Grizzlies Gameday: Pooch on the Pond Night at the Mav

Idaho Steelheads (8-2-0-1, 17 points, .773 Win %) at Utah Grizzlies (6-5, 12 points, .545 Win %) 

Friday, November 18, 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 second game of a 6 game homestand for the Grizzlies, who have won 4 of their last 6 games. It’s the fourth of 18 meetings between Utah and Idaho in the regular season. Watch out for Zach Tsekos, who has a point in 5 of his last 6 games. Utah is 9 for 28 on the power play over the last 5 games.

Games This Week

November 17, 2022 – Idaho 6 Utah 1 – Neil Robinson scored 6:28 into the contest. Idaho scored 6 unanswered after that. Ty Pelton-Byce led Idaho with 2 goals and 1 assist. Idaho outshot Utah 41 to 25. Kyle Pouncy and Christian Simeone each had 1 assist for Utah. Dylan Fitze led the Grizz with 9 shots on goal.

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.

Grizz Sign Defenseman Cory Thomas

Defenseman Cory Thomas signs with the Grizzlies on November 18. Thomas played in 8 games with the Idaho Steelheads towards the end of the 2021-2022 season, where he scored 1 assist. Thomas was in camp this season with Idaho. He has good size at 6’4” and 205 pounds. Thomas played at Canisius College as a graduate transfer last season and was a +3 and had 2 goals and 1 assist in 39 games. Before that he played at the University of Vermont for 4 seasons from 2017-2021. Thomas will wear number 3 for Utah. Last season he was number 14 for Idaho.  

Neil Robinson Scores a Goal in First Game of Season

Neil Robinson scored Utah’s lone goal 6:28 into the game last night. Robinson was making his first appearance of the season and it was also his first game since suffering a major injury on November 6, 2021 vs Rapid City. Neil played his college hockey at Holy Cross College, where he scored 10 goals and 13 assists in 36 games as a senior in the 2019-20 season. Robinson scored 1 goal in 3 games with Utah last season.

Recent Transactions

November 18 – Cory Thomas Signs with Utah

November 11 - Nate Clurman Recalled to Colorado

Defenseman Nate Clurman was called up to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. Clurman has 3 assists in 8 games this season for Utah. Nate is in the 2nd year of an NHL entry level contract.

November 9 - Ben Tardif Recalled to Colorado

Forward Ben Tardif was recalled to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles on November 9. Tardif has 2 goals and 3 assists in his last 2 games. Ben has a point in 5 of 7 games this season as well as 2 straight multiple point games. Tardif led Utah with 19 multiple point games last season.

November 7 - Trent Miner Reassigned to Grizzlies

Miner got his first win of the season on November 11 at Allen as he saved 31 of 33. Last season Miner broke a Grizzlies franchise record with 7 shutouts. The 21-year-old goaltender has 8 shutouts in 41 professional games. Trent had 8 shutouts in 4 seasons with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants.

Grizzlies Player Trends

Andrew Nielsen – Tied for2nd in the league with 12 assists. Nielsen leads the league in power play assists (8) and power play points (8). Nielsen is tied with Idaho’s Patrick Kudla in points among defenseman with 13. Nielsen leads Grizzlies blueliners 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 42 shots on goal (tied for 4th overall). Wright has 2 goals and 6 assists in his last 6 games.

Tarun Fizer – Fizer has a point in 4 of his last 7 games and a point in 7 of 11 contests. Fizer has a 20.7 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 5 games and he has a point in 5 of his last 6 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 5 games.

Johnny Walker – Walker has 4 goals in his last 5 games. Johnny has a 25.0 shooting % (4 for 16).

Dylan Fitze – Had 9 shots on goal vs Idaho on November 17. Fitze has 19 shots on goal over his last 3 games. Fitze has 4 different games with 5 or more shots. Fitze is 2nd on the club with 34 shots.

Neil Robinson – Scored a first period goal in his first game back from a major injury suffered on Nov. 6, 2021.

Christian Simeone – Got an assist in his 2022-2023 season debut. Simeone had 5 goals and 10 assists in 55 games last year.

Bear Bites: Grizzlies Team Notes

Utah is 9 for 28 on the power play over the last 5 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 6 games. Utah is 4-2 when scoring first. Utah has outscored opponents 14 to 10 in the second period's.

Match-Up With Idaho

It’s the fourth 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. Idaho won 6-1 on November 17. Last year Utah was 9-6-0-1 vs Idaho, winning 4 of 5 to end the regular season.

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

Overall record: 6-5

Home record: 1-2

Road record: 5-3

Win percentage: .545

Streak: Lost 2

Standings Points: 12

Last 10: 6-4

Goals per game: 2.82 (19th)  Goals for: 31

Goals against per game: 3.18 (16th)  Goals Against: 35

Shots per game: 30.64 (15th) 

Shots against per game: 33.00 (22nd)

Power Play: 11 for 57 – 19.3 % (14th) 

Penalty Kill: 29 for 37- 78.4 % (Tied 17th) 

Penalty Minutes: 127. 11.55 per game.

Shorthanded Goals: 0

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 1.

Record When Scoring First: 4-2.

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 (42).  

Shooting Percentage: Walker (25.0 %) 4 for 16.  

Game Winning Goals: Wright (3)

Wins: Garrett Metcalf (3)

Save %: Lukas Parik (.917).

Goals Against Average: Lukas Parik (2.51)