Don't misunderstand. Utah Grizzlies coach Don Hay would have preferred to wrap things up Thursday in the E Center. Problem is, Houston didn't cooperate. And now the AHL Western Conference quarterfinal series returns to Texas today (6:30 p.m., ESPN Radio 1230 AM) for a decisive fifth game .
"Everybody prepares to play a five-game series. We said all along that either team — being so evenly matched — could win in the other team's building," said Hay. "Going to Game 5, though, we definitely have to come with a better approach."
A slow start doomed Utah in Game 4. The Grizz could have won the series with a victory but wound up getting shutout instead.
"We should have had the momentum," said Utah goalie Wade Flaherty, who stopped 41 shots in the 2-0 setback. "But, right from the opening face-off, we let them build their confidence."
Team captain Mark Wotton isn't sure why the Grizz were outplayed.
"They came out harder than we did. Maybe we put too much pressure on ourselves," he said. "Maybe that was the problem. I don't know. We'll sit and we'll talk about it and hopefully figure something out before the next game."
It's a task, Wotton is sure the Grizz can accomplish. Confidence, he added, is what put Utah in the playoffs. And after winning Game 2 in the Compaq Center, the team believes the final contest is up for grabs.
"The games are so close. It's so close that home-ice advantage in the series really doesn't matter," said Flaherty. "We've got to regroup and head into Houston. We've got confidence.
"It's the playoffs, you're going to lose some games," he added. "Now we're in a situation where the winner of one game takes it."
With so much electricity in the air, Utah can ill afford another power outage. The Grizz have failed to capitalize on all 21 of their power-play opportunities in the series.
Hay said the Aeros have simply outworked the Grizz in that department. Houston's pressure has successfully frustrated Utah — especially in Game 4.
"We're disappointed in the outcome," Hay said after the loss. "The team that won deserved to win with the way they played. We all know we can play better and we have to be prepared to play a lot better in Game 5."
Because, for the loser, there is no tomorrow.
AHL Playoffs
Best-of-5: Utah leads 2-1
GAME 1:
Houston 4, GRIZZLIES0
GAME 2:
GRIZZLIES3, Houston 2 (OT)
GAME 3:
GRIZZLIES 2, Houston 1
GAME 4:
Houston 2, GRIZZLIES 0
GAME 5:
Saturday at Houston *
E-mail: dirk@desnews.com