Grizzlies Gameday: Game 5 in the Black Hills. Utah Leads Series 3-1

Second Round of the 2022 Kelly Cup Playoffs. 

Game 5: Wednesday, May 11, 2022. 7:05 pm. Utah Grizzlies at Rapid City Rush. 

Arena: The Monument. Broadcast: https://mixlr.com/utah-grizzlies-hockeyMixlr, FloHockey.TV.

Utah leads the best of 7 series 3-1.

It’s game 5 of the Mountain Division Finals as the Utah Grizzlies take on the Rapid City Rush. Utah leads the best of 7 series 3 games to 1. Last night in game 4 the Rush overcame a 5-2 deficit to win 6-5 in overtime. Logan Nelson had 3 goals and 1 assist to lead the Rush. Nelson scored the game winner 13:57 into overtime as the Rush saved their season. Last night Ben Tardif led the way with 2 goals and 1 assist. Kyle Betts had 1 goal and 1 assist and Charle-Edouard D’Astous had 2 assists.

The Grizzlies took care of home ice, winning game 1 by a 5-1 score. In game 2 the Grizzlies scored 2 goals in the final 43 seconds of regulation to come back to win 5-4. In game 3 Utah scored 3 unanswered in the third period to win 6-2. Utah is now 7-3-1 in postseason play. The Grizzlies have been a strong 3rd period club in the playoffs as they have outscored their opponents 19 to 8.

Charle-Edouard D’Astous leads the league with 15 playoff goals. D’Astous is 3 goals away from setting a league record for playoff goals. Ben Tardif leads the league with 24 playoff points (4 goals, 20 assists).

The Grizz have the best offense in the playoff as they have 47 goals in 11 games (4.27 goals per game). Utah has 26 goals in their last 5 games.   

Second Round Playoff Series

Game 1: Rapid City 1 Utah 5 – Utah was 1 for 3 on the power play and 7 for 7 on the penalty kill.

Game 2: Rapid City 4 Utah 5 – Charle-Edouard D’Astous scored the game winning goal with 7.8 seconds left.

Game 3: Utah 6 Rapid City 2 – D’Astous scored 3 goals. Nick Henry had 2 goals. Luka Burzan scored with 55 seconds left. Ben Tardif had 4 assists. Luke Martin added 2 assists. Peyton Jones saved 44 of 46 in net. Utah went 2 for 5 on the power play and was 5 for 6 on the penalty kill.

Game 4: Utah 5 Rapid City 6 (Overtime) – Ben Tardif 2 goals, 1 assist. Kyle Betts 1 goal 1 assist. D’Astous 2 assists. Mason Mannek and Dakota Raabe each scored a goal. RC’s Logan Nelson had 3 goals and 1 assist. Rapid City outshot Utah 44 to 43. Peyton Jones saved 38 of 44 for the Grizz.

Game 5 Wednesday, May 11, 7:05 p.m. Utah at Rapid City

Game 6 Monday, May 16, 7:10 p.m. Rapid City at Utah

Game 7 Tuesday, May 17, 7:10 p.m. Rapid City at Utah

Games 6-7 are If Necessary. All Times Mountain.

Trent Miner Returns to Grizz

Goaltender Trent Miner comes back to the Grizzlies after a 2-day stint with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. Last Saturday Colorado Avalanche goaltender Darcy Kuemper took a stick to the eye late in the first period of their 7-3 win over Nashville. Miner has been outstanding for Utah in the playoffs as he has a 5-2 record with a 2.45 goals against average and a .936 save percentage in 7 playoff games. Peyton Jones is projected to start for Utah in Rapid City. Jones led Utah with 17 wins this season. In 2 playoff games Jones has a 1-1 record, a 3.55 goals against average and a .891 save %.

Ben Tardif Performing Like a Superstar

Ben Tardif has put together an amazing playoff run. Tardif has 13 points in his last 5 games (2 goals, 11 assists) Ben had 4 assists in game 3 vs RC. In game 4 he scored 2 goals and 1 assist. Tardif leads the league with 24 postseason points and 23 playoff assists. Tardif led all league rookies and the Grizzlies with 39 assists in the regular season. Tardif has 9 multiple point games in the playoffs. He has a point in 9 of 11 playoff games for Utah. During the regular season Tardif led Utah with 19 multiple point games.

Charle-Edouard D’Astous Rewrites the Record Book

Charle-Edouard D’Astous has put together a legendary postseason run. D’Astous scored his first pro hat trick in the 6-2 win at Rapid City in game 3. 2 of his 3 goals came on the power play. D’Astous has tied a league record with 9 playoff power play goals. D’Astous has 15 goals in 11 games in the playoffs. He is also now 3 goals away from breaking a league record for goals in as single playoff. D’Astous has a goal in 9 of 11 playoff games and a point in all 11. D’Astous has 8 multiple point games in the playoffs, with 5 of those games being 2 or more goals.

MOST GOALS, ONE PLAYOFF YEAR

17 – J.F. Boutin, Peoria, 2000 – Blaine Moore, Richmond, 1995

16 – Zach O’Brien, Newfoundland, 2019 – Mark Deazeley, Toledo, 1994 – Rod Taylor, Hampton Roads, Dave Flanagan, Hampton Roads, 1991

15 – four times, most recent: Charle-Edourd D’Astous, Utah 2022

MOST POWER-PLAY GOALS, ONE PLAYOFF YEAR

9 - Chris Minard, Alaska, 2006

Charle-Edouard D’Astous, 2022

8 - Greger Hanson, Allen, 2016

- Kevin Colley, Atlantic City, 2003 – Grizzlies Head Coach from 2009-2013.

7 - Jason Cipolla, South Carolina, 1997

Chris Hynes, South Carolina, 1997

Mark Deazeley, Toledo, 1994

Sheldon Gorski, Louisville, 1992

Plus Performers of the Series

D’Astous, Martin and Tardif are each a +7 in the Rapid City series. Kyle Betts is a +6. In game 3 at Rapid City 5 different Grizzlies players were a +3 in the 6-2 win (Kyle Betts, Nick Henry, Ben Tardif, Charle-Edouard D’Astous, Luke Martin). In game 4 there were 4 players who were a +2 (Dakota Raabe, Ben Tardif, Charle-E. D’Astous, Luke Martin).

Special Teams in the Playoffs

In game 1 Utah was 1 for 3 on the power play and 7 for 7 on the penalty kill.

In game 2 Rapid City went 4 for 6 on the power play, while Utah went 3 for 7.

In game 3 Utah was 2 for 5 on the power play and 5 for 6 on the penalty kill.

In game 4 Utah was 0 for 3 on the power play and 3 for 4 on the penalty kill.

The Grizz have stepped up their game on the power play in the playoffs. Utah is 18 for 50 (36.0 %) on the power play in the postseason, which ranks as the best in the league and they are 4th in the league on the penalty kill as they are 49 for 57 (86.0 %). Charle-Edouard D’Astous has 13 power play points (9 goals, 4 assists) and that’s not a surprise considering that D’Astous led Utah in power play goals (9), assists (14) and points (23). D’Astous has 4 power play goals in his last 3 games. Tardif has 10 power play assists in 10 playoff games. Trey Bradley has 9 power play points in the playoffs (1 goal, 8 assists). Luke Martin has 5 power play assists and Zach Tsekos has 4.

In the regular season Utah went 4 for 32 on the power play vs Rapid City (12.5 %). Rapid City’s power play was 13 for 35 vs Utah (37.1 %). Rapid City was tied for the best penalty kill in the regular season at 85.1 percent and they were 10th on the power play at 19.6 %. 

Grizzlies Among Playoff League Leaders

Ben Tardif leads the league with 20 assists and 24 points. Tardif is also first with 10 power play assists. Tardif is 2nd in plus/minus at +9. Charle-Edouard D’Astous leads the league with 15 goals and is 2nd with 23 points. D’Astous leads all skaters with 9 power play goals, 13 power play points and 18 minor penalties. D’Astous leads all defenseman with 46 shots. Trey Bradley is tied for 7th with 13 points and is tied for 3rd with 9 power play points. Tarun Fizer leads all rookies with 37 shots on goal. Luke Martin leads the league in plus/minus at +10. Dylan Fitze is 5th in shots on goal with 43.

Grizzlies Playoffs Player Trends

Charle-Edouard D’Astous has a point in all 11 playoff games, including 8 multiple point games. D’Astous has a power play goal in 9 of 11 playoff games, including 5 games with 2 goals or more. D’Astous averages 4.18 shots per game and 1.36 goals per game. D’Astous has a 32.6 shooting % in the playoffs.

Ben Tardif has 9 multiple point games in the playoffs. Tardif has a point in 9 of 11 playoff games. Tardif has 2 or more assists in 8 playoff games. In the regular season Tardif led Utah in assists (39), points (59) and multiple point games with 19. Tardif leads the playoffs with 10 power play assists. In the regular season Tardif had 10 games with 2 or more assists. Tardif is 2nd in the playoffs with a +9 rating.

Tarun Fizer has a point in 8 of 11 playoff games. Fizer has 5 points in 4 games vs RC (1 goal, 4 assists). Fizer has 10 points in 11 playoff games.

Trey Bradley has a point in 8 of 11 playoff games (5 goals, 8 assists). 9 of his 13 points have been on the power play (1 goal, 8 assists). Bradley is 2nd on the team with a 22.7 shooting %. Bradley has 2 game winning goals in the playoffs. 4 of his 5 playoff goals have come in the 3rd period.

Zach Tsekos has a point in 5 of 11 playoff games. Tsekos had 2 assists in game 7 vs Tulsa and another 2 helpers in game 1 vs RC. He has 4 power play assists. At Clarkson University this season Tsekos had a point in 21 of his 35 games (15 goals, 16 assists). Zach had 8 multiple point games for Clarkson in his senior season (2021-22).

Kyle Betts had 1 goal and 1 assist in 3 different playoff games. Betts has a 16.7 shooting percentage in the playoffs (4 for 24). Betts has a point in 7 of 11 playoff games. Betts is a +7 in the playoffs.

Mason Mannek has a point in 5 of his last 7 games (3 goals, 2 assists). Mannek is averaging 2.27 shots per game.

Dylan Fitze has 3 goals in his last 4 games. All 3 of those goals have come in the third period. Fitze is averaging 3.90 shots per game.

Nick Henry has 5 points (3 goals, 2 assists) in his last 3 games. Henry has 17 shots in 4 playoff games. Henry was reassigned to Utah from Colorado (AHL) on May 4 prior to game 7 vs Tulsa. Henry had 2 goals and 2 assists in 7 regular season games for Utah. Henry appeared in 28 games for Colorado and had 2 goals and 4 assists.

Luke Martin has a point in 6 straight games (7 assists). Martin missed game 1 vs RC on May 6. Martin leads the league in plus/minus (+10). Luke has 5 power play assists.

Miles Gendron had an assist in each of the first 2 games in the Rapid City series. Gendron missed the Tulsa series with an injury and he was also out for the final 4 games of the regular season. Miles is a +2 in the series.

Connor McDonald is a +2 in his last 4 games.

Luka Burzan has 2 goals and 2 assists in 10 playoff games. Both of his playoff goals have come in the third period.

Grizzlies Roster

Forwards: Kyle Betts,Trey Bradley, Luka Burzan, Dylan Fitze, Tarun Fizer, Nick Henry, Mason Mannek, Tyler Penner, Dakota Raabe, 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.

Goaltenders: Peyton Jones,Trent Miner, Thomas Sigouin.

Team Leaders (2022 Kelly Cup Playoffs)

Goals: Charle-Edouard D’Astous (15) – He’s 2 away from tying the league record for goals in a single playoff run.

Assists: Ben Tardif (20) – Tardif led Utah with 39 regular season assists.

Points: Tardif (24) – Tardif led Utah with 59 regular season points.

Plus/Minus: Luke Martin (+10) – Leads League.

Penalty Minutes: D’Astous (36). – Leads League.

Power Play Points: D’Astous (13) – Leads League.

Power Play Goals: D’Astous (9) – Tied a league record for power play goals in a single postseason.

Power Play Assists: Tardif (10) – Leads League.

Shots on Goal: D’Astous (46) – Leads All League Defenseman.

Shooting Percentage: D’Astous (32.6 %) 15 for 46. – 4th in the League.

Goaltending Wins: Trent Miner (5)

Save %: Miner (.936)

Goals Against Average: Miner (2.45)

Team Stats (2022 Kelly Cup Playoffs)

Goals For: 47 (4.27 per game) – 1st in league.

Goals Against: 33 (3.00 per game) – Tied 7th in league.

Goal Differential: +14.

Shots on Goal: 385. 35.00 per game.

Shots Against: 422. 38.36 per game.

Power Play: 18 for 50. 36.0 %.

Penalty Kill: 49 for 57. 86.0 %.

Penalty Minutes: 157. 14.27 per game.

Scoring First: Utah has scored first in 6 of the 11 games in the playoffs. Utah is 4-2 when scoring first and 3-2 when the opposition scored first.