Mavericks report: Missouri’s playoff hopes come down to final week

The Missouri Mavericks finish off their regular-season schedule this week with three games in Utah. The Grizzlies enter the week three points ahead of the Mavericks in the race for the final playoff spot in the Mountain Division. The Alaska Aces are two points ahead of Missouri in the division.

Mavericks’ record: The Mavericks are 32-29-8 and in sixth place in the Mountain Division with 72 points.

Last week (1-3): The Mavericks gave up three goals in the first period and three more in the third period Wednesday in a 7-2 loss to the Americans in Allen, Texas.

Missouri lost its second straight game in Allen on Thursday, falling 6-4 to the Americans. Conner Bleackley scored two goals for the Mavericks.

Dane Fox had two goals and two assists, and Rocco Carzo also scored twice in the Mavericks’ 8-2 win over the Thunder on Saturday in Wichita.

The Thunder spoiled Missouri’s final game of the regular season at Silverstein Eye Centers Arena by scoring two goals in the final 25 seconds for a 5-3 victory Sunday.

This week: The Mavericks head to West Valley City, Utah, for 8 p.m. games Wednesday, Friday and Saturday against the Grizzlies. Missouri has faced Utah once this season and lost 5-3 at home.

Leaders: Goals: Fox, 32; Assists: Fox, 41; Points: Fox, 73; Wins: Josh Robinson, 13; Goals-against average: Zach Nagelvoort, 2.00.

Notable: Nagelvoort got the win in his first start as a pro Saturday in Wichita, stopping 31 of 33 shots. … Fox’s 73 points are a single-season record for a Mavericks player in the ECHL. Sebastien Thinel had 70 points in 2014-15.