Grizzlies Preview: Utah Hosts KC for 3 Big Games

Grizzlies Weekly: Utah’s Home for 3 Big Games

West Valley City, Utah – The Utah Grizzlies, proud affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche, host the Kansas City Mavericks for a 3 game set on April 14, 16-17 at Maverik Center.

Utah won the final game of the road trip at Wichita last Sunday with a 2-1 final score. Goaltender Garrett Metcalf was the number 1 star in the Sunday win as he saved 36 of 37 for his first road victory as a pro. Trey Bradley and AJ White added goals for Utah. White had 2 goals and 1 assist in the 3 game series. Matthew Boucher had 1 goal and 2 assists last Friday in a 5-4 loss at Wichita.

Utah scored 4 goals in a 7 minute 51 second stretch in the second period last Friday to turn a 3-0 Wichita lead into a 4-3 Grizz advantage.  

The Grizzlies host Kansas City on April 14th, 16th-17th. Those are the only 3 home games in April as Utah will play 11 games away from home. In May the Grizzlies host the Rush on May 4th-5th and 7th-8th. Utah also hosts Allen on May 19th, 21st-23rd and ends the regular season by hosting Fort Wayne on June 2nd, 4th and 5th.

Tickets for every home game all season long are available at utahgrizzlies.com or by calling (801) 988-8000 or (801) 988-8022. For continuing updates on the 2020-21 season, follow the Grizzlies on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

2020-2021 Regular Season Totals (league rankings)

Overall record: 20-16-4-6

Home record: 12-5-2-3

Road record: 8-11-2-3

Win percentage: .543 (4th in Western Conference).

Streak: Won 1. 

Standings Points: 50

Last 10: 5-4-0-1

Goals per game: 2.85 (11th). Goals for: 131

Goals against per game: 3.22 (12th). Goals against: 148

Shots per game: 33.04 (3rd).

Shots against per game: 30.00 (5th).

Power Play: 18.0 % - 34 for 189 (5th).

Penalty Kill: 81.4 % - 136 for 167 (10th).

Penalty Minutes: 586 (12.74 per game).

Shorthanded Goals: 5 (Tied for 5th) Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 7 (Tied for 10th)

Players Used: 47. Cole Fraser made Grizz Debut last Friday night

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

Record When Scoring First: 13-5-1-1

Team Leaders (2020-21 season)

Goals: Matthew Boucher (17)

Assists: Boucher (23)

Points: Boucher (40)

Plus/Minus: Jack Jenkins (+8)

PIM: Teigan Zahn (65)

Power Play Points: Ryan Lowney (13) Lowney leads team and all league defenseman with 5 power play goals.

Shots on Goal: Matthew Boucher (148)  

Shooting Percentage: AJ White (13.6%) – Minimum 30 shots.

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

Wins: Brad Barone/Kevin Carr (5)

Save %: Garrett Metcalf (.967) – Minimum 3 games

Goals Against Average: Metcalf (0.99). – Minimum 3 games

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.

Active Streaks

Goal Streaks: Trey Bradley, AJ White (1)

Assist Streaks: Hayden Hodgson (2) Matt Hoover (1)

Point Streaks of 2 or more: Hodgson (2).

Matthew Boucher has a point in 7 of his last 10 games. Pat Cannone and Ryan Lowney have a point in 5 of their last 8 games.

Multiple Point games

9 - Matthew Boucher

5 - Trey Bradley, Riley Woods, Cedric Pare

4- Pat Cannone, Hunter Skinner.

3 - Miles Gendron, Charlie Gerard, Matt Hoover, Ryan Lowney.

2 - Ty Lewis, Diego Cuglietta, Nick Henry, Joe Wegwerth, AJ White.

1 - Jack Jenkins, Mitch Maxwell, Alex Lepkowski, Braylon Shmyr, Ian Scheid, Matt Abt, Ryker Killins, Josh Dickinson, Travis Barron, Brayden Gelsinger, Brandon Fehd, Hayden Hodgson.

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

Friday, April 9, 2021 – Utah 4 Wichita 5. – Grizz scored 4 goals in the last 9:18 of the second period. Utah went 1 for 4 on the power play and outshot the Thunder 43 to 36. Matthew Boucher had 1 goal and 2 assists and AJ White had 1 goal and 1 assist.

Saturday, April 10, 2021 – Utah 0 Wichita 1 – Evan Buitenhuis 53 save shutout for Wichita.

Saturday, April 11, 2021 – Utah 2 Wichita 1. – Trey Bradley and AJ White scored goals. Garrett Metcalf saved 36 of 37.

Fun Fact: The Grizzlies took 119 shots in 3 games at Wichita.

This 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.

Next Week’s Games

Friday, April 23, 2021 – Utah at Allen. 6:05 pm.

Saturday, April 24, 2021 – Utah at Allen. 6:05 pm.

Sunday, April 25, 2021 – Utah at Allen. 1:05 pm.

Many April Road Games

6 of the next 9 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. Utah is at home for 11 of the final 17 games in the regular season.

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.

3rd Times a Charm

The Grizzlies are 8-2-0-1 in the 3rd game of a series.