Grizzlies Gameday: Wednesday Night Showdown in Jacksonville

Grizzlies Gameday: Wednesday Night Showdown in Jacksonville

Utah Grizzlies (9-9, 18 points, .500 Win %) at Jacksonville Icemen (9-9, 18 points, .500 Win %) 

Wednesday, December 7, 2022. 5:00 pm. Arena: VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena

Broadcast: FloHockey.TV - https://www.flohockey.tv/events/7759916-2022-utah-grizzlies-vs-jacksonville-icemen

Audio: YouTube.com/UTAHGRIZZLIES.

It’s the first of a three-game series between the Grizzlies and Icemen. These teams met twice at Maverik Center on February 3-4 with Jacksonville winning both games. Utah is 18 for 59 on the power play over the last 12 games (30.3 percent). Watch out for Johnny Walker, who has 8 goals in his last 12 games. Walker is tied with Zach Tsekos for the club lead in goals. Utah has been a good road team this season as they have a record of 6-4 away from Maverik Center. Andrew Nielsen and Dakota Raabe each has a point in 5 straight games.

Games This 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.

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

All times mountain.

Games Last 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 4 Idaho 2 – Andrew Nielsen had 2 goals and 1 assist. Johnny Walker had 1 goal and 1 assist. Garrett Metcalf saved 44 of 46 to go to 5-1 on the season. Utah went 2 for 5 on the power play and 6 for 7 on the penalty kill. Idaho’s Jack Becker scored 2 goals.

Offense is on the Right Track

Utah has scored 21 goals over their last 5 games. They have at least 4 goals in 5 straight games. The power play has played a key role recently as they are 9 for 26 on the power play over their last 6 games. The Grizz have a respectable 10.3 shooting % this season. Johnny Walker had 3 goals and 1 assist in the 2-game series at Idaho on Dec. 2-3.

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. Last 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. On Thanksgiving 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 5-game point streak (3 goals, 6 assists). Nielsen leads all league defenseman in assists (18) and points (22). He leads the league with 13 power play assists and 15 power play points. Nielsen is a +4 in his last 3 games. Nielsen has a point in 11 of his 17 games. 

Johnny Walker – Walker has 3 goals and 1 assist in his last 2 games. He has 8 goals in his last 12 games. Walker leads all league rookies with 58 penalty minutes. 4 of his 8 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 a 5 game point streak (2 goals, 6 assists). Raabe has 3 multiple point games in his last 5.

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

Brycen Martin – Has a point in 3 of his last 6 games.

Tyler Penner – Penner has 2 goals and 1 assist in his last 4 games.

Dylan Fitze – Fitze is a +1 in each of his last 4 games. Fitze has a point in 4 of his last 5 games.

Neil Robinson – Robinson has a point in 3 of his last 4 games (1 goal, 2 assists).

Bear Bites: Grizzlies Team Notes

Utah is 18 for 59 on the power play over the last 12 games. Utah is 5th overall on the power play this season at 22.7 % (20 for 88). Utah is 5-3 in one goal games. Utah is 7-2 when scoring first. Utah has outscored opponents 22 to 17 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. Utah is 6-4 on the road this season. 

Match-Up With Jacksonville

It’s the second straight season Utah will face Jacksonville. Last season Jacksonville swept Utah in a 2 game series at Maverik Center on February 3-4, 2022. Jacksonville has 4 former Grizzlies players on their current roster: Goaltender Parker Gahagen, Defenseman Luke Martin and Hunter Skinner as well as former Grizzlies fan favorite Travis Howe. Jacksonville and Utah share identical 9-9 records this season. Jacksonville is 3rd in the league in average attendance at 7,258 per game. Icemen forward Derek Lodermeier won the ECHL Player of the Week award for November 28 – December 4 after he scored 6 points (4 goals, 2 assists) in 3 games.

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

Overall record: 9-9

Home record: 3-5

Road record: 6-4

Win percentage: .500

Streak: Won 1

Standings Points: 18

Last 10: 4-6

Goals per game: 3.00 (16th) Goals for: 54

Goals against per game: 3.28 (19th)  Goals Against: 59

Shots per game: 29.22 (22nd) 

Shots against per game: 33.67 (23rd)

Power Play: 20 for 88 – 22.7 % (6th)

Penalty Kill: 54 for 69- 78.3 % (20th)

Penalty Minutes: 238. 13.22 per game.

Shorthanded Goals: 0

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 1.

Record When Scoring First: 7-2.

Opposition Scores First: 2-7.  

Record in One Goal Games: 5-3. 

Team Leaders (2022-23 Regular season)

Goals: Zach Tsekos/Johnny Walker (8). 

Assists: Andrew Nielsen (18). 

Points: Nielsen (22).

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

PIM: Johnny Walker (58)

Power Play Points: Nielsen (15)

Power Play Goals: Tsekos/Walker (4)

Power Play Assists: Nielsen (13).  

Shots on Goal: Cameron Wright (67).  

Shooting Percentage: Walker (25.0 %) 8 for 32.   

Game Winning Goals: Wright (3)

Wins: Garrett Metcalf (5)

Save %: Lukas Parik (.917).

Goals Against Average: Parik (2.51)

Active Streaks 

Goal Streaks: Johnny Walker (2) Andrew Nielsen, Neil Robinson, Cam Strong (1).

Assist Streaks: Nielsen, Dakota Raabe (5) Tyler Penner, Walker (1)

Point Streaks of 2 or more: Nielsen, Raabe (5) Robinson, Walker (2).

Multiple Point games (2021-2022 Regular Season)

6: Andrew Nielsen

4: Zach Tsekos

3: Dakota Raabe, Johnny Walker, Cameron Wright

2: Victor Bartley, Ben Tardif.

1: Brandon Cutler, Tarun Fizer.