Grizzlies Gameday: Teddy Bear Toss Night at Maverik Center

Grizzlies Gameday: Teddy Bear Toss and Ugly Sweater Night at Maverik Center

Kansas City Mavericks (9-8-3, 21 points, .525 Win %) at Utah Grizzlies (9-12, 18 points, .429 Win %) 

Saturday, December 17, 2022. 7:10 pm. Arena: Maverik Center

Broadcast: FloHockey.TV - https://www.flohockey.tv/events/7760035-2022-kansas-city-mavericks-vs-utah-grizzlies

Audio: YouTube.com/UTAHGRIZZLIES.

It’s the First of a two-game series between the Grizzlies and Mavericks. Utah won 2 out of 3 games at Kansas City from November 1-5. Watch out for Johnny Walker, who has 9 goals in his last 15 games. Walker leads the club with 5 power play goals. Dakota Raabe has been hot lately as he has a point in 7 of his last 8 games (3 goals, 7 assists).

Teddy Bear Toss and Ugly Sweater Night

It’s the Grizzlies annual Teddy Bear Toss, where fans bring teddy bears and stuffed animals and throw them on the ice after Utah’s first goal. The teddy bears will go to local charities.

It’s also Ugly Sweater Night. The Grizzlies will wear Ugly Sweater themed specialty jerseys.

Games This Week 

December 17, 2022 – Kansas City at Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. Teddy Bear Toss. Ugly Sweater Night. 

December 18, 2022 – Kansas City at Utah. 3:10 pm. Maverik Center.

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

All times mountain.

Games Last Week

December 7, 2022 – Utah 2 Jacksonville 5 – Neil Robinson and Tyler Penner scored Utah’s goals. Utah went 1 for 4 on the power play. Jacksonville was 1 for 3. Jacksonville outshot Utah 38 to 29. Utah has allowed 134 shots over their last 3 games. Jacksonville’s Travis Howe had 2 goals. Luke Martin and Zach Jordan each had 1 goal and 1 assist.

December 9, 2022 – Utah 1 Jacksonville 4 – Johnny Walker scored Utah’s lone goal. Walker now leads the team with 9 goals this season. Jacksonville got 1 goal and 1 assist from Luke Martin and Ara Nazarian. Icemen goalie Charles Williams saved 23 of 24 in the win. Utah’s Lukas Parik saved 33 of 36. Jacksonville outshout Utah 37 to 24. Utah was 1 for 4 on the power play and 5 for 6 on the penalty kill.

December 10, 2022 – Utah 1 Jacksonville 4 – Dakota Raabe scored Utah’s lone goal on the power play 12:24 into the second period.

• Dakota Raabe has a point in 7 of his last 8 games. Raabe and Johnny Walker each had 1 goal and 1 assist in the 3 game series at Jacksonville.
• Lukas Parik made his first 2 starts last weekend since November 1st. Parik Saved 33 of 36 on December 9th and 33 of 37 on December 10th. Lukas this season has a 2.85 goals against average and a .912 save percentage.

Andrew Nielsen Leads the Way

Andrew Nielsen has a point in 6 of his last 7 games. Nielsen leads the league among defenseman in assists (19) and points (23). Nielsen also leads the league in power play assists (13) and power play points (15). has a point in 12 of 19 games.

Recent Transactions

December 15 – Grizzlies Acquire Jordan Martel from Fort Wayne for Neil Robinson – Forward Jordan Martel was acquired by Utah for Neil Robinson. Martel had 6 assists in 13 games for Fort Wayne this season. Martel had 2 goals and 1 assist in his 2nd pro game vs Wheeling on April 16, 2022. Martel played with the University of Quebec Trois Rivieres in 2020 and 2022, scoring 34 points in 38 games (20 goals, 14 assists). Jordan played in the QMJHL with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar from 2015-2019. His best statistical season in the QMJHL came in the 2017-2018 season where he scored 77 points (39 goals, 38 assists) in 66 games.

Robinson had 5 points (3 goals, 2 assists) in 11 games with Utah this season.

December 14 – Goaltender Garrett Metcalf Loaned to San Diego – In 6 games this season Metcalf has a 5-1 record with a 3.16 GAA and a .913 save percentage.

December 12 – Cameron Wright Reassigned to Grizzlies - 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 with Utah. Wright has 25 shots on goal over his last 5 Grizzlies games. Cameron appeared in 2 games with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles.

December 10 – Tarun Fizer Reassigned to Grizzlies – Fizer played in 3 games with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles.

December 2 – Grizzlies Sign Forward Vladislav Mikhalchuk – Mikhalchuk made his Grizzlies debut on December 2 at Idaho. He had 2 shots on goal. Mikhalchuk has appeared in 3 games so far for Utah.

6 Players in the AHL

There are 6 players who have appeared in 2 or more games with the Grizzlies this season who are now in the American Hockey League.

Kyle Betts – 9 games in Belleville (AHL) 0 points, 4 PIM, -2 rating. In 2 games with Utah he has 1 assist.

Nate Clurman – 3 assists, +3 in 11 games with Colorado (AHL). He has 3 assists in 8 games with Utah.

Brandon Cutler – Appeared in 3 games with Belleville (AHL). Cutler is currently in Hartford (AHL).

Ben Tardif – 1 goal, 2 assists, +1 in 11 games with Colorado (AHL). Tardif has 9 points (2 goals, 7 assists) in 7 games with Utah this season. Tardif led Utah with 39 assists and 59 points last season.

Zach Tsekos – Zach has played in 5 games with Colorado (AHL). Tsekos has 8 goals and 6 assists in 16 games with the Grizzlies this season.

Garrett Metcalf – Loaned to the San Diego Gulls on December 14. The Goaltender went 5-1 with Utah this season. Metcalf has previous AHL experience with Lehigh Valley and was in training camp with the Calgary Hitmen.

Grizzlies Player Trends

Dakota Raabe – Raabe has a point in 7 of his last 8 games (3 goals, 7 assists). Raabe has 3 multiple point games in his last 8. 

Johnny Walker – Walker has 4 goals and 2 assists in his last 5 games. He has 9 goals in his last 15 games. Walker leads all league rookies with 64 penalty minutes. 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).

Dylan Fitze –Fitze has a point in 6 of his last 8 games.

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

Tyler Penner – Penner has 3 goals and 1 assist in his last 7 games.

Bear Bites: Grizzlies Team Notes

Utah is 21 for 72 on the power play over the last 15 games (29.1 %). Utah is 5th overall on the power play this season at 22.8 % (23 for 101. Utah is 5-3 in one goal games. Utah is 7-2 when scoring first. Utah has outscored opponents 25 to 19 in the second period this season. Utah is 4-0 when leading after 1 period. Utah is 6-1 when leading after 2 periods. Utah is 2-0 in overtime this season. 

Match-Up With Kansas City

It’s the 4th of 8 meetings this season between Utah and Kansas City. Utah won 2 out of 3 games at Kansas City from November 1-5. November 5th in Kansas City was a memorable night. Utah went 5 for 6 on the power play after going 2 for 29 in the first 6 games of the season. The 5 power play goals tied a single game team record. Utah had 5 power play goals vs Las Vegas on October 11, 1997 and on January 5, 2007 at Alaska.

Andrew Nielsen had 6 assists on November 5th, which tied a single game team record with Tim McGauley, who had 6 assists at Wichita on Dec. 17, 2019.

Games vs Kansas City This Season

November 1, 2022 – Utah 2 Kansas City 3 - 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.

November 4, 2022 – Utah 4 Kansas City 3 (Overtime) – Cameron Wright scored the game winning goal 2:04 into overtime as Utah won their first overtime game of the season. Wright ended the night with 1 goal and 2 assists. Andrew Nielsen had 1 goal and 1 assist. Ben Tardif and Tyler Penner each added a goal. Garrett Metcalf saved 32 of 35 for Utah in the win. Garrett is now 3-1 all-time vs Kansas City. KC was 1 for 5 on the power play. Utah was 0 for 2.

November 5, 2022 – Utah 7 Kansas City 3 – Andrew Nielsen had 6 assists. Brandon Cutler scored 2 goals and 1 assist. Ben Tardif had 1 goal and 2 assists. Zach Tsekos and Johnny Walker each had 2 goals. Utah went 5 for 6 on the power play. Kansas City went 1 for 5. Utah outshot Kansas City 34 to 31.