Grizzlies Preview: March 27, 2021 Tulsa at Utah

Tulsa Oilers (19-17-2-1, .526 Win %) at Utah Grizzlies (16-13-4-5 .539 Win%)March 27, 2021 | 7:10 PM | Game #39 | Maverik CenterReferee: Sean MacFarlaneLinesmen: Andrew Collins, Kollin Kleinendorst.  

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 the 3rd game of the big 4 game series vs Tulsa. It’s the Oilers only series in Maverik Center this season. It’s the 4th season meeting between the clubs. They met 3 times at BOK Center in early January and all 3 games were decided by 1 goal.

Last Night: Maxwell Scores in Grizz Loss

Mitch Maxwell scored 5:01 into the third period in the 3-1 loss to Tulsa on Friday night at Maverik Center. Tulsa’s Adam Pleskach and Matt Lane each had 1 goal and 1 assist. Tulsa goalie Devin Williams saved 34 of 35 to get his 6th win of the season. Utah’s Trevor Gorsuch saved 22 of 25.

Last Wednesday Game: Boucher, Hoover and Gorsuch Play Key Roles in 4-2 Win

Matthew Boucher scored 3 goals in the third period to turn a 2-1 Tulsa lead into a 4-2 Grizzlies win. Boucher scored the game winning goal with 1:57 left in the third period on a pass from Jack Jenkins. Boucher’s hat trick is the 2nd hat trick by a Grizzlies skater this season. Matt Hoover scored a second period goal on a Cedric Pare pass. Trevor Gursuch made his home debut and saved 30 of 32.

Very Competitive Western Conference

All 7 teams in the Western Conference have a .500 winning percentage or better.

This Week’s Transactions

Defenseman Hunter Skinner was loaned to the Hartford Wolf Pack on March 25th. Skinner, 19, has 7 goals and 10 assists in 25 games for Utah. Goaltender Brad Barone was traded to the Rapid City Rush on March 24th. Barone in 2 seasons with Utah had a record of 9-5-2-2 with a .903 save percentage and a 2.74 goals against average. Defenseman Garrett Johnston returns to the Grizzlies lineup on March 24th after being returned from a loan with the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights. Johnston has 3 assists in 31 games for Utah this season. Forward Josh Dickinson was reassigned to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. Josh has 1 goal and 2 assists in 5 games for Utah.

Many April Road Games

After the 4 game series with Tulsa 12 of the next 15 games will be away from Maverik Center. The only 3 home games for Utah in April will be on the 14th, 16th-17th vs Kansas City.

2020-2021 Regular Season Totals (league rankings)

Overall record: 16-13-4-5

Home record: 10-5-2-3

Road record: 6-8-2-2

Win percentage: .539 (5th in Western Conference).

Streak: Lost 1.

Standings Points: 41

Last 10: 3-6-1

Goals per game: 1.95 (Tied 5th). Goals for: 112

Goals against per game: 3.39 (13th). Goals against: 129

Shots per game: 32.97 (2nd).

Shots against per game: 29.42 (7th).

Power Play: 20.4 % - 31 for 152 (2nd).

Penalty Kill: 80.3 % - 106 for 132 (11th).

Penalty Minutes: 466 (12.26 per game).

Shorthanded Goals: 5 (3rd) Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 5 (Tied for 10th)

Players Used: 44

Attendance: 33,275 (1,664 per game).

Record When Scoring First: 10-5-1. 

Team Leaders (2020-21 season)

Goals: Matthew Boucher (14)

Assists: Boucher/Trey Bradley (17)

Points: Boucher (31)

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

PIM: Teigan Zahn (50)

Power Play Points: Pat Cannone (11)

Shots on Goal: Matthew Boucher (118) 

Shooting Percentage: Nick Henry (20.0%) – Minimum 15 shots.

Game Winning Goals: Pat Cannone/Nick Henry/Matthew Boucher (2)

Wins: Brad Barone (5)

Save %: Parker Gahagen (.930)

Goals Against Average: Gahagen (2.12).

Current Roster

Forwards: Travis Barron, Matthew Boucher, Trey Bradley, Pat Cannone, Charlie Gerard, Matt Hoover, Christian Horn, Jack Jenkins, Ty Lewis, Mitch Maxwell, Cedric Pare, Jared Pike, Joe Wegwerth. AJ White.

Defenseman: Brandon Fehd, Miles Gendron, Garrett Johnston, Alex Lepkowski, Ryan Lowney, Michael Prapavessis, Teigan Zahn.

Goaltenders: Kevin Carr, Trevor Gorsuch, Garrett Metcalf.

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

Friday, March 19th, 2021 – Utah 5 Rapid City 4 (Shootout) – Hunter Skinner scored shootout game winner. Charlie Gerard had 2 goals. Jack Jenkins and Matt Hoover added goals for the Grizz.

Saturday, March 20th, 2021 – Utah 0 Rapid City 7 – Utah had 30 shots on goal.

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

Wednesday, March 24th, 2021 – Tulsa 2 Utah 4. – Matthew Boucher scored 3 goals in the third period, including the game winner with 1:57 left in regulation. Matt Hoover had 1 goal and 1 assist. Trevor Gorsuch saved 30 of 32 in his Maverik Center debut.

Friday, March 26th, 2021 – Tulsa 3 Utah 1. Mitch Maxwell scored his first goal of the season. Utah outshot Tulsa 35-25.

Saturday, March 27th, 2021 – Tulsa at Utah. 7:10 pm. Make-up game for the December 19th postponement.

Sunday, March 28th, 2021 – Tulsa at Utah. 1:10 pm. Utah is 4-0 on Sundays at home.

Next Week’s Games

Friday, April 1st, 2021 – Utah at Allen. 6:05 pm.

Saturday, April 2nd, 2021 – Utah at Allen. 6:05 pm.

Sunday, April 3rd, 2021 – Utah at Allen. 6:05 pm.

All times Mountain.

Grizzlies Among League leaders

Matthew Boucher leads all rookies in goals (14), assists (17), points (31) and shots on goal (118). Pare is 3rd in shots among rookies with 85. Hunter Skinner leads the league with 3 shootout goals. Skinner is 2nd in goals among defenseman with 7. Ryan Lowney leads all league defenseman with 4 power play goals. Cannone is tied for 4th in the league with 11 power play points.

Season Series vs Tulsa

It’s the 6th season meeting between the clubs. Tulsa swept Utah in a 3 game series on January 8th-10th at BOK Center. The Grizzlies originally had Tulsa on the schedule for December 18th and 19th at Maverik Center but the games were postponed due to COVID protocols. The December 18th game will be made up on March 26th and the December 19th game will be made up on March 27th. Charlie Gerard is a name to keep an eye on. He had 2 goals in the 3 game series in January. Brandon Fehd had 2 assists on March 24th. Fehd is playing against Tulsa with his 3rd different team. He appeared in 3 games vs Tulsa as a member of the Indy Fuel and 1 game with Rapid City. Utah will play at Tulsa on April 30th, May 1st and May 14th-16th.

Tulsa 3 @ Utah 1 (Mar 26 2021)

Tulsa 2 @ Utah 4 (Mar 24 2021)

Utah 2 @ Tulsa 3 (Jan 10 2021) SO

Utah 0 @ Tulsa 1 (Jan 9 2021)

Utah 2 @ Tulsa 3 (Jan 8 2021) OT