The Salt Lake Tribune from Salt Lake City, Utah • 24

tr -t C4 The Salt Lake Tribune SPORTS Wednesday March 11 1998 a GrizUesUpnigh Grizzlies Look to Increase Playoff Cushion vs Aeros Grizzlies Center Is Making? A Name for Itself in the IHL Grizzlies vs Aeros At the Center West Valley City Faceoff: 7 pm MST Radio: KTKK-AM (630) Records: Utah 41-17-8 Houston 40-19-7 BY BRETT PRETTYMAN uct BY BRETT FRETTYMAN THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE About tho OltDHoK Utah Is 7-2-1 In the last 10 and coming off a 2-1 shootout loss Saturday at the Center the Grtzz called up Claude Julias from San Diego ol the WCHL alle Philippe DeRou- Tuesday Goalie I the building with a temporary name becomes a blue print for IHL franchises Its essential that venues in (he IHL have suites and ancillary revenues said Ufer In other wards franchise owners need to own or manage the building its concessions and parking revenue Ufer says the Grizzly formula for running a franchise would likely be used for talked-about new teams in Victoria British Columbia and Ontario Calif Helping the IHL expand is nothing new for Utah In 1984 the Salt Lake Golden Eagles become the first IHL franchise is the western United States It helped to have a facility like the old Salt Palace Utah had a fabulously successful hockey market at that buildmg with a great atmosphere said Ufer The demise of the Salt Palace left hockey without a venue to showcase the prod After a handful of years at the pgtta Center Larry Miller gave up and sold the Eagles franchise to a group inDe-troit that renamed the team the Vipers Meanwhile the Grizzlies started their first season in Denver and won the Turner Cup under owners David Elmore and Donna Tuttle The Quebec Nordiques movJ-to Colorado and the Grizzlies hitjihe road looking for a new borne Btmd and Donna had the foresight to market wasnt missing Jie-ycn-ue said Ufer Salt Lake was a great market for the IHL It was a trsgfidy to lose it That tragedy has righted itself in fine fashion Today the Grizzlies are averaging 8370 fans a game in the building Thats the fifth-highest average in the league and for thedksi time since the move to Utahthe Grizzlies are making money villa has won three straight against the Aeros with a 1 00 goals-agalnst average and a 971 save percentage stopping 99 of the 102 Aeros shots he faced The Grizzlies are 27-7-5 against the rest of the Southwest Division Oteh' next five: Friday vs San Antonio (FSR-IV) Saturday vs San Antonio Sunday at Long Beach: Tuesday at Chicago March 20 at Clndnnaff About the Aeros: This it the last of four-straight Wednesday games between the teams Houston center Brian Wiseman is the team's leading scorer and the IHL's third leading scorer with 82 points WEST VALLEY CITY Utah Grizzlies center Hip Miller was named the MVP of the International Hockey Leagues All-Star game in Orlando in February He was not the franchises only focal point Word was circulating about Utahs other all-star: the Center So a trip was planned for the leagues 19-member board of governors to experience firsthand the new home of the Griszlies We wanted to get out and see a premier if not the premier building in the league said IHL Commissioner Robert Ufer who joined the board at the Center Monday Everybody was fabulously impressed The sight lines are stupendous and the atmosphere is incredible Ufer and the governors are hoping throughout the playoffs and face the lowest-seeded opponent in the first round The division champions (Midwest and Southwest in the Western Conference) automatically get the Nos 1 and 2 seeds even if the second-place taan in the other division has a better record If the playoffs started today Utah would be the third seed in the Western Conference despite having three more points than Midvest Divisioa-leading Chicago To clinch the season series against Houston the Grizzlies will have to shut down the Aeros power play That will be difficult considering the International Hockey League in conjunction with the National Hockey League has ordered referees to start calling obstruction penalties again They win when they do well on the power play said Goring We have to keep them off of it but given todays rules they will be on it so we will have to do a good job defending against it After Houston Utah plays host to San Antonio twice this weekend before heading to Long Beach on Sunday While the Grizzlies are facing the leagues worst team at home the Aeros will be doing battle with the Ice Dogs THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE WEST VALLEY CITY Tonight is the last real chance for the Utah Grizzlies to put a cushion between themselves and the Houston Aeros for second place in the Southwest Division 1 The division rivals meet for the last time of the regular season at the Center (7 pm) ending a 10-game series that Utah leads 4-3-2 If we can beat these guys it will make it very difficult for them to catch us said Utsh Coach Butch Goring It will put a big gap between us Althougn five points wont be insurmountable its a good lead The Grizzlies (41-17-8) lead the Aeros (40-19-7) by three points with 16 games left The Grizzlies are trying not only to stay ahead of Houston but to catch Western Conference-leading Long Beach We have to keep winning because thats what they are doing said Goring We are down four points but we have played two less games Destmy is in our own hands If the Grizzlies can catch the Ice Dogs for the Western Conference regular-season title it would a huge boost toward winning a third Turner Cup in four years The conference champions hold home-ice advantage 1st Triple-A World Series Headed to Las Vegas NOTES: Frisky forward Dan Plante was returned to the Grizzlies by the New York Islanders Monday He will rejoin the line of Kip Miller and Nik-las Andersson Utah owns the best home record in the IHL (23-6 3) and plays nine of the final 16 games at the Center IHL STANDINGS NHL STANDINGS EASTERN CONFERENCE Athsde DNWob EASTERN CONFERENCE Northeast DiYteian Daigle Saves Philly In a Tie vs Devils THE ASSOCIATED PRESS LAS VEGAS The Triple-A World Series between the winners of the International League and Pacific Coast League will be played in Las Vegas the next three seasons Under an agreement approved Tuesday the games will be played beginning Sept 21 this year in the 10000-seat Cashman Field home stadium of the Las Vegas Stars of the PCL The establishment of a series for the highest minor league division was one of the goals last year when the American Association was disbanded and its teams merged into the remaining two leagues Las Vegas tourism officials voted Tuesday to spend $750000 a year on the series which is scheduled for five games The games are scheduled to be televised on ESPN2 MITCHELL ARRIVES LATE PHOENIX A healthy and physically fit Kevin Mitchell arrived right hours later than expected at the Oakland Athletics minor league camp The As had thougnt he was going to report at 8 am but the day passed with no Mitchell the 1989 National League MVP He eventually drove up about 4:30 pm when most of the other minor leaguers had already left the Papago Park facility Mitchell dressed in a white sweatsuit and wearing sunglasses said started the drive from his San Diego home at about 3 am Tuesday but got tired and stopped in Yuma I just rolled in I got lost he ffilld I havent been here for years Mitchell 36 hit 47 home runs land had 125 RBIs with the San Francisco Giants in 1989 He played in 20 games with the Cleveland Indians last season hitting 153 Mitchell said he was anxious to get back in the game I went to get it started again' he said I always thought if I lost my bat speed it was time to go and I havent lost it As general manager Billy Beane said the team had evaluated the slug-ger about 10 days ago and found him healthy and fit Mitchell weighs about 237 pounds New Jersey Philadelphia Washington NY Rangers NY Islanders Florida Tampa Bay THE ASSOCIATED PRESS TPt GF GA 39 16 9 87 184 127 32 20 10 74 180 144 28 24 11 67 174 166 19 27 17 55 155 171 22 32 9 53 164 176 18 32 12 48 148 182 13 41 9 35 121 206 Northeast DMston TPa GF GA 32 13 14 78 182 151 30 25 7 67 180 159 27 23 13 67 163 151 25 22 15 65 156 148 Overttoe None Penalties None Shot OB goal BuffeJo 11-9-10-232 New York 84122 Power oil)' Opportunities Buffalo 2 of 7 New York 2 of 9 GotBes Buffalo Hasel 25-18-12 (22 Aote-20 saves) New York Sato 18-22-5 (32 30) A 7741(18297) Referee Richard Trotber PHILADELPHIA Jason Amott set up both goals for the New Jersey Devils but Alexandre Daigle came up with a big goal for the second game in a row as the Philadelphia Flyers rallied for a 2-2 tie Tuesday night Pittsburgh Montreal Poston Buffalo WESTERN CONFERENCE Midwest Division BRUINS 6 RED WINGS 3 DETROIT Tim Taylor had a goal and two assists and to beat Detroit New Jersey Philadelphia 8 118 First Perfed None Penalties Ohwa 9 1 iwa FT 118-2 0-2 NJ major (fighting) 21 Kordic Phi major (fighting) 21 Honk NJ (interference) 4 18 Bodger NJ (bolding) 805 Desjardins Phi Boston 4 2 9-8 Detroit 9 1 2-3 First Period 1 Boston Taylor 18 (Axelsson) 642 Spuray NJ major (fighting) 12 34 Lacroix Phi major (ffgfthao) 1234 MKay NJ (roughing) 14 34 Richardson Phi double minor I 1414 Richardson Phi (roughing) SEP on Taylor) 19-W Penalties-Gdl Bos i (fighting) 36 Kocur Dei major 'fighting) Kocur Del (boarding) 10 36 Duaaio Bos (el Secnd Period 1 New Jersey McKay 19 (Ar-oott Ntedennayer) 12-04 (pp) 2 Philadelphia Tbenen 2 (Grstton Daigle) 15 38 (pp) Petal-ties Nununaa Phi (topping) 5 23 Souray NJ bowing) 1140 Fetisov Det (hooking) 13 53 TardDet (interference) 18 19 Colorado Los Angeles Edmonton San Jose Calgary Anaheim Vancouver (cross-checking) 8 38 StUinger Phi (tripping) a1 26 Psndoifo NJ (hooking) 1533 Richard- Seeood Period 6 Detroit KoJov 19 (Brown Fedorov) 2 54 6 Boston Khnsbch 21 (Taylor Axelsson) 7-09 7 Boston Carter 9 (Bourque Heinze) 14 17 (pp) Penaities-WUson Bos (slashing) 746 Lapointe Det (holding) 1151 son Phi (higb-stickmg) 1 i Period 3 New Jersey Hohk 28 (Are x-dinched playoff berth NOTE Two points are swarded for a victory (me for a shootout loss Tuesday's Gaines Detroit 3 Cleveland 2 Indianapolis 3 Grand Rapids 2 San Antonio 4 Las Vegas 2 Tonight's Games Houston at Utah 7 pm Manitoba at Quebec 5 30 Long Beach at Kansas City 6 30 nott Stevens) 1 10 4 Philadelphia Daigle 9 (Bnnd Amour Podein) 1450 Penaitiea Grat- Yterman Det (slashing) 1337 Third Period 8 Detroit Kozlov 20 (Fedorov Brown) 1 25 9 Detroit Lanooov 8 (Maltby) vivmij iw WUV" ueuuuat imaiiuyi ton Phi flashing) 08 Pederson NJ (roughing) 06 Samuelsson Phi (hcldink 1 56 EliasNJ 33 17 16 82 195 160 22 11 71 184 167 24 30 10 58 164 184 25 30 7 57 155 166 19 32 12 50 168 194 20 34 9 49 149 193 19 35 10 48 177 227 Tuesday's Games Buffalo 2 Islanders 2 tie New Jersey 2 Philadelphia 2 tie Boston 6 Detroit 3 Los Angeles 4 Phoenix 3 Tonight's Games Calgary at Pittsburgh 5 pm Florida at Ottawa 5 30 Vancouver at Montreal 5 30 San Jose at Rangers 5 30 Edmonton at Tampa Bay 5 30 St Louts at Colorado 7 pm Toronto at Anaheim 8 30 pm (tripping) 10-48 Daneyko NJ (roui Overtime None Penalties Odelem NJ mx 11-14-1742 10 38 Penalties Lapouite Det (interference) 506 Khnsbch Bos (hooking) 1135 Dafoe Bos served by Donato (roughing! 14 44 Pusbor Det (roughing) 1444 Draper Det (goalie mterfer-enceT 1444 Shots on goal Boston 13-14-10-37 tPower-Uy Opportunities Boston 3 of 7 De- Goalies Boston Dafoe 21-20-9 (37 shots-34 saves) Detroit Osgood 26-16-11 (19-15) Hodron (0-00 second 19-17) A 19983 (19983) Eeferee-Mick McGeougk 19-10-9-38 Detroit Pwer-play Opportunities Los Angeles 1 of 1 off Phoenix 1 (high-sucking) 38 Grattan Phi (hyjh-stickiag) Shots on coal New Jersey 10-119-535 Philadelphia 7-4-M 19 Power-play Opportunities New Jersey 1 of 5 Philadelphia 1 of 6 Goalie New Jersey Brodeur 36-11 7 (19 shots-17 saves) Philadelphia extail 18-11-6 A-19 649 (19511) Referee Paul Devorsh 2 Goalies Los Angeles Chabct 3-3-2 (12 shots 12 saves) Starr (4 29 second 30-27) Phoenix Khahibuhn 21-25-10 v9-5) Waite (0-00 second 11-11) A 18210(182)0) Referee Kevin Maguire ISLANDERS 2 KINGS 4 Toronto San Jose First Period 9 9 22 9 9 3-3 No Scoring Penalty Sturm MONDAYS LA1E GAMES Anaheim 9 12 63 Los Angeles 9 3 0 14 First Period No Scoring Penalties McKenna LA (interference) 5 24 Houda Ana (boidug) 9 03 Houda Ana (charging) 12 34 Stevenson Ana (roughing) 12 34 McKenna LA (roughing) 12 34 Norstrom LA (bolding) 14 29 LeRouLtuer Ana (roughing) 1652 LaPemere LA double mmor (charging roughing) 16 52 Second Period 1 Los Angeles Johnson 13 (Merger Norstrom) 6 08 (pp) Anabmm Youi (Moger Norstrom) 6 08 (pp) 2 Anaheim Young SJ interference) 1 39 Second Period No Scoring Penalties SABRES 2 (OT) UNIONDALE NY Jason Wooleys power-play goal at 7:42 of the third period lifted Buffalo to a tie with New York COYOTES 3 PHOENIX Rob Blake had a goal and an assist and Los Angeles held on to beat slumping Phoenix Burr SJ (roughing) 3 25 Hendrickson Tor (interference) 6 30 Markov Tor (interference) 9 48 Burr SJ (high-sticking) 12 37 Hendnck- son Tor (tnpptng)' 18 46 Third Period 1 Toronto Wamnar 5 (Dotni i uiuiuu naiiUKi uaiuu Los Angeles 4 6 8-4 Phoenix 9 1 23 First Period I Los Angeles Morgan 1 a viiw 'a aM mviau 9 (Rucchrn) 9 44 isn) 3 Los Angeles McKenna! (Boucher CourtnaU) 1013 (pp 4 Los Angeles Boucher 5 (Fenro) 17 47 Penalties iSvnr Ana (high-sticking) 2 41 Boucher LA (rougn-tng) 2 41 Houda Ana (tripping) 4 39 Karpa Markov) 4 30 2 San Jose Burr 4 Maclean Ricci) 1107 3 San Jose Marleau 12 iMatteao MacLean) 13 49 4 San Jose Gill 8 (Vernon) 19-23 (en) 5 Toronto Eucoun 1 (Domi) 19-59 Penalties None Buffalo 111- blacdon llll-t First Period 1 New York Nemdunov 9 (Cborske Daigneault) 9 59 (pp) 2 Buffalo Au dette 17 Plante Woolley) 13 22 tap) Penalties Plante Buf (interference) 8 39 NY (interference) 1W9 Boughner BufOwgh Nr (interference) 11 Boughner Buf (Bykraa Blake' 47 2 Los Angeles Ferraro 6 (Moger Johnson) 4-09 3 Los Angeles Blake 18 H4 tap)? (Typlakov CourtnaU) 8 14 ppM Los Angeles Ana double minor (routing) 6 17 Stevenson Murray 21 (Perrault Tsvplaxov) 15-09 Penal Ana (roughing) 13 53 Ubouhllier Ana miacoo- ties Penauli LA (hookmg) 4 30 Jtoenick Pho duct 1333 Johnson LA (roughing) 13 53 sighing? 13 (roughing) 1549 Lapouue NY Owldmg) 1549 Webb NY (roughing) 15 49 Satan Buf (interference) LaPerriere LA misconduct 13 53 Rake LA (tripping) 15 06 Mironov Ana (roughing) 16 39 Murray LA (interference) 16 39 Karpa Ana (unsportsmanlike conduct) 18 22 Banham Ana misconduct 18 22 Blake LA double minor St Louis 1 2 14 Vancouver 9 9 90 First Period 1 St Lotus Turgeon 14 (Hull Duchesne) 2 54 tap) Penalties Stax Van (booking) 2 lb York StL (holding stick) 3 14 Bure Van (hooking) 10 56 McCabe Van (interference) 1407 York EtL (interference) 15 2S Second Period 2 St Lotus McAlpme 1 (CourtnaU Pronger) 2 26 3 St Louis Conroy 9 (Pronger McAlpme) 14 42 Penalties Rivers StMholdir Second Period 5 Phoemx Toccbet 20 (Num-mmen Ronmng) 13 34 (pp) Penalties John- LA (cross-checking) 340 Boucher LA (In 1651 Sanderson Buf (bolding) 17 45 Second Period-8 New York Paiffy 35 (Rachel Berard) 6-00 (pp) Penalties Sanderson Buf (booking) 2 37 Boughner Buf (homing) 5 20 Janssens NY (roughing) 7 29 Grosek Buf (bolding) 10 23 Berard NY (crw-chHnng) 1103 Kay Buf minor misconduct game misconduct (slashing) 13 32 Paiffy NY (interference) (charging rougwng) 18 McKenna LA (un cooduc sportsmanlike conduct) 1822 ference) 12 53 Johnson LA minor- Third Period 5 Anaheim Rucchin 12 (Cullen) 1 16 (m) 6 Anaheim Selanne423 14 Penalties Houda Ana double minor (kneeing roughing) 7 10- Johnaoo LA (unsportsmanlike conduct) 7 10 Overtime 7 Los Angeles Perreault 24 (Norstrom CourtnaU) 418 tap) Penalty Marshall Ana (higb-st'ckiae) 2 53 13 48 Pilon)VY (holding) 18 44 1 1 TufOo Third Period 4 Buff 3 misconduct (rougtuug) 18 58 Carney Pto (roughing) 18 58 Third Period 6 Phoenix Ronmng 7 (Staple-ton Tverdovsky) 7 26 7 Phoenix Slaney 3 (Jan-ney Drake) 11 02 Penalty Galley LA holding Itld) 321 SboO on goal Loe Angeles 9-5-6-S) hoe- Zhitnik) 7 42 (pp) Penalties Dawe Buf (b ing) 3 07 Lachance NY (holding) 6 32 Boughner Buf (elbowing) 932 Third Period 4 St Louis Hull 24 (Murphy Turgeon) 9 21 (pp) Penalties Bertuaxi Van (hooking) 8 26 McAlpme StL (booking) 11 39 rmrm Here are just a few reasons why your business should advertise in the Yard Home special section: For our cash customers LENNOX 421600 adults (78 percent) in the Salt Lake market said "mv home still needs a lot of work MmMfEd 446400 adults (72 percent) in the Salt Lake market are planning to make home improvements of 200 or more ACCESSORIES SAVE UP TO Lake Tribune and Deseret News publishing Sunday April 5 In fact: 52 percent of adults said The Sait Lake Tribune and Deseret News are their preferred advertising source when they are ready to purchase home-improvement supplies am Crow your spring-time business with an ad in the Yard Home special section and get a 30 percent discount when you pick up your Tribune Home Carden Festival ad! Ask your account executive about limited promotional copy opportunities where you can supplement your advertising at no additional cost Source: Belden Associates 1 997 Survey of the Salt Lake Market 347200 adults (76 percent) In the Salt Lake market are planning to make landscaping or gardening improvements of 200 or more M3 PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTAT OR ELECTROSTATIC AiR FILTER OR HUMIDIFIER OR CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR These eager buyers will go straight to the Yard Home special section in The Salt Call Nowl Limited Time OSer NAHJSUU Mir Heating Air Conditioning EfQclcacy Experts BY DESIGN 1-1046 alce Sfobtmr Deseret News.