Feb. 19, 2021 Grizzlies Preview: Utah Signs Defenseman Brandon Fehd

Rapid City Rush (9-15, .375 Win%) at Utah Grizzlies (10-5-3-4, .614 Win %)February 19, 2021 | 7:10 PM | Game #23 | Maverik CenterReferees: Alex Normandin (#26)Linesmen: Kollin Kleinendorst (#87), Craig Peterson (#58). 

Where to See and Hear the Game  

You can catch every game on Flohockey.TV, the new home for ECHL.TV. The games can also be heard on Mixlr, the new broadcast home for Grizzlies hockey.Watch Live:  https://www.flohockey.tv/Listen Live: https://mixlr.com/utah-grizzlies

The Match-up

It’s a first of a three game weekend series at Maverik Center. It’s the 8th season meeting between the clubs. Utah is 5-1-1 vs the Rush this season.

Grizzlies Signed Defenseman Brandon Fehd

Grizzlies signed former Rapid City defenseman Brandon Fehd. He played in 100 games for the Rush, scoring 3 goals and 14 assists. Fehd was with the Grizzlies in training camp prior to the 2017-18 season. He also has 4 games of experience with the Indy Fuel this season and previous SPHL time with 4 different teams. Fehd will wear number 34 for the Grizzlies. With Rapid City, Fehd was number 93.

Shmyr had successful First Weekend

Braylon Shmyr had 4 points in 2 games last week, including a 3 point performance on Feb. 14 (1g, 2a). He was claimed off waivers on Feb. 10, 2021 from the Allen Americans. Shmyr has previous experience with 2 different AHL clubs and ECHL experience with Allen, Norfolk and Jacksonville. Shmyr’s best pro season was with the Allen Americans in the 2018-19 season, where he scored 20 goals and 24 assists in 64 games.

Evan Buitenhuis Should Have Been Goaltender of the Week

Evan Buitenhuis made his first two starts in a Grizzlies Uniform, saving 29 of 31 on Feb. 12 vs Wichita and 24 of 25 on Feb. 14th’s 6-1 win vs Wichita. Prior to coming to the Grizzlies, Evan spent 2 seasons with the Worcester Railers, where he won 24 games over 2 seasons.

Power Play is Number 1 in the League

Utah is 4 for 18 on the power play in the last 5 games. Pat Cannone leads the club with 8 power play points (3 goals, 5 assists). Utah has a power play goal in 15 of their 22 games this season. They have also scored 2 goals that were within 5 seconds after a power play ended. Utah is the number 1 power play unit in the league at 21.7 percent.

Point Streaks and Trends

Matthew Boucher has 5 multi point games this season. Boucher has 6 points in 6 games in February. Pat Cannone has a 6 game point streak, though he has missed the last 4 games. Christian Horn has an assist in 3 straight games.

Grizzlies Among League leaders

Brad Barone is 3rd in the league in save percentage at .935. Matthew Boucher leads all rookies with 17 points and his 11 assists are tied for all rookies. Boucher’s 68 shots on goal are 2nd among rookies and Cedric Pare is 3rd in shots among rookies with 53.

Rapid City Series

Utah is 5-1-1 vs the Rush this season.

Utah 4 @ Rapid City 5 (Jan 23 2021) Final OT

Utah 3 @ Rapid City 2 (Jan 22 2021) Final

Rapid City 2 @ Utah 3 (Jan 2 2021) Final

Rapid City 3 @ Utah 4 (Jan 1 2021) Final

Rapid City 3 @ Utah 6 (Dec 31 2020) Final

Utah 3 @ Rapid City 1 (Dec 12 2020) Final

Utah 4 @ Rapid City 6 (Dec 11 2020) Final

Utah is 16-8-0-1 at home vs Rapid City in the last 5 seasons.

Diego Cuglietta has 7 points in 5 games vs RC. Cuglietta was the league player of the week the first weekend of the season for his 2 games at RC. Joe Wegwerth has 6 points in 5 games vs the Rush. Trey Bradley, Pat Cannone, Jack Jenkins and Matthew Boucher each has 5 points.

Utah has had 4 different goaltenders start games vs the Rush this season.

Upcoming Games vs Rush

Feb. 19 Rapid City at Utah 7:10 pm MST

Feb. 20 Rapid City at Utah 7:10 pm MST

Feb. 21 Rapid City at Utah 1:10 pm MST

Mar. 19 Utah at Rapid City 7:05 pm MDT

Mar. 20 Utah at Rapid City 7:05 pm MDT

May. 4 Rapid City at Utah 7:10 pm MDT

May. 5 Rapid City at Utah 7:10 pm MDT

May. 7 Rapid City at Utah 7:10 pm MDT

May. 8 Rapid City at Utah 7:10 pm MDT

2020-2021 Regular Season Totals (league rankings)

Overall record: 10-5-3-4

Home record: 6-3-1-2

Road record: 4-2-2-2

Win percentage: .614 (3rd in Western Conference).

Streak: Won 1.

Standings Points: 27

Last 10: 4-2-1-3

Goals per game: 3.05 (5th in the league). Goals for: 67

Goals against per game: 2.95 (Tied 7th). Goals against: 65

Shots per game: 31.95 (6th).

Shots against per game: 29.32 (4th).

Power Play: 21.7 % - 18 for 63 (1st). – Utah is 4 for 18 in the last 5 games.

Penalty Kill: 82.5 % - 66 for 80 (9th). Utah is 17 for 18 on the penalty kill in the last 5 games.

Shorthanded Goals: 4 (Tied for 3rd) Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 4 (Tied for 11th)

Record When Scoring First: 7-2-1.  Utah has scored first in 10 of the 22 games.

Team Leaders (2020-21 season)

Goals: Pat Cannone/Matthew Boucher/Cedric Pare (6)

Assists: Boucher (11)

Points: Boucher (17)

Plus/Minus: Matt Abt (+8) Jack Jenkins leads active Grizzlies at +7.

PIM: Teigan Zahn (28)

Power Play Points: Cannone (8)

Shots on Goal: Matthew Boucher (68) 

Shooting Percentage: Ian Scheid (18.8 %) Joe Wegwerth (18.2 %) leads active Grizzlies.

Game Winning Goals: Pat Cannone (2)

Wins: Peyton Jones/Brad Barone (4)

Save %: Evan Buitenhuis (.945)

Goals Against Average: Buitenhuis (1.42).

Forwards: Matthew Boucher, Trey Bradley, Pat Cannone, Diego Cuglietta, Matt Hoover, Christian Horn, Jack Jenkins, Mitch Maxwell, Cedric Pare, Jared Pike, Braylon Shmyr, Yuri Terao, Joe Wegwerth. AJ White.

Defenseman: Brandon Fehd, Garrett Johnston, Ryker Killins, Alex Lepkowski, Ryan Lowney, Kris Myllari, Hunter Skinner, Teigan Zahn.

Goaltenders: Brad Barone, Evan Buitenhuis.

This Week’s Games (All games can be seen on Flohockey.tv and Mixlr)

Friday, February 19th, 2021 – Rapid City at Utah. 7:10 pm. 

Saturday, February 20th, 2021 – Rapid City at Utah. 7:10 pm.

Sunday, February 21th, 2021 – Rapid City at Utah. 1:10 pm.

Last Week’s Games

February 9th, 2021 – Utah 1 Allen 2 (Shootout) – Matthew Boucher scored a 2nd period power play goal. Utah outshot Allen 32 to 25.

February 12th, 2021 – Wichita 3 Utah 2 (Shootout) – Diego Cuglietta and AJ White scored goals for Utah. Evan Buitenhuis stopped 29 of 31 in his first Utah start.

February 13th, 2021 – Wichita 4 Utah 2 – Braylon Shmyr scored a first period goal in his Grizzlies debut. Jack Jenkins added a 2nd period goal.

February 14th, 2021 – Wichita 1 Utah 6 – Matthew Boucher (2 goals, 1 assist) and Braylon Shmyr (1 goal, 2 assists) each had 3 points. Cedric Pare, Jared Pike and Trey Bradley added goals for Utah. Matt Hoover and Ryker Killins each had 2 assists. Evan Buitenhuis stopped 24 of 25 in his first win of the season.