November 2nd Game Preview: Idaho at Utah

Utah Grizzlies (3-3-2) at Idaho Steelheads (5-1-2). Saturday November 2, 2019. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center.

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

It’s the second game of a 3 game, 2 city series. It’s game 4 of 16 regular season meetings between the division rivals. Idaho won each game in the first weekend of the regular season. Steelheads won 3-2 on October 11th and 3-1 on October 12th at Maverik Center. Utah won 5-4 last night in Boise. The road team has won each of the first 3 games of the season series.

Tonight's Promotions

Tonight is Share the Warmth Presented by Ford, a winter clothing drive. It's also a Lucky's Family Night with 4 tickets, 4 drinks, 4 hot dogs and a $10 off voucher to Lucky's Low Prices. 

Sunday's game is a 1 pm afternoon game. The Budweiser Clydesdales will be at Maverik Center from Noon to 2 pm. There is also the first postgame skate of the season.

Last Game: Utah Grizzlies 5 Idaho Steelheads 4

Yuri Terao scored the game winner with 1:59 left in regulation as Utah took a 5-4 lead. Grizz got a 1 goal and 1 assist game from Tim McGauley, Ryan Wagner and Griffen Molino. Patrick McGrath scored his first ECHL goal since the Obama administration (He was with the AHL’s Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins the past 3 seasons). Utah won despite losing the special teams battle. Idaho was 2 for 3 on the power play, while Utah was 0 for 1. Goaltender Jeff Smith stopped 35 of 39 to stay perfect on the year. Smith has a record of 3-0. The Grizzlies have scored 22 goals in the 3 games Smith has started.

Ryan Wagner is the Real Deal

Wagner has been great the past 3 games as he has 2 goals and 4 assists for Utah. Wagner is a second year pro out of the University of Wisconsin. He spent last season with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, where he had 4 goals and 3 assists.

Grizzlies Add Defenseman Sasha Larocque

Larocque played for THE Ohio State University for 4 seasons. He’s 6’0” and 205 pounds. In 4 seasons for THE, he had 8 goals and 29 assists. He was real good in the plus/minus category as he was a combined +47 in 4 seasons.

JC Brassard Impressed in Grizzlies Debut

Defenseman JC Brassard had 1 assist and was a +2 for Utah in the win over Idaho on Friday night. Brassard played in 34 games for the Greenville Swamp Rabbits in the 2018-19 season, scoring 2 goals and 12 assists. Brassard is wearing number 14 for the Grizz. He was acquired by Utah on October 15th from Greenville for Future Considerations.

Josh Dickinson and Cole Cassels Gone to the AHL

The headline says it all. Dickinson goes to the Colorado Eagles, where he had an assist in the Eagles 5-4 loss to San Diego last night. Dickinson leads the league with 9 goals. Cassels goes to the Belleville Senators. Cassels has 8 assists in 7 games for Utah. He won’t be new to the league as Cassels has 202 games of AHL experience, scoring 15 goals and 29 assists.

Player Streaks

Taylor Richart has a point in 5 straight games (2 goals, 4 assists). Ryan Wagner has a point in 3 straight (2 goals, 4 assists). Tim McGauley has a point in 5 straight that he’s appeared in as he missed the October 25th game at Rapid City.

McGauley Gets Number 1 Star in Win

Tim McGauley had 1 goal and 1 assist and was a +3 for Utah in the 5-4 win over Idaho. McGauley had 14 goals and 14 assists in 39 games last season for Utah. McGauley was instrumental in the success that Josh Dickinson had for Utah in the month of October as McGauley assisted on 4 of Dickinson’s 9 goals.

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 is tied for the lead with 9 goals. Dickinson and Barron are tied for 7th with 11 points. Patrick McGrath leads the league with 35 penalty minutes. Griffen Molino is tied for the league lead in plus/minus at +8. Eric Williams is tied for 3rd at +7. Williams leads all rookies at +7. Yuri Terao is second among first year pros at +6.  Cole Cassels leads the league with 5 power play assists. Brandon Saigeon leads rookies with 4 power play assists.

Special Teams

The Grizzlies are facing the Steelheads, who have the number 1 penalty kill unit in the league. Idaho is a 88.9 percent success rate. The Grizzlies penalty kill is 9th at 83.8 percent and dropped from 2nd to 9th after Idaho went 2 for 3 on the power play on Friday night. Utah’s power play is 7th best at 22.7 percent (10 for 44).

Utah vs Idaho

October 11th Idaho 3 Utah 2.

October 12th Idaho 3 Utah 1.

November 1st – Utah 5 Idaho 4.

November 2nd and 3rd – Idaho at Utah.

January 20th – Idaho at Utah. MLK day 1 pm start.

February 7th and 8th – Utah at Idaho.

February 26th, 28th and 29th – Utah at Idaho.

March 20th and 21st – Utah at Idaho.

April 1st and 3rd – Idaho at Utah.

April 4th – Utah at Idaho.

Third Period Shot Difference

The Grizzlies are outshooting opponents 85 to 59 in the third period this season. Utah has a 9-6 goal edge in the 3rd.

Previous Week's Record:

2019-2020 Regular Season Totals

Overall record: 3-3-1-1

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

Road record: 2-1-1-1. Grizz have outscored opponents 25-21 in the road.  

This Week's Games: (Utah is at Idaho on November 1st and hosts Idaho on November 2nd and 3rd).

Last 10 games: Utah is 3-3-2.  

Goals per game: 4.38 (3rd best in the league).

Goals against per game: 3.50 (13h). 

Shots per game: 33.00 (10th).

Shots against per game: 29.38 (7th). 

Power play: 22.7 % (10 for 44) (7th).

Penalty Kill: 83.8 % (31 for 37) (9th). 

Scoring By Period

First Period: Utah 12 Opponents 9.

Second Period: Utah 14 Opponents 11.

Third Period: Utah 9 Opponents 6.

Shots By Period

First Period: Utah 84 Opponents 88.

Second Period: Utah 92 Opponents 80.

Third Period: 85 Opponents 59.

Team Leaders

Goals: Josh Dickinson (9)

Assists: Cole Cassels (8)

Points: Travis Barron, Dickinson (11)

+/-: Griffen Molino (+8)

PIM: Patrick McGrath (35)

Power Play Points: Cassels, Barron (6)

Shots on Goal: Josh Dickinson (30)

Wins: Jeff Smith (3)

Save %: Hunter Miska (.923)

Goals Against Average: Jeff Smith (3.01)

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.