Grizzlies Gameday: Saturday Night Showdown in Boise

Utah Grizzlies (8-9, 16 points, .471 Win %) at Idaho Steelheads (14-2-0-1, 29 points, .853 Win %) 

Saturday, December 3, 2022. 7:10 pm. Arena: Idaho Central Arena

Broadcast: FloHockey.TV - https://www.flohockey.tv/events/7759864-2022-utah-grizzlies-vs-idaho-steelheads

Audio: YouTube.com/UTAHGRIZZLIES.

It’s the last of a 2 game weekend series at Idaho Central Arena between the Grizzlies and Steelheads. It’s the 7th of 18 regular season meetings between the clubs. Utah is 16 for 54 on the power play over the last 11 games. Watch out for Johnny Walker, who has 7 goals in his last 11 games. Dylan Fitze and Andrew Nielsen each has a point in 4 straight games.

Games This Week

Friday, December 2, 2022 – Utah 4 Idaho 5 – Johnny Walker had 2 goals. Dylan Fitze and Christian Simeone added a goal each for Utah. Idaho outshot Utah 50 to 22. Idaho was 2 for 6 on the power play. Utah was 0 for 1. Neil Robinson had a +2 rating for Utah. Idaho got 2 goals from Jordan Kawaguchi. Zane Franklin and Ryan Dmowski each had 1 goal and 1 assist. Colton Kehler scored the game winning goal 11:31 into the third period.

Saturday, December 3, 2022 – Utah at Idaho. 7:10 pm. Idaho Central Arena.

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

Utah is in game 2 of a 5-game road trip. Utah is 5-4 on the road this season.

Games Next Week 

December 7, 2022 – Utah at Jacksonville. 5:00 pm. VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.

December 9, 2022 – Utah at Jacksonville. 5:00 pm. VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.

December 10, 2022 – Utah at Jacksonville. 5:00 pm. VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.

All times mountain.

Transactions This Week

December 2 – Grizzlies Sign Forward Vladislav Mikhalchuk – Mikhalchuk made his Grizzlies debut on December 2 at Idaho. He had 2 shots on goal.

December 2 – Andrew Nielsen Returned from Loan to San Diego – Nielsen had 1 assist and was a +1 for Utah on Dec. 2 at Idaho. Nielsen leads Utah with 17 assists and 19 points. He has 1 goal and 5 assists in his last 4 games. Nielsen leads the league in power play assists (12) and power play points (13).

December 2 – Cameron Wright Recalled to Colorado - Wright signed an AHL contract on July 27, 2022. Wright is tied for 2nd in the league lead with 3 game winning goals. All 3 of his professional goals have been game winners. Wright leads all rookies with 67 shots on goal (2nd overall). Wright has 2 goals and 11 assists in his last 11 games. Wright has 25 shots on goal over his last 5 games.

November 29 – Andrew Nielsen Loaned to San Diego (AHL) - Nielsen played in 1 game with San Diego on Nov. 30 at Colorado.

November 29 – Zach Tsekos Recalled to Colorado (AHL) - Tied among all league rookies with 4 power play goals. Tsekos has 6 goals and 6 assists in his last 11 games. Tsekos leads the club with 8 goals. Tsekos scored his first professional game winner on Nov. 26 vs Trois-Rivieres. 

7 Players in the AHL

There are 7 players who have appeared in 2 or more games with the Grizzlies this season who are now in the American Hockey League. This week Cameron Wright and Zach Tsekos each went to the Colorado Eagles and Andrew Nielsen was loaned to the San Diego Gulls. Nielsen returned to the Grizzlies on December 2nd. Last Week Tarun Fizer went to Colorado and Brandon Cutler was loaned to Belleville. Ben Tardif and Nate Clurman each went up to Colorado in early November and are still with the Eagles and Kyle Betts is still in Belleville, where he is a teammate with Cutler.

Grizzlies Player Trends

Andrew Nielsen – Nielsen has a 4-game point streak (1 goal, 5 assists). Nielsen is a +2 in his last 2 games. Nielsen leads all league defenseman in assists (17) and points (19). He leads the league with 12 power play assists and 13 power play points.

Johnny Walker – Walker has 7 goals in his last 11 games. Walker leads all league rookies with 56 penalty minutes. 3 of his 7 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).

Dakota Raabe – Raabe has 2 goals and 4 assists in his last 4 games. Raabe has 3 multiple point games in his last 4.

Victor Bartley - Bartley has 4 points in his last 3 games (1 goal, 3 assists).

Brycen Martin – Has a point in 3 of his last 5 games.

Tyler Penner – Penner has a goal in 2 of his last 3 games.  

Christian Simeone – Scored his first goal of the season on Dec. 2 at Idaho. Simeone had 5 goals in 55 games last season.

Dylan Fitze – Fitze is a +1 in each of his last 3 games. Fitze has a point in 4 straight games (1 goal, 3 assists).

Bear Bites: Grizzlies Team Notes

Utah is 16 for 54 on the power play over the last 11 games. Utah is 5-3 in one goal games. Utah is 6-2 when scoring first. Utah has outscored opponents 20 to 16 in the second period this season. Utah is 4-0 when leading after 1 period. Utah is 5-1 when leading after 2 periods. Utah is 2-0 in overtime this season. Utah is 5-4 on the road this season. 

Match-Up With Idaho

It’s the 7th of 18 meetings this season between Utah and Idaho. Utah is 1-2 at Idaho this season. Idaho swept a 3-game series at Utah on November 17-18, 20. Idaho has won 5 in a row vs Utah.

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

Overall record: 8-9

Home record: 3-5

Road record: 5-4

Win percentage: .471

Streak: Lost 1

Standings Points: 16

Last 10: 4-6

Goals per game: 2.94 (Tied 17th) Goals for: 50

Goals against per game: 3.35 (18th)  Goals Against: 57

Shots per game: 29.65 (21st)  

Shots against per game: 32.94 (21st)

Power Play: 18 for 83 – 21.7 % (10th)

Penalty Kill: 48 for 62- 77.4 % (20th)

Penalty Minutes: 222. 13.06 per game.

Shorthanded Goals: 0

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 1.

Record When Scoring First: 6-2.

Opposition Scores First: 2-7.  

Record in One Goal Games: 5-3. 

Team Leaders (2022-23 Regular season)

Goals: Zach Tsekos (8). 

Assists: Andrew Nielsen (17). 

Points: Nielsen (19).

Plus/Minus: Dakota Raabe/Tsekos (+4). 

PIM: Johnny Walker (54)

Power Play Points: Nielsen (13)

Power Play Goals: Tsekos (4)

Power Play Assists: Nielsen (12).  

Shots on Goal: Cameron Wright (67).  

Shooting Percentage: Walker (23.3 %) 7 for 30.   

Game Winning Goals: Wright (3)

Wins: Garrett Metcalf (4)

Save %: Lukas Parik (.917).

Goals Against Average: Parik (2.51)