Grizzlies Gameday: Penultimate Game of the Regular Season

Grizzlies Gameday: Penultimate Game of the Regular Season

Idaho Steelheads (36-31-2-1, 75 points, .536 points %) at Utah Grizzlies (40-27-2-1, 83 points, .593 points %)

Friday, April 15, 2022. Maverik Center. 7:10 pm. Broadcast: Mixlr/FloHockey.

It’s the next to last regular season game of the 2021-22 regular season. Utah is 7-6-0-1 vs Idaho this season.  

Division Championship is Utah’s to Grasp

The Grizzlies can clinch the regular season Mountain Division title with a win OR Rapid City loses in regulations OR Utah loses in overtime/shootout AND Rapid City loses. Winning the division title would be noteworthy because it would be the first regular season division championship in franchise history.

Playoff Bound Again

For the Grizzlies reaching the playoffs is nothing new. Utah is in the playoffs for the 13th time in the last 14 seasons where a postseason was held. Utah will host the first 2 games of the best of 7 first round series. The opponent is TBD.

Game 1 – April 22, 2022 – TBD at Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center.

Game 2 – April 23, 2022 – TBD at Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center.

Tickets are available at utahgrizzlies.com. The dates and opponent for the rest of the series is to be determined.

This Week’s Games

April 15, 2022 – Idaho at Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. AFCU Friday.

April 16, 2022 – Idaho at Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. Star Wars Night. Fan Appreciation Night. Shoot For Your Seat after the game.

Martin and Tardif Named First Team All-Rookie

Defenseman Luke Martin and Forward Ben Tardif were each named to the ECHL All-Rookie team on April 13. Martin ranks second among all league rookies with 32 assists and 42 points and is tied for seventh with 10 goals. Luke has produced on the power play as he has 13 power play points. Martin played his college hockey at the University of Michigan from 2016-2020. Last season he split time with Texas (AHL) and Greenville (ECHL) but kept his rookie status by playing in less than 25 pro games. Luke was a 2nd round pick (52nd overall) by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2017 NHL Draft.

Tardif leads all league rookies with 39 assists and is 2nd with 59 points. Tardif is 7th among rookies with 13 power play assists and is 8th with 181 shots on goal. Benjamin leads the Grizzlies with 19 multiple point games. He is 2nd in the league with 8 shorthanded points. Tardif was the QMJHL Playoff MVP in 2021, leading Victoriaville to the championship.

D’Astous Named First Team All-League

Defenseman Charle-Edouard D’Astous was named first team All-ECHL. In 51 games this season Charle-Edouard D’Astous has 57 points (26 goals, 31 assists). He leads Utah in power play goals (9), assists (14) and points (23). He also leads the team and all league defenseman with 7 game winning goals. He is the 6th different defenseman in league history to score at least 26 goals in a single season and only the 2nd since 2000.

MOST GOALS, DEFENSEMAN, SEASON 

28 - Jay Neal (Toledo, 1994-95) 

27 - Chris Valicevic (Louisiana, 1999-2000) 

26 - Charle-Edouard D'Astous (Utah, 2021-22)

26 - Les Lancaster (Allen, 2020-21) 

26 - Rick Corriveau (Toledo, 1994-95)

26 - Joe Cook (Columbus, 1993-94) 

Past Grizzlies First Team All-League (ECHL Era)

Tim McGauley – 2nd team all-ECHL – 2019-20.

Caleb Herbert – 1st team all-ECHL – 2018-19.

Nick Tuzzolino – 2nd team all-ECHL – 2012-13.

Ryan Kinasewich – 1st team all-ECHL – 2009-10. Kinasewich was 2nd team all-ECHL in 2005-06.

Recent Transactions

Forward Kyle Betts was reassigned to the Grizzlies from the AHL’s Colorado Eagles on April 14. Betts played in 3 games with Utah in the Rapid City home series on March 30, April 1-2. He scored his first pro goal in the 3rd period on March 30 vs Rapid City. Betts had 8 shots on goal in the 3 games for Utah.

Grizz Were a Successful Road Team

April 9 was the final regular season road contest for the Grizzlies. They ended up with a record of 19-14-2-1 on the road. The 19 wins ties a Grizzlies ECHL era record with the 2010-11 club and is tied for the 3rd most in club history. Utah ended up with the most road wins in the Mountain Division this season.

Most Road Wins in Team History

1999-2000: 23

1995-96: 22 (Turner Cup Champions)

1997-98, 2001-02, 2010-11, 2021-22: 19. (This season is the 4th time Utah has won 19 on the road).

These May Be the Glory Days

Utah has a record of 40-27-2-1 this season. The 40 wins are the most since in team history since the 2001-02 Grizzlies went 40-29-6-5 in the first season of the AHL era.

Most Wins in Team History

1995-96: 49 (Turner Cup Champions).

1997-98: 47.

1999-2000: 45.

1996-97: 43.

2021-22: 40

2001-02: 40

Bear Bites

Utah is 28-1 when leading after 2 periods.They are 16-4 when leading after 1. Utah has outscored the opposition 121 to 101 at home this season. Utah leads the league with 20 shorthanded goals. The Grizz clinched a playoff spot for the 13th time in the last 14 seasons where a postseason was held. Utah has outscored opponents 91 to 64 in the 2nd periods this season. The 91 goals are the most by any team in the 2nd period. The 64 goals allowed are the 3rd fewest in the league. Utah is 2nd in the league in wins when trailing after 1 period with 10. Utah is 22-10-0-1 when outshooting opponents. 

Gotta Get to 3

Getting to 3 goals may be the magic number for the Grizzlies. When they score 3 or more goals in a game they are 36-9-3-1. When they score less than 3 goals this season, they are just 4-18. Utah is 25-1 when allowing less than 3 goals.

Players Notes

Ben Tardif has 10 points in his last 5 games (3 goals, 7 assists). Tardif leads all league rookies with 39 assists and is 2nd with 59 points. Tardif is 2nd in the league with 8 shorthanded points. Tardif and James Shearer each have a current 5 game point streak. Mason Mannek is tied for 6th among rookies with 50 points. Trent Miner leads the league with 7 shutouts and is 1 away from tying the single season league record, set by 3 goalies. Miner is the 14th different goaltender in league history to have at least 7 shutouts in a season. No other goaltender in the league this season has more than 4 shutouts. Charle-Edouard D'Astous leads all league defenseman with 26 goals and is tied with 57 points. D'Astous leads all league blueliners with 9 power play goals and 7 game winning goals. D'Astous is the 6th defenseman in league history to score at least 26 goals in a season. D'Astous has a goal in 6 straight home games. Connor McDonald leads all league defenseman with 4 shorthanded assists.

Luke Martin Joined Double Digit Goal Scoring Club

Luke Martin scored his 10th goal of the season on April 9 at Idaho in a 4-0 win. Martin became the 11th different Grizzlies skater to score 10 or more this season. It’s the most Grizz individual double digit goal scorers in the same season since the 2001-02 team had 11 players score 10 or more.

Charle-Edouard D’Astous – 26

Mason Mannek – 23

Brian Bowen, Ben Tardif – 20

Trey Bradley – 18

Matthew Boucher – 13

Tyler Penner, Quinn Ryan – 12

Luka Burzan – 11

Brandon Cutler, Luke Martin – 10

James Shearer Has Made an Impact

James Shearer (1 goal, 3 assists) also had 4 points in the 3 games. Shearer led Utah with a +6-rating last week. James has a point in 5 straight contests. Shearer has 9 points in 11 games with Utah (3 goals, 6 assists). James played at the University of Calgary for 3 seasons and scored 11 goals and 21 assists in 74 games. Shearer was the captain of the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings in the 2017-18 season.

Grizzlies Ironmen

Forwards Mason Mannek and Tyler Penner have each played in all 70 games for Utah this season. Mannek is 3rd on the team with 50 points (23 goals, 27 assists). Mannek is tied for 6th among all league rookies in points. Penner has 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) and leads all current Grizzlies forwards in plus/minus (+18).

Grizzlies Roster

Forwards: Kyle Betts,Matthew Boucher, Trey Bradley, Luka Burzan, Dylan Fitze, Keaton Jameson, Mason Mannek, Tyler Penner, Dakota Raabe, Zac Robbins, Christian Simone, Benjamin Tardif, Johnny Walker.

Defenseman: Nate Clurman,Joey Colatarci, Austin Crossley, Charle-Edouard D’Astous, Miles Gendron, Luke Martin, Connor McDonald, Kyle Pouncy, James Shearer, Jordon Stone.

Goaltenders: Peyton Jones,Garrett Metcalf, Trent Miner, Thomas Sigouin.

Active Streaks (2021-2022 Season)

Goal Streaks: Luka Burzan, Dylan Fitze, Luke Martin, James Shearer (1).  

Assist Streaks: James Shearer (3) Ben Tardif (2) Keaton Jameson, Dakota Raabe (1)

Point Streaks of 2 or more: Shearer, Tardif (5)

Grizzlies Player Trends

Ben Tardif has 10 points in 5 games in April (3 goals, 7 assists) Tardif has 10 games of 2 or more assists. Ben has 25 games of 4 or more shots on goal. Tardif leads the team with 19 multiple point games. Ben has a point in 33 different games this season.

Mason Mannek has a point in 4 of his last 5 games. Mannek has a point in 34 different games.

James Shearer has a point in 8 of his 11 games with Utah. Shearer has a point in 5 straight. Shearer was a +4 on April 9 at Idaho.

Luke Martin has 2 goals and 8 assists in his last 14 games.

Trey Bradley has 8 games with a +2 rating or better.

Charle-Edouard D’Astous Leads all league defenseman in goals (26), points (57), power play goals (9), game winning goals (7) and is 2nd in shots (187). D’Astous has a point in 35 different games, which leads the club.

Dylan Fitze has a goal in 3 of his last 5 games. Fitze has a point in 4 of his 7 games with Utah.

Nate Clurman has a point in 4 of his last 7 games.

Dakota Raabe has 3 assists in his last 3 games.