Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Thunder must wait to know playoffs foe

Despite owning the International Hockey League's best record and having long since clinched a playoff spot, the final week of the regular season still holds intrigue for the Las Vegas Thunder.

Coach Chris McSorley and his players will be watching the out-of-town scoreboard very closely this week to determine who their first-round opponent will be. And it's likely they won't know who they'll meet in the Turner Cup playoffs until Sunday when the regular season concludes in San Francisco.

The opening round, a best-of-five series, begins at the Thomas & Mack Center April 17. If the playoffs began today, Las Vegas, the No. 1 seed, would host Los Angeles, the No. 8 seed. But a lot can happen between now and Sunday.

The Ice Dogs, with 77 points, are battling Phoenix (77) and Peoria (75) for the final two spots. The top eight teams in each conference make the playoffs.

The Rivermen didn't help their cause Saturday night in losing 6-4 to the Thunder in what was the final IHL regular-season game in Peoria. The franchise will join the East Coast Hockey League next year.

Peoria closes the season with four road games, starting with a Wednesday date with red-hot Kansas City. The Rivermen play Minnesota Friday and Saturday and conclude with Chicago Sunday.

But the real battle probably is between Phoenix and LA. The Ice Dogs finish up Saturday against the Thunder at the Thomas & Mack and Sunday against the Roadrunners at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. Saturday's game could be a playoff preview while Sunday's contest could be for a spot in the postseason.

The Roadrunners will not have an easy time. Phoenix plays Tuesday at Eastern Conference leader Orlando, then meets the Aeros in Houston Wednesday.

On Friday, the Roadrunners host Utah, which holds a 6-3 edge over Phoenix, to start a three-games-in-three-nights swing to close the season. Saturday, the Roadrunners host San Francisco before ending at LA Sunday.

Head to head, the Thunder went 5-1-2 against Peoria and Phoenix this season and is 6-0 vs. Los Angeles.

Final homestand

The Thunder's final homestand of the 1995-96 season opens Tuesday at the Thomas & Mack against Chicago. The last time the Wolves visited town March 15, 19 goals were scored and 163 minutes in penalties were assessed in Las Vegas' 13-6 rout. ... On Friday, Milwaukee visits the T&M. The regular-season home finale is Saturday against Los Angeles.

50 for Sergei?

Can center Sergei Zholtok score 50 goals? After registering his third hat trick of the season in Saturday's 6-4 win over Peoria, Zholtok needs just three goals in his final four games to hit the half-century mark. But while that goal is attainable, it's going to take some work to surpass Ken Quinney's 55 goals in 1993-94 to become the Thunder's single season goal-scoring leader. ... All three of Zholtok's goals Saturday came on the power play.

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