Grizzlies Gameday: Utah Can Clinch Playoff Spot

Utah Grizzlies (39-26-2-1, 81 points, .596 Win %) at Idaho Steelheads (35-30-2-1, 73 points, .537 Win %)

Friday, April 8, 2022. Idaho Central Arena. 7:10 pm. Broadcast: Mixlr/FloSports

It’s the second game of five straight vs Idaho. The Grizz are 6-5-0-1 vs Idaho this season. Utah can clinch a playoff spot with a win, a loss in overtime/shootout or if Tulsa loses at Wichita. Utah is in first place with a .596 points percentage and 81 points. Rapid City is in 2nd at .590 and 79 points.

Last Game

April 6, 2022 – Utah 4 Idaho 1 – Peyton Jones saved 31 of 32. Ben Tardif scored 2 goals. Nate Clurman and Dylan Fitze each had 1 goal. Trey Bradley and Dakota Raabe each had 2 assists. For Raabe it was his first 2 pro points. Both teams went 0 for 2 on the power play. Idaho’s lone goal was a shorthanded tally with 20 seconds left.

Remaining Games in Regular Season

Utah has 4 games left in the regular season.

April 8, 2022 – Utah at Idaho. 7:10 pm.

April 9, 2022 – Utah at Idaho. 7:10 pm.

April 15, 2022 – Idaho at Utah. 7:10 pm.

April 16, 2022 – Idaho at Utah. 7:10 pm.

All Times Mountain. Every Game is Available on Mixlr and FloHockey

Scoreboard Watching

The Grizzlies will be watching the Rapid City Rush closely as they battle for first place in the Mountain Division. The Rush are at Greenville on April 7-8, 10 for a 3 game series and they finish the regular season on April 13, 15-16 at home against Tulsa. Rapid City is looking to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2014-15 season and are close to clinching. Idaho is in 5th place in the Mountain division with a .537 points percentage. Utah won’t have to scoreboard watch to see what the Steelheads are doing because they are Utah’s opponent for the last 5 games. Allen is in 3rd place in the division with a .545 points clip. They have 6 games to play. Tulsa is in 4th at .544 and has 4 games left. Allen is 7-2-1 in their last 10 games and Tulsa is 6-3-0-1 in their last 10. 

Ben Tardif, What Can You Say

It’s been an incredible 3 game stretch for Ben Tardif. On April 1 Tardif had 1 goal, 2 assists and was a +3 in Utah’s 5-2 win over Rapid City. On April 2 Tardif had 3 assists in a 4-3 loss to RC. On April 6 at Idaho the first year pro had 2 goals in a 4-1 win. Tardif is now tied for the team lead with 57 points. Ben leads the club with 57 assists. He leads the club with 19 multiple point games. Tardif has a point in 32 different games. While Iowa’s Kris Bennett stands as the favorite for the league’s Rookie of the Year award there’s no doubt that Tardif should warrant some consideration as he leads all rookies with 37 assists and is 2nd only behind Bennett with 57 points.

Charle-Edouard D’Astous For League Defenseman of the Year

D’Astous leads Utah and all league defenseman in goals (26) and is tied with Tardif in points (57). D’Astous has been instrumental to the power play as he leads the club in power play goals (9), assists (14) and points (23). He leads the team with 7 game winning goals and leads all current Grizzlies skaters with 187 shots on goal. D’Astous is 2nd on the team with 17 multiple point games. D’Astous has a point in 35 different games this season, which leads the club.

Grizzlies Sign Zach Tsekos to ATO

Zach Tsekos made his pro debut on April 6 at Idaho. Tsekos played his college hockey at Sacred Heart University for 2 seasons from 2016-2018 before transferring to Clarkson University, where he was the ECAC student-athlete of the year in 2019-20. He was named the ECAC best defensive forward in back-to-back years in 2021 and 2022. Tsekos was named Clarkson team captain in 2020 and wore the “C” for 2 seasons with the Golden Knights. In 153 NCAA games Tsekos had 117 points (39 goals, 78 assists). 

Recent Transactions

April 5 – Zach Tsekos Signs ATO with Utah.

April 4 – Kyle Betts Loaned to Colorado

April 1 – Charle-Edouard D’Astous reassigned to Utah from Colorado (AHL).

March 31 – Grizzlies acquire Keaton Jameson in trade with Fort Wayne for future considerations.

March 30 – Forward Kyle Betts Reassigned to Utah.

March 29 – Grizzlies sign goaltender Thomas Sigouin. Utah released forward Taylor Crunk.

March 26 – Grizzlies release forward Quinn Ryan.

March 25 – Grizzlies Sign Dakota Raabe

The Captain is Heating Up

Grizzlies captain Trey Bradley leads the team in points per game at 1.24. Bradley has 46 points (18 goals, 28 assists) in 37 games this season. Bradley was named captain of the Grizzlies on October 21, 2021. Bradley has 4 assists in 10 games with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. Bradley scored 3 goals on December 29th at Rapid City, with the 3rd goal being the game winner 22 seconds into overtime. Trey scored 2 shorthanded goals vs Idaho on Jan. 14. Trey is the son of 2-time NHL All-Star Brian Bradley. In 10 games vs Idaho this season Bradley has 4 goals and 4 assists.

Season Series vs Idaho

Wednesday night is the 13th of 16 meetings between the clubs. Utah is 6-5-0-1 vs Idaho this season. Charle-Edouard D’Astous leads Utah with 9 points (3 goals, 6 assists. Trey Bradley and Matthew Boucher each have 4 goals vs Idaho.

Utah 4 @ Idaho 1 (Apr 6, 2022)

Utah 1 @ Idaho 6 (Mar 19, 2022)

Utah 2 @ Idaho 0 (Mar 18, 2022)

Idaho 3 @ Utah 6 (Jan 17, 2022)

Idaho 6 @ Utah 0 (Jan 15, 2022)

Idaho 1 @ Utah 4 (Jan 14, 2022)

Utah 3 @ Idaho 4 (Jan 8, 2022) SO

Utah 3 @ Idaho 6 (Jan 7, 2022)

Utah 2 @ Idaho 1 (Jan 5, 2022)

Idaho 0 @ Utah 4 (Oct 24, 2021)

Idaho 5 @ Utah 3 (Oct 23, 2021)

Utah 3 @ Idaho 7 (Oct 22, 2021)

Mouse in the House

For Idaho the guy to watch out for is Ryan Dmowski. In 9 games with Idaho he has 17 points (10 goals, 7 assists). Dmowski had 5 goals and 1 assist vs Utah on March 19, 2022. Dmowski is averaging 6.2 shots per game with Idaho (62 shots in 10 games). Also watch out for AJ White, who is a point per game guy with Idaho as he has 67 points in 68 games (25 goals, 42 assists). White has 15 points in 12 games vs Utah this season (6 goals, 9 assists).

Grizzlies Among League Leaders

Charle-Edouard D’Astous leads all league defenseman with 26 goals and 57 points. D'Astous also leads league D-men with 7 game winning goals and 9 power play goals and is 2nd with 23 power play points. Ben Tardif leads all rookies with 8 shorthanded points. Tardif leads all rookies with 37 assists and is 2nd among rookies with 57 points. Connor McDonald is tied with D’Astous for the lead among all league defenseman with 4 shorthanded assists. Trent Miner leads the league with 6 shutouts.

Grizzlies Roster

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

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

Overall record: 39-26-2-1

Home record: 21-13. Utah has outscored opponents 121 to 101 at home.

Road record: 18-13-2-1.

Win percentage: .596. 1st place in the Mtn. Division.  

Streak: Won 1.

Standings Points: 81. 

Last 10: 5-5.

Goals per game: 3.32 (10th) Goals for: 226.

Goals against per game: 3.18 (12th) Goals Against: 216.

Shots per game: 32.06 (11th)

Shots against per game: 31.84 (15th)  

Power Play: 38 for 214 – 17.8 % (18th)

Penalty Kill: 208 for 269- 77.3 % (25th)

Penalty Minutes: 914. 13.44 per game.

Shorthanded Goals: 20 (1st).

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 10.

Record When Scoring First: 20-8-0-1. Utah has scored first in 29 of 67 games this season. Utah is 19-18-2 when the opposition scores first.

Record in One Goal Games: 14-7-2-1. 24 of the 66 games have been decided by 1. 18 games have been decided by 2. Utah is 11-7 in 2 goal games. 

Team Leaders (2021-22 season)

Games: Mason Mannek/Tyler Penner (68).

Goals: Charle-Edouard D’Astous (26).

Assists: Ben Tardif (37)

Points: D’Astous/Tardif (57)

Plus/Minus: D’Astous (+23)

PIM: Andrew Nielsen (114) Mason Mannek leads active Grizzlies with 97.

Power Play Points: D’Astous (23)

Power Play Goals: D’Astous (9)

Power Play Assists: D’Astous (14).

Shorthanded Goals: Trey Bradley/Matthew Boucher/Tardif (4)

Shots on Goal: Brian Bowen (201) D’Astous leads active Grizz with 187. 

Shooting Percentage: Bradley (18 for 111). 16.2 %. – Minimum 100 shots.

Game Winning Goals: D’Astous (7).

Wins: Peyton Jones (16).

Save %: Garrett Metcalf (.918).

Goals Against Average: Metcalf (2.63)

Bear Bites

Utah is 19-6 at home vs Mountain Division teams. The Grizzlies are 11-5-0-1 in the 3rd game of a series. Utah is 9-1 at home in the 3rd game of a series. Utah leads the league with 20 shorthanded goals. Utah is 27-1 when leading after 2 periods. Utah has outscored opponents 90 to 62 in the 2nd periods. Utah is 2nd in the league with 10 wins when trailing after 1 period. Utah is 14-7-2-1 in one goal games.

Active Streaks (2021-2022 Season)

Goal Streaks: Nate Clurman, Dylan Fitze, Ben Tardif (1).  

Assist Streaks: Bradley (3) Mannek (2) Austin Crossley, Dakota Raabe, Christian Simeone (1)

Point Streaks of 2 or more: Bradley, Mannek, Tardif (3)

Grizzlies Player Trends

Ben Tardif averages 3.58 shots per game. 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 32 different games this season.

Luke Martin has 1 goal and 8 assists in his last 12 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 2 of his last 3 games. 

Nate Clurman has a point in 4 of his last 6 games.