Grizzlies Preview: Tulsa at Utah, March 24, 2021

Tulsa Oilers (18-16-2-1, .527 Win %) at Utah Grizzlies (15-12-4-5 .542 Win%)March 24, 2021 | 7:10 PM | Game #37 | Maverik CenterReferee: Sean MacFarlaneLinesmen: Kollin Kleinendorst, Andrew Collins.  

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 1st 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.

Many April Road Games

The Grizzlies need to take advantage of home ice this week because 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.

Last Friday Night

Utah won 5-4 in a shootout at Rapid City. Charlie Gerard scored 2 goals. Jack Jenkins and Matt Hoover also lit the lamp. Hunter Skinner scored the only goal in the shootout as he’s credited with the game winner. Kevin Carr saved 31 of 35 and all 3 in the shootout for his 4th win of the season. It was Utah’s first shootout win of the season.

This Week’s Transactions

Defenseman Garrett Johnston returns to the Grizzlies lineup after being returned from a loan with the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights. Johnston has 3 assists in 30 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.

Local Boy Comes Home

Grizzlies signed goaltender Garrett Metcalf on March 16th. He was born in Salt Lake City on March 5th, 1996. Metcalf was drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in the 6th round, 179th overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. He played with Long Island University in the 2020-21 season and had a 2-7 record with a .901 save percentage and a 4.02 GAA. Metcalf also played in 2 seasons at Mercyhurst University in 2019 and 2020. Garrett has good size at 6’4” and 190 pounds.

Could Be Home Debut for Prapavessis and Gorsuch

Defenseman Michael Prapavessis and Goaltender Trevor Gorsuch will be making their home debuts this week at Maverik Center. Prapavessis had 1 assist and was a +3 on March 19th at Rapid City in the 5-4 shootout win. Prapavessis played in 15 games with the Orlando Solar Bears earlier this season. He was acquired in a trade with the Solar Bears for future considerations on March 16th.

Gorsuch played the last 48 minutes of the March 20th game vs Rapid City. He stopped 26 of 30 in the loss. Gorsuch was originally going to play for the Toledo Walleye this season but they decided to sit out the year. Gorsuch is 5-1 in 6 professional starts.

Grizzlies Among League leaders

Matthew Boucher leads all rookies in goals (11), assists (16), points (27) and shots on goal (110). Pare is 3rd in shots among rookies with 79. 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 2nd in the league with 11 power play points.

Season Series vs Tulsa

It’s the 4th 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 will be 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 2 @ Tulsa 3 (Jan 10 2021) SO

Utah 0 @ Tulsa 1 (Jan 9 2021)

Utah 2 @ Tulsa 3 (Jan 8 2021) OT

May I interest you in a 1 goal game?

20 of the 36 games Utah has played this season have been 1 goal contests. All 3 meetings with Tulsa this season were decided by 1 goal.  

Hunter Skinner

Skinner leads all rookie defenseman with 7 goals. He scored the only goal in the shootout last Friday night in Utah’s 5-4 win. Skinner leads the league with 3 shootout goals. He is the only defenseman in the league with a shootout game winner.

2020-2021 Regular Season Totals (league rankings)

Overall record: 15-12-4-5

Home record: 9-4-2-3

Road record: 6-8-2-2

Win percentage: .542 (4th in Western Conference).

Streak: lost 1.

Standings Points: 39

Last 10: 3-6-1

Goals per game: 2.97 (5th). Goals for: 107

Goals against per game: 3.44 (13th). Goals against: 124

Shots per game: 32.89 (3rd).

Shots against per game: 29.47 (6th).

Power Play: 21.4 % - 31 for 145 (2nd).

Penalty Kill: 80.0 % - 100 for 125 (13th).

Penalty Minutes: 448 (12.44 per game).

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

Players Used: 44 – Michael Prapavessis and Trevor Gorsuch each made Grizzlies debut last weekend at RC.

Attendance: 29,644 (1,648 per game).

Record When Scoring First: 10-5-1. 

Team Leaders (2020-21 season)

Goals: Matthew Boucher (11)

Assists: Boucher (16)

Points: Boucher (27)

Plus/Minus: Matt Abt (+8) Jack Jenkins leads active Grizzlies at +5.

PIM: Teigan Zahn (48)

Power Play Points: Pat Cannone (11)

Shots on Goal: Matthew Boucher (110) 

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

Game Winning Goals: Pat Cannone/Nick Henry (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, Hunter Skinner, Teigan Zahn.

Goaltenders: Brad Barone, 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 at Utah. 7:10 pm

Friday, March 26th, 2021 – Tulsa at Utah. 7:10 pm. This is the make-up game for the December 18th postponement.

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.