Grizzlies Preview: Utah at Rapid City, March 19, 2021

Utah Grizzlies (14-11-4-5, .544 Win %) at Rapid City Rush (17-18-2 .486 Win%)March 19, 2021 | 7:05 PM | Game #35 | Rushmore Plaza Civic CenterReferee: Logan GruhlLinesmen: Cade Bloomenrader, Matthew Heinen.  

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 a 2 game weekend series in the Black Hills.  

This Week’s Transactions

3 players have been reassigned to the Grizzlies in time for Friday night’s game at Rapid City. Goaltender Kevin Carr, forward Charlie Gerard and defenseman Miles Gendron join the team from the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. Gerard had 8 points (5g, 3a) in 11 games for Utah. His 44 shots on goal led all rookies at the time of his call-up on January 19th. Charlie has 1 goal in 8 games for Colorado this season. Gendron has 6 goals this season, tied for 3rd most among ECHL defenseman. Miles has 11 points (6g, 5a) in 24 games with Utah this season and 1 goal in 4 games with Colorado.

Grizzlies add goaltender Trevor Gorsuch, who was signed on March 16th. He was originally signed with Toledo for the 2020-21 season. In 6 ECHL games, Gorsuch has a 5-1 record with a 2.13 GAA and a .933 save percentage. As a college goalie, Gorsuch had a 25-16-3 record with a .901 save % and a 2.91 GAA for Western Michigan University from 2016-2019.

Utah traded for defenseman Michael Prapavessis from the Orlando Solar Bears in exchange for future considerations. Prapavessis scored 4 assists and had a +4 rating for the Solar Bears this season. He also has experience in the ECHL with Cincinnati and Jacksonville as well as 56 games with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters over the last 2 seasons. He played his college hockey at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (R.P.I) from 2015-2018. Prapavessis was drafted in the 4th round (105th overall) by the Dallas Stars in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.

Prapavessis will wear number 7 for the Grizzlies.

Grizz also trade defenseman Ryker Killins to the Jacksonville Icemen for d-man Kevin McKernan.

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.

Everybody….Shots. Shots. Shots. Shots.

Utah has 31 shots or more in each of their last 6 games. The Grizz have outshot opponents 221-163 in the last 6 games. The Grizzlies had 51 shots on goal on March 13th. It was the most shots in a game for Utah this season. It was tied for the league lead for the most shots in a game this year. The 23 shots in the second period last Saturday was the most the Grizz have taken in any one period this season.

Tough Western Conference

The Western Conference features 6 teams with a .500 winning percentage and Rapid City has a .486 winning percentage after winning 5 in a row. Next week’s opponent, the Tulsa Oilers have also won 5 in a row. 12 of the 14 teams in the league have a .500 winning percentage or better. Fort Wayne has a standings point in 11 straight games, 10 of those were wins.

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

Friday, March 12th, 2021 – Allen 6 Utah 2. – Jared Pike and Matthew Boucher each scored a first period goal.

Saturday, March 13th, 2021 – Allen 5 Utah 4 (OT) – Cedric Pare scored 2 goals.

Sunday, March 14th, 2021 – Allen 1 Utah 5 – Trey Bradley and Matthew Boucher each had 1 goal, 2 assists.

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

Friday, March 19th, 2021 – Utah at Rapid City. 7:05 pm.

Saturday, March 20th, 2021 – Utah at Rapid City. 7:05 pm.

All times Mountain.

Next Week’s Games

Wednesday, March 24th, 2021 – Tulsa at Utah. 7:10 pm.

Friday, March 26th, 2021 – Tulsa at Utah. 7:10 pm. – Make-up game from December 18th postponed contest.

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

Sunday, March 28th, 2021 – Tulsa at Utah. 1:10 pm.

Matthew Boucher Making a Strong Case for Rookie of the Year

Boucher leads all league rookies with 11 goals, 16 assists and 27 points. Boucher is the Grizzlies leading scorer. Boucher has a point in 4 straight games and has been consistent all year as he has a point in 18 of his last 26 games.

Matthew Boucher League Rankings Among Rookies

Points: 27– 1st. That’s 5 more points than a pair of skaters who are tied for 2nd.

Goals: 11 – Tied for 1st

Assists: 16 – 1st. Next closest has 13.

Shots: 106 – 1st. Next closest rookie has 79.

Season Series vs Rapid City

It’s the 11th of 16 meetings between the division rivals. Utah is 7-1-1-1 vs Rapid City this season, outscoring them 38 to 32. Trey Bradley and Ryan Lowney each has 3 goals and 5 assists vs the Rush. Jack Jenkins has 7 points in 8 games. Matthew Boucher has 7 points in 5 games. Ty Lewis has 5 assists in 2 games.

Rapid City 3 @ Utah 4 (Feb 21 2021)

Rapid City 4 @ Utah 5 (Feb 20 2021) OT

Rapid City 3 @ Utah 2 (Feb 19 2021) SO

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

Utah 3 @ Rapid City 2 (Jan 22 2021)

Rapid City 2 @ Utah 3 (Jan 2 2021)

Rapid City 3 @ Utah 4 (Jan 1 2021)

Rapid City 3 @ Utah 6 (Dec 31 2020)

Utah 3 @ Rapid City 1 (Dec 12 2020)

Utah 4 @ Rapid City 6 (Dec 11 2020)

2020-21 Number of Times Grizzlies Face Different Opponents

Allen – 18 games.

Rapid City – 16 games.

Tulsa – 12 games.

Kansas City – 11 games.

Wichita – 9 games.

Fort Wayne – 3 games at Maverik Center from June 3-5.

Wheeling – 3 games. Only 3 games vs an Eastern Conference opponent.

Active Streaks

Goal Streaks: Cedric Pare (2), Ty Lewis, Trey Bradley, Matthew Boucher, Ryan Lowney (1).

Assist Streaks: Boucher (2), Bradley, Josh Dickinson, Mitch Maxwell, Hunter Skinner, Jack Jenkins (1).

Point Streaks of 2 or more: Boucher (4), Pare (2).

2020-2021 Regular Season Totals (league rankings)

Overall record: 14-11-4-5

Home record: 9-4-2-3

Road record: 5-7-2-2

Win percentage: .544 (Tied 4th in Western Conference).

Streak: Won 1.

Standings Points: 37

Last 10: 3-6-1

Goals per game: 3.00 (Tied for 5th in the league). Goals for: 102

Goals against per game: 3.32 (13th). Goals against: 113

Shots per game: 33.06 (2nd).

Shots against per game: 28.97 (2nd).

Power Play: 22.5 % - 31 for 138 (2nd). – Utah has a power play goal in each of their last 13 wins. 

Penalty Kill: 82,2 % - 97 for 118 (10th).

Penalty Minutes: 412 (12.12 per game).

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

Players Used: 42

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

Record When Scoring First: 9-5-1.  Utah has scored first in 15 of the 34 games.

Team Leaders (2020-21 season)

Goals: Matthew Boucher (11)

Assists: Boucher (16)

Points: Boucher (27)

Plus/Minus: Matt Abt (+8) Alex Lepkowski leads active Grizzlies at +4.

PIM: Teigan Zahn (48)

Power Play Points: Pat Cannone (11)

Shots on Goal: Matthew Boucher (106) 

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).

Forwards: Travis Barron, Matthew Boucher, Trey Bradley, Pat Cannone, Josh Dickinson, 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, Alex Lepkowski, Ryan Lowney, Adam Parsells, Michael Prapavessis, Hunter Skinner, Teigan Zahn.

Goaltenders: Brad Barone, Kevin Carr, Trevor Gorsuch, Garrett Metcalf.