Grizzlies Gameday: Friday Night Rivalry at the Mav

Grizzlies Gameday: Division Rivals Meet at Maverik Center

Idaho Steelheads (23-3-0-1, 47 points, .870 Win %) at Utah Grizzlies (11-15, 22 points, .423 Win %) 

Friday, December 30, 2022. 7:10 pm. Arena: Maverik Center

Broadcast: FloHockey.TV - https://www.flohockey.tv/events/7760168-2022-idaho-steelheads-vs-utah-grizzlies

Audio: YouTube.com/UTAHGRIZZLIES.

It’s the Fourth of five straight meetings between the Grizzlies and Steelheads. It’s the 11th of 18 meetings between the clubs in the regular season. Utah is 2-8 vs Idaho this season, with both Utah wins coming at Idaho Central Arena. It’s the only 2 losses Idaho has had at home this season as they are 13-2 at Idaho Central Arena.

Dakota Raabe has been hot lately as he has a point in 10 of his last 13 games (5 goals, 10 assists). Cameron Wright leads all Grizzlies forwards with 19 points (4 goals, 15 assists) this season. It’s game 2 of the 3 game series at Maverik Center. Utah is 6-4 this season in the second game of a series.

Games This Week

Wednesday, December 28, 2022 - Idaho 6 Utah 2 – Cam Strong and Jordan Martel each scored for Utah 13 seconds apart in the third period. Martel led Utah with 5 shots on goal. Eric Dop saved 33 of 39 in his Grizzlies debut. Jordan Kawaguchi had 2 goals and 2 assists for Idaho. Matt Register had 1 goal and 3 assists. Idaho won their 9th straight game. Steelheads went 3 for 4 on the power play. Utah was 0 for 6.

Friday, December 30, 2022 - Idaho at Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. AFCU Friday.

Saturday, December 31, 2022 - Idaho at Utah. 5:10 pm. Maverik Center.

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

All times mountain.

Games Next Week

Thursday, January 5, 2023 – Utah at Rapid City. 7:05 pm. The Monument.

Friday, January 6, 2023 – Utah at Rapid City. 7:05 pm. The Monument.

Saturday, January 7, 2023 – Utah at Rapid City. 7:05 pm. The Monument.

Great Wednesday Night Crowd

A crowd of 6325 was at Maverik Center for the December 28th game. It was the 3rd largest crowd of the season and the best Wednesday night crowd since a crowd of 7186 saw the Grizzlies face the Las Vegas Wranglers on February 15, 2012. Utah won 3-1 as Paul McIlveen scored 2 goals and Andrew Engelage saved 31 of 32.

Andrew Nielsen Named to ECHL All-Star Team

Andrew Nielsen has been selected to the 2023 ECHL Western Conference All-Star Team. Nielsen leads the league in power play assists (13) and is 2nd in power play points (15). Nielsen is tied for the league lead in assists among defenseman with 20. He is 3rd among all league d-men with 24 points.

Recent Transactions

December 28 – Grizz Sign Goaltender Eric Dop - Dop made his Grizzlies debut on December 28th and saved 33 of 39. Dop has played in 3 games with the Tulsa Oilers and 4 games with the Allen Americans this season. He played at Bowling Green State University for 4 seasons from 2017-2021, where he had a record of 45-26-7 with eight shutouts in 77 career starts. Dop had a 2.22 goals against average and a .914 save percentage in his Bowling Green career.  He was a member of the 2018 WCHA All-Rookie Team and a three-time WCHA All-Academic selection. He was a teammate with Grizzlies captain Connor McDonald for 2 years and Cameron Wright for 4 years at BGSU.

He spent the 2021-2022 season at Boston College, where he had a 3.01 goals against average and a .900 save percentage.

December 27 – Goaltender Lukas Parik Recalled to Colorado – Parik was Recalled to Colorado on December 27. In 9 games with Utah this season Parik has a record of 3-6 with a 3.23 goals against average and a .907 save %.

December 22 - Trent Miner and Zach Tsekos Reassigned to Utah - Goaltender Trent Miner and forward Zach Tsekos were reassigned to the Grizzlies from the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. Miner is the Grizzlies all-time franchise record holder with 8 shutouts. Miner led the league with 7 clean sheets last season and 1 this season, which came on November 27, 2022. Tsekos leads Utah with a 21.1 shooting percentage. Zach has 8 goals and 7 assists in 17 games with Utah this season. Tsekos leads all Grizzlies forwards with a +3 rating. He appeared in 6 games with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles.

Grizzlies Player Trends

Zach Tsekos – Tsekos made his first appearance for Utah since November 27 vs Trois Rivieres. Tsekos spent most of the month of December in the AHL, where he played in 6 games with Colorado. Tsekos has a point in 4 straight games for Utah (2 goals, 4 assists). Tsekos leads all forwards in Plus/minus (+3). Zach leads Utah with a 21.1 shooting percentage (8 for 38).

Dakota Raabe – Raabe has a point in 10 of his last 13 games (5 goals, 10 assists). Raabe has 4 multiple point games in his last 13 contests. On December 21 Raabe had 2 goals and 1 assist at Idaho. Raabe has an assist in 5 of his last 6 home games.

Keaton Jameson – Jameson has 4 points (3 goals, 1 assist) in his last 5 games. Jameson got the Gordie Howe Hat Trick with 2 goals, 1 assist and 1 fight on December 17 vs KC. It was his first multiple point game since April 16, 2022 vs Idaho in the regular season finale. 

Cameron Wright – Wright leads all rookies with 85 shots on goal. Wright leads Utah with 3 game winning goals. Wright leads all Utah forwards in points (19) and power play assists (6).  

Andrew Nielsen – Nielsen has a point in 7 of his last 10 games (3 goals, 8 assists). Nielsen is tied among all league defenseman in assists (20) and is 4th among defenseman in points (24). He leads the league with 13 power play assists and is 2nd with 15 power play points. Nielsen has a point in 13 of his 22 games. Andrew has 2 power play goals in his last 9 games. Nielsen was named to the 2023 ECHL Western Conference All-Star team.

Johnny Walker – Walker has 4 goals and 3 assists in his last 7 games. He has 9 goals in his last 17 games. Walker leads all league rookies with 85 penalty minutes (2nd most in the league). 5 of his 9 goals have come on the power play. Walker has 2 games with 2 goals this season (November 5 at Kansas City, December 2 at Idaho). Walker is tied among all league rookies with 5 power play goals. Johnny has missed each of the last 3 games due to injury.

Dylan Fitze –Fitze has a point in 6 of his last 13 games. 

Tyler Penner – Penner has 5 goals and 1 assist in his last 12 games. Penner has a goal in 4 of his last 5 home games.

Jordan Martel – Scored his first goal of the season on Dec. 28 vs Idaho. It was his 3rd professional goal as he scored 2 goals for Fort Wayne vs Wheeling on April 16, 2022. Martel has 3 points (1 goal, 2 assists) in 5 games with Utah. Martel has 18 shots in 5 games.

Bear Bites: Grizzlies Team Notes

Utah is 22 for 95 on the power play over the last 20 games. Utah is 5-3 in one goal games. Utah is 8-2 when scoring first. Utah has scored 31 goals in the second periods this season. Utah is 4-0 when leading after 1 period. Utah is 8-1 when leading after 2 periods. Utah is 2-0 in overtime this season.

Grizzlies Ironmen

There are 3 players who have appeared in all 26 games this season: Dylan Fitze, Tyler Penner and Dakota Raabe  Penner was 1 of 2 Grizzlies along with Mason Mannek, who appeared in all 72 games last season.

Match-Up With Idaho

It’s the 11th of 18 regular season meetings between Utah and Idaho. Utah is 2-8 vs Idaho this season. Utah has a 2-4 record this season at Idaho Central Arena. Idaho is 23-3-0-1 this season. They are 15-1-0-1 when playing teams not named the Utah Grizzlies. Idaho leads the league by averaging 4.48 goals per game. Idaho also leads the league in goals allowed per game at 1.96. Idaho has a + 68 goal differential this season, scoring 121 goals and allowing 53. Idaho also leads the league in shots per game at 37.19. They are 4th in the league in shots allowed per game at 28.30. Idaho’s team save percentage is .932. Matt Register leads the league in plus/minus at +35. Cody Haiskanen is a +22. Ryan Dmowski is the Steelheads leading scorer with 34 points (14 goals, 20 assists). Dmowski leads the league with 139 shots on goal. Patrick Kudla is tied for the league lead in points among defenseman with 25 (5 goals, 20 assists).

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

Overall record: 11-15

Home record: 5-6

Road record: 6-9

Win percentage: .423

Streak: Lost 3

Standings Points: 22

Last 10: 3-7

Goals per game: 2.77 (24th)  Goals for: 72

Goals against per game: 3.58 (22nd) Goals Against: 93

Shots per game: 28.65 (26th)  

Shots against per game: 34.77 (24th)

Power Play: 24 for 124 – 19.4 % (Tied 15th)

Penalty Kill: 83 for 106- 78.3 % (16th)

Penalty Minutes: 368. 14.15 per game.

Shorthanded Goals: 2. Utah had 2 shorthanded goals on Dec. 17 vs Kansas City.  

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 4.

Record When Scoring First: 8-2.

Opposition Scores First: 3-13.  

Record in One Goal Games: 5-3. 

Team Leaders (2022-23 Regular season)

Goals: Johnny Walker (9). 

Assists: Andrew Nielsen (20). 

Points: Nielsen (24).

Plus/Minus: James Shearer (+4). 

PIM: Walker (85)

Power Play Points: Nielsen (15)

Power Play Goals: Walker (5)

Power Play Assists: Nielsen (13).  

Shots on Goal: Cameron Wright (85).  

Shooting Percentage: Tsekos (21.1 %) 8 for 38.   

Game Winning Goals: Wright (3)

Wins: Garrett Metcalf (5)

Save %: Metcalf (.913).

Goals Against Average: Metcalf (3.16)

Active Streaks 

Goal Streaks: Jordan Martel, Cam Strong (1)

Assist Streaks: Zach Tsekos (4) James Shearer, Cameron Wright (1)

Point Streaks of 2 or more: Tsekos (4).