Grizzlies Gameday: First Home Game in 26 Days at Renovated Maverik Center

Idaho Steelheads (7-2-0-1, 15 points, .750 Win %) at Utah Grizzlies (6-4, 12 points, .600 Win %) 

Thursday, November 17, 2022. 7:10 pm. Arena: Maverik Center

Broadcast: FloHockey.TV - https://www.flohockey.tv/events/7759705-2022-idaho-steelheads-vs-utah-grizzlies

Audio: YouTube.com/UTAHGRIZZLIES.

It’s the first game of a 6 game homestand for the Grizzlies, who completed an 8-game road trip with a 5-3 record. Utah has won 4 of their last 5 games. It’s the 3rd of 18 meetings between Utah and Idaho. Watch out for Zach Tsekos, who has a point in 5 straight games. Utah is 9 for 26 on the power play over the last 4 games.

Games This Week

November 17, 2022 – Idaho at Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center.

November 18, 2022 – Idaho at Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. Pooch on the Pond. AFCU Friday.

November 20, 2022 – Idaho at Utah. 3:10 pm. Maverik Center.

You can catch every game on FloHockey and audio on the Grizzlies YouTube channel.

Successful Road Trip for Grizzlies

Utah went 5-3 on the 3 city road trip. They opened up the road slate with a series split at Idaho with both teams going 1-1. Utah won 2 out of 3 games at Kansas City, followed up by winning 2 out of 3 at Allen.

Utah won 2 games in overtime. Cameron Wright delivered the game winning goal 2:04 into overtime on November 4 at KC. Grizz captain Connor McDonald won the game with 13 seconds left in OT on November 9 at Allen. It was McDonald’s first game winning goal as a professional.

Cameron Wright had 3 goals and 6 assists on the road trip. All 3 of Wright’s goals were game winners. 

Goaltending was solid for Utah. Garrett Metcalf won all 3 games he started on the trip. Metcalf won 2 games at Kansas City, where he is now 4-0 in his last 4 games vs the Mavericks. Garrett also started the first game in the Allen series, stopping 32 of 34 in a 3-2 overtime win on Nov. 9. Trent Miner earned his first win of the season as he saved 31 of 33 on November 11 at Allen. Miner also performed well in the 4-2 loss on November 12 as he saved 39 of 42. Lukas Parik started each of the first 3 games of the trip and had a .914 save percentage.

Team Leaders on the Road Trip

Goals: Zach Tsekos/Johnny Walker (4).

Assists: Andrew Nielsen (10).

Points: Nielsen (11).

Plus/Minus: Tsekos (+5).

Shots on goal: Brandon Cutler (31).

Grizzlies Player Trends

Andrew Nielsen – 2nd in the league with 12 assists. Nielsen leads the league in power play assists (8) and power play points (8). Nielsen leads all defenseman with 13 points. Nielsen leads all league defenseman with 32 shots on goal.

Cameron Wright – Tied for the league lead with 3 game winning goals. All 3 of his professional goals have been game winners. Wright leads all rookies with 40 shots on goal (tied for 2nd overall). Wright has 2 goals and 6 assists in his last 5 games.

Tarun Fizer – Fizer has a point in 4 of his last 6 games and a point in 7 of 10 contests. Fizer has a 22.2 shooting % (6 for 27). Tarun has the first goal in the game twice this season. Fizer is tied for the club lead with 6 goals.

Zach Tsekos – Tied among all league rookies with 3 power play goals. Tsekos has 4 goals in his last 4 games and he has a point in 5 straight games. Tsekos has a 24.0 shooting % (6 for 25). Tsekos is tied with Fizer for the club lead with 6 goals.

Brandon Cutler – All 5 of Cutler’s points have come on the power play (3 goals, 2 assists). Cutler has 5 points in his last 4 games.

Johnny Walker – Walker has 4 goals in his last 4 games. Johnny has a 33.3 shooting % (4 for 12).

Bear Bites: Grizzlies Team Notes

Utah is 9 for 26 on the power play over the last 4 games. Utah is 4-1 in one goal games. Utah went 5-3 on their recently concluded 8 game road trip. Utah has won 4 of their last 5 games. Utah has a team save percentage of .910. Utah is 4-1 when scoring first. Utah has outscored opponents 14 to 8 in the second period's.

Match-Up With Idaho

It’s the 3rd of 18 season meetings against the Idaho Steelheads. Utah split a 2 game series at Idaho in late October. Utah won 2-1 on October 28 as Tarun Fizer and Cameron Wright scored for the Grizz. Idaho won 4-0 on October 29 as Jake Kupsky earned a 23 save shutout.

2022-2023 Utah Grizzlies Regular Season Totals (league rankings)

Overall record: 6-4

Home record: 1-1

Road record: 5-3

Win percentage: .600 

Streak: Lost 1

Standings Points: 12

Last 10: 6-4

Goals per game: 3.00 (Tied 13th)  Goals for: 30

Goals against per game: 2.90 (11th)  Goals Against: 29

Shots per game: 31.20 (14th) 

Shots against per game: 32.20 (20th)

Power Play: 11 for 55 – 20.0 % (13th) 

Penalty Kill: 28 for 35- 80.0 % (Tied 16th) 

Penalty Minutes: 121. 12.10 per game. – Utah has the 3rd fewest penalty minutes per game in the league.

Shorthanded Goals: 0

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 1.

Record When Scoring First: 4-1.

Opposition Scores First: 2-3

Record in One Goal Games: 4-1. 

Team Leaders (2022-23 Regular season)

Goals: Tarun Fizer/Zach Tsekos (6). 

Assists: Andrew Nielsen (12). 

Points: Nielsen (13). 

Plus/Minus: Zach Tsekos (+5). 

PIM: Johnny Walker (29)

Power Play Points: Nielsen (8)

Power Play Goals: Brandon Cutler/Tsekos (3)

Power Play Assists: Nielsen (8).  

Shots on Goal: Cameron Wright (40).  

Shooting Percentage: Walker (33.3 %) 4 for 12.  

Game Winning Goals: Wright (3)

Wins: Garrett Metcalf (3)

Save %: Metcalf (.920).

Goals Against Average: Lukas Parik (2.51)

Active Streaks 

Goal Streaks: Johnny Walker (2), Brandon Cutler (1).

Assist Streaks: Andrew Nielsen (2) Brycen Martin, Connor McDonald, Zach Tsekos (1)

Point Streaks of 2 or more: Tsekos (5) Cutler, Nielsen, Walker (2)