh and Josh Soares scored within 80 seconds of each other to give Alaska a 2-0 lead midway through the first period, and while Utah pulled a goal back via a Vladimir Nikiforov breakaway, Soares added a killer third Alaska goal just before the end of the period to leave Utah reeling.

The Grizz realistically never recovered.

"Being down two goals, the guys had their heads down a little bit and were feeling sorry for themselves," said Colley. "That's not the attitude you gotta have. You gotta have that killer instinct when you go out on the ice and get that goal back.

"They came out, and we just didn't match it."

Utah finished with just 25 shots, despite pulling goalie Mike Mole over the final four-and-a-half minutes and playing 6-on-5, 6-on-4 and even 6-on-3 hockey while searching for a way to get back in the game.