Grizzlies at Rapid City tonight

Utah Grizzlies at Rapid City Rush. Friday October 25, 2019. 7:05 pm. Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

Classic Country 1370, 104.3 FM HD-2. ECHL.TV.  

It’s the first of 13 season meetings between the Mountain Division rivals. The Grizz will play the Rush 6 times at Rapid City and 7 times at Maverik Center. Utah is coming off a great week offensively, scoring 21 goals in 3 games, while picking up 5 of 6 standings points.

Previous Week's Record:

2019-2020 Regular Season Totals

Overall record:2-2-1-0

Home record: 1-2. Grizzlies have outscored opponents 10-7 at home.

Road record: 1-0-1. Grizz won 10-4 on Oct. 18 at Allen. And lost in OT 5-4 on October 19th. Grizz have outscored opponents 14-9 in the road.

This Week's Games:(Utah defeats Wichita 7-1 on October 16th and won 10-4 at Allen on October 18th. Utah lost in OT at Allen 5-4.

Last 10 games:Utah is 2-2-1.

Goals per game:4.80 (3rd in the league).

Goals against per game:3.20 (8h).

Shots per game:35.00 (5th).

Shots against per game: 26.60 (4th).

Power play:25.0 % (7 for 28) (9th).

Penalty Kill:90.5 % (19 for 21) (4th).

Scoring By Period

First Period: Utah 9 Opponents 6.

Second Period: Utah 10 Opponents 8.

Third Period: Utah 5 Opponents 1.

Team Leaders

Goals: Josh Dickinson (7)

Assists: Cole Cassels (7)

Points: Travis Barron (10)

Plus/Minus: Griffen Molino, Eric Williams, Connor Yau (+6)

PIM: Patrick McGrath (17)

Power Play Points: Travis Barron, Cole Cassels (5)

Shots on Goal: Josh Dickinson (22)

Wins: Jeff Smith (2)

Save %: Hunter Miska (.923)

Last Game: Lost 5-4 in OT at Allen

The Grizz got 3 goals in a stretch of 3 minutes 49 seconds to turn a 3-1 Allen lead into a 4-3 Utah lead. Cole Cassels had 1 goal and 2 assists. Travis Barron had 1 goal and 1 assist and Josh Dickinson and Tim McGauley added goals. Utah outshot Allen 42 to 26.

Grizzlies Add Defenseman Josh Anderson

Defenseman Josh Anderson has been added to the roster as he comes over from the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. Anderson appeared in 55 games for Utah last season, scoring 1 goal and 5 assists. He scored the eventual game winning goal with 9 minutes left in regulation in a 2-1 win over Tulsa on January 29th. Anderson has good size at 6’3” and 225 pounds.

Player of the Week Josh Dickinson

Josh Dickinson has 7 goals and 1 assist last week in 3 games. He was named Inglasco ECHL Player of the Week for his efforts from October 14th-20th. Dickinson’s 7 goals currently lead the league. He is second with 22 shots on goal. He became the first Grizzlies player since Colin Vock on February 1st and 2nd, 2013 to get back to back hat tricks. Last year Matt Berry had the only regular season hat trick and Tim McGauley scored 3 goals in game 4 of the 2019 Kelly Cup Playoff series vs Idaho. Josh is the younger brother of Dallas Stars forward Jason Dickinson. 

Travis Barron’s Goal Streak Hits 5

With how outstanding Josh Dickinson’s week was, it overshadows the great start of the season for Travis Barron. Barron has scored a goal in each of the 5 games so far this season. Barron is tied for 2nd in the league with 10 points (6 goals, 4 assists). Barron is second in the league with 6 goals, only trailing teammate Josh Dickinson.

McGauley to Dickinson…He Shoots He Scores

On 4 of Josh Dickinson’s 7 goals, the assist went to Tim McGauley. McGauley has 1 goal and 4 assist in 5 games this season. McGauley had 14 goals and 14 assists in 39 games last season for Utah.

8 Skaters Collect Multiple Points in 10-4 Friday Night Win

8 different Grizzlies skaters scored 2 or more points in the 10-4 win over Allen. Josh Dickinson scored 3 goals. Travis Barron had 1 goal and 3 assists. Griffen Molino, Cole Cassels and Taylor Richart each had 1 goal and 1 assist and Ryan Wagner, Tim McGauley and Yuri Terao each had 2 assists. Molino has 2 goals and 2 assists in his last 2 games. It was the first time the Grizzlies scored double digits in goals since the old IHL days on November 15th, 1995 against the Chicago Wolves. The Grizzlies ended up winning the championship that season.

First Professional Goals Early in the Season

Defenseman Eric Williams and Forward Felix Lauzon each scored their first professional goals in the 10-4 win on Friday night. Earlier this week Joe Wegwerth scores his first pro goal. Wegwerth, the rookie out of Notre Dame has a goal in 2 straight games. Yuri Terao scored his first professional goal on October 11th vs Idaho.

League Leaders

Josh Dickinson leads the league with 7 goals. Dickinson is second in the league with 22 shots on goal. Travis Barron is 2nd in the league with 6 goals. Barron is also tied for 2nd in the league with 10 points. Dickinson is tied for 5th with 8 points. Cole Cassels is 4th in the league with 9 points (2 goals, 7 assists). Cassels 7 assists are 2nd in the league. Cassels leads the league with 4 power play assists. Barron and Cassels are tied for 2nd with 5 power play points. Brandon Saigeon leads all rookies with 3 power play assists. Taylor Richart is 3rd in the league with 18 shots on goal by a defenseman.

Special Teams in the Top Ten

The Grizzlies currently rank 9th in the league on the power play at 25% (7 for 28). Utah was 5 for 19 last week in 3 games. The penalty kill unit is 4th best in the league, 19 for 21 (90.5%).

Utah vs Rapid City

October 25th and 26th – Utah at Rapid City.

December 6th and 7th – Utah at Rapid City.

January 3rd, 4th and 5th – Rapid City at Utah.

February 17th and 19th – Rapid City at Utah.

March 6th and 7th – Utah at Rapid City.

March 27th and 28th – Rapid City at Utah.   

Third Period Shot Difference

The Grizzlies are outshooting opponents 56 to 23 in the third period this season. Utah has a 5-1 goal edge in the 3rd.

Cole Cassels Leads Grizzlies in AHL Experience

There are 14 different players who combined for 691 AHL games among those on the opening day roster. The player with the most experience is Cole Cassels, who has appeared in 202 AHL games over 3 seasons with the Utica Comets. Cassels has 1 goal and 5 assists so far in 4 games this season.

Returning Players

8 players return from the 2018-2019 team. 3 defenseman and 5 forwards. Defenseman Kevin Davis, Taylor Richart and Teigan Zahn. Forwards Travis Barron, Josh Dickinson, Mike Economos, Mitch Maxwell and Tim McGauley.

Richart Named Grizzlies Captain

Defenseman Taylor Richart was named captain of the Grizzlies on October 11th. Richart is in his fourth season with the club. He tied for the league lead with 17 goals by a defenseman in the 2017-18 season.

Last year’s captain Teigan Zahn is still with the club as a player/assistant coach. Zahn appeared in all 72 games last year but was out for opening night before returning to the lineup on October 12th.

Classic Country 1370 AM Is Home of Grizzlies Hockey

All 72 regular season games and the postseason will be heard on Classic Country 1370 AM. The games are also in HD at 104.3 FM HD2. Online Classic Country 1370 can be found at cc1370.com.

Scouting the Rapid City Rush

The Rush are off to a 3-1-1 start to their first season as an affiliate of the Arizona Coyotes. Giovanni Fiore has scored a goal in 4 straight games. Fiore is tied with Peter Quenneville with 8 points. Rapid City is 8 for 22 (36.4 percent) on the power play over the last 4 games. Overall they are 6th in the league with a 26.7 percent successful power play. Rush have outscored opponents 19 to 11 and are 34d in the league in goals allowed per game. Tonight is the home opener for the Rush at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.