Inspired defense lifts LV over Utah

Friday, April 11, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Las Vegas Thunder avoided the basement of the Western Conference playoff race and surged into fifth place Thursday night with a 6-2 domination of the Utah Grizzlies at the Delta Center.

The Thunder is 39-34-7 for 85 points with two regular-season games left. Its victory, combined with Milwaukee's loss to Detroit, allowed Las Vegas to leapfrog Milwaukee into a tie with Kansas City for fifth place in the conference seedings. And by virtue of the International Hockey League's tie-breaking procedure, the Thunder moves ahead of the Blades (35-29-15) based on wins.

Las Vegas was boosted by inspired defensive play. The Grizzlies mustered 22 shots against a reeling Thunder blue line, which rotated three defenseman the entire game. Goaltender Parris Duffus, who has struggled of late, was beaten only on power plays, including an obstructed shot in traffic, to raise his record to 27-19-6.

In addition, two Thunder right wings closed in on milestones. Martin Gendron scored two goals, leaving him three shy of the magical mark of 50 in a season, while Patrice Lefebvre recorded a goal and two assists, putting him two points away from 400 in his career.

Gendron's first goal was the game's first. His power-play tally came at 14:01 of the first period.

Lefebvre made it 2-0 with 27 seconds left in the first on a shorthanded goal. Lefebvre poked the puck away from Yan Kaminsky at center ice, sped past Gord Dineen and blasted a shot past Don Beaupre's glove. The goal, which was unassisted, was Lefebvre's 21st this season.

Utah fell further behind after Darin Smith tipped a Joe Day shot past Beaupre at 14:34. Then, 1:29 later, Gendron scored his second goal to put Las Vegas ahead 4-0.

The Grizzlies avoided the shutout early in the third period. Chris Taylor stuffed the puck past Duffus in heavy traffic for a power-play goal.

Steve Bancroft -- he also tied a single-game IHL record with five minor penalties -- restored Las Vegas' four-goal advantage at 6:49, seven seconds after serving two minutes for roughing.

Center Rick Judson, who flew into Salt Lake City to join the Thunder four hours before the game, made it 6-1 at 8:13 of the third. Judson completed his season for Las Vegas' East Coast Hockey League affiliate Toledo early Thursday morning when it was eliminated from the playoffs.

The Thunder's triumph evened its season series with the Grizzlies, giving each team a 5-4-1 head-to-head record.