Grizzlies Preview: Utah at Wichita, April 9, 2021

Utah Grizzlies (19-14-4-6, 48 points, .558 win %)@Wichita Thunder(27-12-4-1, 59 points, .670 win%)

Game #43 INTRUST Bank Arena. April 9, 2021. 6:05 pm MST. Mixlr.

Referee: Sam Heidemann    Linesman: Dan Kovachik, Davids Rozitis.

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 3 game series at Wichita. It’s the 6th season meeting between the clubs. Utah won it’s last game 3-2 in a shootout at Allen on April 3rd.  It’s game 4 of the 6 game road trip for the Grizzlies, who are on the road for 11 of the 14 games in the month of April. The Grizzlies have played good hockey as of late, earning standings points in 7 of their last 10 games and have a record of 6-3-0-1 in the last 10.

Recent Transactions

Forwards Josh Dickinson, Travis Barron and Ty Lewis  have been reassigned to the Grizzlies from the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. Barron appeared in 9 games with Utah earlier this season and has 3 assists. Travis has played in 4 games with the Eagles this season. Davis has appeared in 68 games with Utah over the past 2 seasons, scoring 2 goals and 36 assists. Davis had 3 assists in 5 games in the 2019 Kelly Cup Playoffs. South Carolina traded defenseman Cole Fraser to the Grizzlies for future considerations. Fraser has 2 goals and 2 assists in 18 games with South Carolina. He also has played in 46 games with the Allen Americans. Fraser was a 5th round pick (131st overall) by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. Fraser will be the 47th player to appear in a game for Utah this season.

Also this week Defenseman Kevin Davis was reassigned to Utah and taken back to Colorado without appearing a game, while Charlie Gerard was sent back to Colorado and back to Utah this week.

Many April Road Games

9 of the next 12 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.

Grizzlies Among League leaders

Matthew Boucher leads all rookies in goals (16), assists (21), points (37) and shots on goal (134). Pare is 3rd in shots among rookies with 97 and is in points (25). Charlie Gerard is 4th in shots among rookies with 78.  Hunter Skinner leads the league with 3 shootout goals. Skinner is 2nd in goals among defenseman with 7. Ryan Lowney, Miles Gendron and Skinner are tied for 3rd in goals among defenseman with 7 each. Lowney leads all league defenseman with 5 power play goals.

Utah Series vs Wichita

It’s the 6th time these teams will meet this season. Current Wichita goaltender Evan Buitenhuis played in 2 games against Wichita as a member of the Grizzlies. He stopped 53 of 56 shots against the Thunder, including a 24 for 25 performance in a 6-1 Utah win.

February 12, 2021 – Wichita 3 @ Utah 2 (Shootout) – Diego Cuglietta and AJ White tally goals for Utah.

February 13, 2021 – Wichita 4 @ Utah 2 – Braylon Shmyr and Jack Jenkins each score a goal. Utah outshot Wichita 31 to 26.

February 14, 2021 – Wichita 1 @ Utah 6 – Matthew Boucher had 2 goals and 1 assist.

March 5, 2021 – Utah 0 @ Wichita 3 – Evan Weninger 38 save shutout.

March 6, 2021 – Utah 3 @ Wichita 4 – Josh Dickinson, Miles Gendron and Hunter Skinner score goals in the loss.

2020-2021 Regular Season Totals (league rankings)

Overall record: 19-14-4-6

Home record: 12-5-2-3

Road record: 7-9-2-3

Win percentage: .558 (4th in Western Conference).

Streak: Won 1.

Standings Points: 48

Last 10: 6-3-0-1

Goals per game: 2.91 (10th). Goals for: 125

Goals against per game: 3.28 (13th). Goals against: 141

Shots per game: 32.58 (3rd).

Shots against per game: 29.72 (6th).

Power Play: 18.6 % - 33 for 177 (4th).

Penalty Kill: 80.9 % - 127 for 157 (11th).

Penalty Minutes: 544 (12.65 per game).

Shorthanded Goals: 5 (Tied for 5th) Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 6 (Tied for 8th)

Players Used: 46.

Attendance: 36,828 (1,674 per game).

Record When Scoring First: 12-5-1-1

Team Leaders (2020-21 season)

Goals: Matthew Boucher (16)

Assists: Boucher (21)

Points: Boucher (37)

Plus/Minus: Jack Jenkins (+8)

PIM: Teigan Zahn (58)

Power Play Points: Pat Cannone/Ryan Lowney (12) Lowney leads team with 5 power play goals.

Shots on Goal: Matthew Boucher (134) 

Shooting Percentage: Nick Henry (20.0%) – Minimum 20 shots.

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

Wins: Brad Barone/Kevin Carr (5)

Save %: Parker Gahagen (.930) – Minimum 3 games

Goals Against Average: Gahagen (2.12). – Minimum 3 games

Current Roster

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

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

Goaltenders: Kevin Carr, Trevor Gorsuch, Garrett Metcalf.

Head Coach: Tim Branham

Assistant Coach: Ryan Kinasewich

Equipment Manager: Matthew Schwegmann

Athletic Trainer: Collin Lee

Active Streaks

Goal Streaks: Ryan Lowney, Miles Gendron (1).

Assist Streaks: Matthew Boucher, Pat Cannone, Hayden Hodgson, Cedric Pare (1).

Point Streaks of 2 or more: (0) 

Matthew Boucher has a point in 6 of his last 7 games. Cedric Pare has a goal in 3 of his last 5 contests. Pat Cannone and Ryan Lowney have a point in 4 of their last 5 games.

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

Thursday, April 1, 2021 – Utah 2 Allen 3 (Shootout) – Cedric Pare and Matthew Boucher scored goals. Utah outshot Allen 33 to 30. Trevor Gorsuch saved 27 of 29 through overtime.

Friday, April 2, 2021 – Utah 0 Allen 3. -Trevor Gorsuch saved 34 of 37.  

Saturday, April 3, 2021 – Utah 3 Allen 2 (Shootout) – Miles Gendron and Ryan Lowney scored goals for Utah. Trey Bradley got the game winner in the shootout. Kevin Carr earned his 5th win of the season.

This Week’s Games

Friday, April 9, 2021 – Utah at Wichita. 6:05 pm.

Saturday, April 10, 2021 – Utah at Wichita. 6:05 pm.

Saturday, April 11, 2021 – Utah at Wichita. 3:05 pm.

Next Week’s Games

Wednesday, April 14, 2021 – Kansas City at Utah. 7:10 pm.

Friday, April 16, 2021 – Kansas City at Utah. 7:10 pm.

Saturday, April 17, 2021 – Kansas City at Utah. 7:10 pm.

All times Mountain.