Grizzlies Gameday: Hunter Miska Joins Grizzlies For Series Opener

Kansas City Mavericks (5-5, 10 points, .500 Win %) at Utah Grizzlies (7-4, 14 points, .636 Win %)

Friday, November 19, 2021. Maverik Center. 7:10 pm. Broadcast: Mixlr/FloSports

It’s the first game of a 3 game homestand for the Grizzlies, who have won 7 of their last 9 games, outscoring the opposition 35 to 22 in those games. Watch out for Brian Bowen, who has a point in all 4 home games this season. Charle-Edouard D’Astous has a point in 7 straight games. Brandon Cutler has a point in 5 straight and Herriman, Utah native Mason Mannek has a point in 4 straight.

Hunter Miska Joins Grizzlies

Goaltender Hunter Miska has been reassigned to the Grizzlies from the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. Miska has 6 games of NHL Experience. He played in 5 games with the Colorado Avalanche in the 2020-21 season, where he had a record of 1-1-2 with a .838 Save % and a 4.16 GAA. Miska also appeared in 1 game with the Arizona Coyotes, making his NHL Debut on Nov. 13, 2018 vs Detroit. He got his first NHL win with Colorado vs Arizona on Feb. 26, 2021. In 98 career AHL games Miska has a 53-29-9 record with a 2.79 goals against average and a .906 save percentage. Miska had a very successful college season at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, where he went 27-5-5 and led the Bulldogs all the way to the championship game of the Frozen Four. He appeared in 3 games for Utah in the 2019-20 season and had a 2-1 record with a .947 save percentage and a 1.62 goals against average. He was the league’s Goaltender of the Week for Utah for November 17-23, 2019. He was called-up to the AHL’s Eagles after winning the league’s weekly award and has been either with the Eagles or Avalanche for about 2 calendar years.

Last Week’s Games

Friday, November 12, 2021 – Utah 4 Adirondack 5 – Brandon Cutler 1 goal, 1 assist, +2. Mason Mannek had 1 goal and was a +2. Quinn Ryan and Charle-Edouard D’Astous added goals. Adirondack outshot Utah 50 to 28. Peyton Jones saved 45 of 50. Taylor Crunk and Joey Colatarci each made their Grizzlies debut.

Saturday, November 13, 2021 – Utah 4 Adirondack 1 – Garrett Metcalf 23 of 24 saves. Gehrett Sargis and Bailey Conger each had 1 goal, 1 assist and a +3 rating. Andrew Nielsen had 3 assists.

Sunday, November 14, 2021 – Utah 2 Adirondack 3 – Luke Martin had 1 goal and 1 assist. Brandon Cutler scored 44 seconds into the third period.

This Week’s Games

Friday, November 19, 2021 – Kansas City at Utah. 7:10 pm.

Saturday, November 20, 2021 – Kansas City at Utah. 7:10 pm.

Sunday, November 21, 2021 – Kansas City at Utah. 1:10 pm.

All times Mountain. Every game can be seen on FloHockey and heard on Mixlr.

Charle-Edouard D’Astous Continues To Amaze

D’Astous scored a 3rd period goal for Utah in the 4-1 win on Saturday night at Adirondack. D’Astous has a point in 7 straight games and a goal in 3 of his last 4 games. D’Astous is tied for the league lead with 8 goals and is tied for the lead in plus/minus at +13. D’Astous leads all league defenseman in goals (8), points (14), shots on goal (39) and plus/minus (+13).

Grizzlies Among League Leaders

Charle-Edouard D’Astous is tied for the league lead in plus/minus at +13. D’Astous is tied for the league lead with 8 goals. D’Astous leads all league defenseman in goals (8), points (14), shots on goal (39) and plus/minus. Trey Bradley, currently with Colorado (AHL), is tied for the league lead with 10 assists. Trent Miner, currently with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, leads the league with 2 shutouts. Brandon Cutler leads the league with 47 shots on goal. Cutler is tied for the lead in points among rookies with 10. Luke Martin is 3rd in the league in plus/minus at +11. Andrew Nielsen leads the league with 12 minor penalties. Tyler Penner is among league leaders in plus/minus among rookies at +7.

Players Making Home Debuts

Christian Simeone will make his home debut on November 19th vs Kansas City. Simeone was signed by Utah on November 13th and he played in 2 games for Utah at Adirondack last weekend. Simeone wore number 20 on the road trip but has changed to number 24. Taylor Crunk mads his Grizzlies debut on November 12th at Adirondack. Friday will be the 3rd and final game of his 3 game suspension. Crunk has played in 150 pro games with previous experience in Fort Wayne and Rapid City. Joey Colatarci played in all 3 games in Adirondack and will make his home debut vs Kansas City.

Grizzlies Roster

Forwards: Matthew Boucher, Brian Bowen, Bailey Conger, Taylor Crunk, Brandon Cutler, Connor Graham, Mason Mannek, Tyler Penner, Neil Robinson, Quinn Ryan, Gehrett Sargis, Christian Simone.

Defenseman: Joey Colatarci, Austin Crossley, Charles-Edmond D’Astous, Miles Gendron, Luke Martin, Connor McDonald, Andrew Nielsen, Kyle Pouncy, Jordon Stone.

Goaltenders: Peyton Jones, Garrett Metcalf, Hunter Miska.

2021-2022 Utah Grizzlies Regular Season Totals (league rankings)

Overall record: 7-4

Home record: 3-1.

Road record: 4-3.

Win percentage: .636.

Streak: Lost 1.

Standings Points: 14. – Most in the division.

Last 10: 7-3.

Goals per game: 3.73 (5th) Goals for: 41

Goals against per game: 3.00 (Tied 12th) Goals Against: 33

Shots per game: 34.18 (7th)  

Shots against per game: 28.82 (11th)   

Power Play: 5 for 35 – 14.3 % (23rd)  

Penalty Kill: 36 for 50- 72.0 % (27th)

Penalty Minutes: 165

Shorthanded Goals: 4 (Tied 2nd) – Brandon Cutler scored shorthanded on Nov. 12 at Adirondack.

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 0. – Utah is 1 of 7 teams who have not allowed a shorthanded goal.

Record When Scoring First: 4-2.

Team Leaders (2021-22 season)

Goals: Charle-Edouard D’Astous (8) – Tied for the League Lead

Assists: Trey Bradley (10) – Tied for the League Lead

Points: D’Astous (13) – Tied for 6th in the league.

Plus/Minus: D’Astous (+13) – Tied for the League Lead

PIM: Andrew Nielsen (34)  

Power Play Points: D’Astous (4)

Power Play Goals: D’Astous (2)

Power Play Assists: Luke Martin/D’Astous/Mason Mannek (2).

Shots on Goal: Brandon Cutler (47) – Leads League.

Shooting Percentage: D’Astous (8 for 39). 20.5 %. – Minimum 20 shots

Game Winning Goals: Brian Bowen/Tyler Penner/D’Astous/Boucher/Neil Robinson/Ryan/Gehrett Sargis (1).

Wins: Trent Miner (4).

Save %: Miner (.921).

Goals Against Average: Miner (2.11)

Next 5 Games

November 19, 2021 – Kansas City at Utah. 7:10 pm. – Daddy Daughter Night. AFCU Friday.

November 20, 2021 – Kansas City at Utah. 7:10 pm.

November 21, 2021 – Kansas City at Utah. 1:10 pm.

November 27, 2021 – Utah at Tulsa. 6:05 pm.

November 28, 2021 – Utah at Tulsa. 3:05 pm.

All times Mountain

Active Streaks (2021-2022 Season)

Goal Streaks:  Luke Martin, Brandon Cutler (1) 

Assist Streaks: Bradley (5), Andrew Nielsen, Brandon Cutler (2) Sargis, Conger, Joey Colatarci (1).

Point Streaks of 2 or more: D’Astous (7) Bradley, Cutler (5). Boucher, Mannek (4).

Multiple Point games (2021-2022)

4: Trey Bradley. Charle-Edouard D’Astous

3: Brian Bowen. All 3 of Bowen’s multiple point games have come at home.

2: Matthew Boucher, Brandon Cutler, Luke Martin.

1: Tyler Penner, Luka Burzan, Neil Robinson, Andrew Nielsen, Gehrett Sargis, Bailey Conger.