Spud Kings fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - In front of a sold-out crowd, the Idaho Falls Spud Kings will look to keep their first playoff campaign in franchise history alive.

The Spuds will take on the Ogden Mustangs Wednesday at the Mountain American Center at 7:05 p.m. It's win or go home for Idaho Falls. The Spud Kings need to win tonight and on Saturday to move on to the next round of the National Collegiate Development Conference playoffs.

While Idaho Falls may be the newest team in the league, from this reporter's observations, the atmosphere the franchise has created makes it feel like they've been around since the league was founded.

The team's assistant GM, Chris Halls, tells us it was well worth the waiting over a decade to bring this team to town. 

"I think it (the community support) was a surprise to everybody," Halls said. "It took 12 years to build that building.

"So for it to come in and be an instant success for these players, these kids. They're treated like celebrities here in town."

Mountain America Center GM Erik Hudson believes it's a testament to an old saying, 'If you build it, they will come.'

"Hockey and other sports, these are things people wanted in the eastern Idaho region," Hudson said. So I think we have done our community justice."