Grizzlies Gameday: Friday Night Rumble in Kansas City

Grizzlies Gameday: Friday Night Road Test in Kansas City

Utah Grizzlies (2-3, 4 points, .400 Win %) at Kansas City Mavericks (3-1, 6 points, .750 Win %) 

Friday, November 4, 2022. 6:05 pm. Arena: Cable Dahmer Arena. 

Broadcast: FloHockey, YouTube.com/UTAHGRIZZLIES.

It’s game 2 of the 3 game series in Kansas City. It’s the 4th game of an 8 game road trip. Utah is currently 1-2 on the road trip and 2-3 overall. They face the Kansas City Mavericks, who are 3-1 on the season.

Games This Week 

November 1, 2022 – Utah 2 Kansas City 3 - Dylan Fitze and Tarun Fizer each scored a goal for Utah.

November 4, 2022 – Utah at Kansas City. 6:05 pm. Cable Dahmer Arena.

November 5, 2022 – Utah at Kansas City. 6:05 pm. Cable Dahmer Arena. 

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

Last Game: Kansas City 3 Utah 2

Dylan Fitze gave Utah a 1-0 lead 6:01 in. KC’s Cole Coskey tied the game with 7 seconds left in the first period. Tarun Fizer gave Utah a 2-1 lead 10:46 into the second. Utah led 2-1 after 2 periods but Tristan Mullin tied the game 8:25 into the third period and Keeghan Howdeshell delivered the game winner for KC with 1:58 left in regulation. Utah outshot KC 34 to 29. Utah went 0 for 6 on the power play. 5 of the 6 Utah power plays took place in the third period, where Utah outshot KC 21 to 8. Utah’s Lukas Parik saved 26 of 29. KC’s Shane Starrett stopped 32 of 34.

Rare Loss When Leading After 2

Utah last season was 29-1 when leading after 2 periods. On Tuesday night Utah had a 2-1 lead and gave up 2 goals in the third to lose 3-2 to Kansas City.  

Shot Counts in the First 5 Games

October 21 – Utah 37 Rapid City 26

October 22 – Utah 31 Rapid City 27

October 28 – Utah 27 Idaho 39

October 29 – Utah 23 Idaho 25

November 1 – Utah 34 Kansas City 29

Utah has outshot the opposition in 3 of their first 5 games. Utah is 15th in the 28 team league in shots per game at 30.40. They are also in the middle of the pack in shots allowed as they are 14th in the league at 29.20.

Recent Transactions

October 29 - Trent Miner Recalled to Colorado (AHL). Miner has appeared in 1 game with Utah this

season, saving 21 of 25 on October 21 vs Rapid City.

October 26 – Brandon Cutler signs with Grizzlies. Kyle Betts loaned to Belleville (AHL). Cutler appeared in both games last weekend at Idaho and had 8 shots on goal.

Player Trends

Tarun Fizer leads Utah with 5 goals and a 27.8 Shooting % (5 for 18). Fizer has scored the game’s first goal on 2 different occasions. Fizer has 5 of Utah’s 10 goals on the season. Fizer has a goal in 4 of Utah’s 5 games.

Zach Tsekos scored a goal in both games vs Rapid City on October 21, 22. Tsekos is a +2 through 5 games. 

Cameron Wright leads the team with 21 shots on goal. Wright scored his first professional goal on October 28 at Idaho.

Ben Tardif has an assist in 3 of the 5 games.

Lukas Parik Has appeared in each of Utah’s last 4 games. He has a .917 save percentage, allowing 10 goals in 4 games.

Andrew Nielsen has 3 assists in his last 4 games.

Dylan Fitze has 12 shots on goal in the last 3 games.

Bear Bites: Grizzlies Team Notes

Utah is 2-1 when scoring first. Utah has outshot their opponents 61 to 49 in the second period(s). Utah is 2-1 in one goal games. Utah is 0-3 when allowing 3 or more goals.

Match-Up With Kansas City

Utah went 6-3 against Kansas City last season, highlighted by a 3-game sweep at Maverik Center on March 9, 11-12. Ben Tardif had 8 points (5 goals, 3 assists) in the 3 game sweep. Tardif scored the overtime game winner on March 9. Three days later he scored 3 goals and 1 assist in a 6-3 Utah win.  Over the last 5 seasons Utah has won 17 of the last 35 meetings vs KC. Utah is17-14-3-1 vs KC. It’s been very even in the last 5 seasons at Cable Dahmer Arena as Utah is 8-8-1 in their last 17 meetings at Kansas City.  

Kansas City lost goaltender Shane Starrett to the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds. Starrett saved 32 of 34 shots against Utah on November 1st. Starrett is 3-0 for KC on the season.

Grizzlies and Mavericks Leadership

Connor McDonald has been named captain of the Grizzlies. Last season Trey Bradley wore the “C”. James Shearer and Dylan Fitze are the assistant captains and will wear the “A” on their jersey this season. Shearer is currently out of the Grizzlies lineup due to injury and Nate Clurman wore an “A” for Utah on November 1st at KC.

On November 3rd the Kansas City Mavericks announced Nick Pastujov as their team captain. Loren Ulett, Tommy Muck and Josh Lammon were named alternate captains.