After Las Vegas' 6-3 win over Bakersfield today, and Utah's 4-3 shootout win over Stockton, the playoff picture in the ECHL's eight-team National Conference just got even tighter.

Get this: Just six points separates second-place and faltering Bakersfield (69 points) -- 4-9-0 in its last 13 games -- and last-place Ontario (63 points). The Alaska Aces, 4-3 shootout losers to Ontario on Saturday night, are tied for fifth place with Stockton at 65 points.

So, basically, 60+ games into a 72-game regular season, the only team that is safe is conference-leading Idaho (89 points), which already has clinched a playoff spot and is far away the class of the conference. Even third-place Victoria (68 points), once a safe playoff bet seemingly, has little room for more error -- the Salmon Kings are just 2-8-0 in their last 10 after getting pounded three times at home by Idaho (the Steelheads outscored the Other Fish, 17-6).

Anyhow, here's the current standings, with games remaining in parentheses:

1) Idaho, 89 points (12)
2) Bakersfield, 69 (10)
3) Victoria, 68 (9)
4) Las Vegas, 67 (9)
5) tie, Stockton, 65 (11); and the Aces, 65 (10)
7) Utah, 64 (11)
8) Ontario, 63 (10)