Grizzlies Gameday: Saturday Night Slugfest in Boise

Utah Grizzlies (13-18-1, 27 points, .422 Win %) at Idaho Steelheads (27-5-0-1, 55 points, .833 Win %) 

Saturday, January 14, 2023. 7:10 pm. Arena: Idaho Central Arena

Broadcast: FloHockey.TV - https://www.flohockey.tv/events/7760342-2023-utah-grizzlies-vs-idaho-steelheads

Audio: YouTube.com/UTAHGRIZZLIES.

It’s the second of three straight games between the Mountain Division rivals. It’s the 14th of 18 regular season meetings. Utah is 3-10 vs Idaho this season, with all 3 of the Grizzlies victories coming at Idaho.  

Watch out for Cameron Wright, who leads Utah forwards with 25 points (8 goals, 17 assists) and he leads the club in shots (116) and game winning goals (4).

Offense Starting To Roll Last 4 Games

Utah has scored 15 goals over their last 4 games. Cameron Wright has 6 points in the last 4 games (4 goals, 2 assists). Wright has taken 22 shots over the last 4 contests. Keaton Jameson has 5 points in his last 4 games (2 goals, 3 assists). Jordan Martel also has 5 points in his last 4 games (2 goals, 3 assists). Dylan Fitze has 3 goals in his last 3 games. Utah has a 2-1-1 record over the last 4 games. Utah’s power play is 8 for 15 over the last 4 games.

Games This Week

Friday, January 13, 2023 – Utah 5 Idaho 3 – Jordan Martel scored 2 goals in the third period, including the game winner 9:11 in. James Shearer had 1 goal and 1 assist. Utah went 3 for 3 on the power play and was 4 for 4 on the penalty kill. Tyler Penner scored a shorthanded goal in the first period. Cameron Wright added his 8th goal of the season in the second period. Garrett Metcalf saved 29 of 32 to advance his record to 7-1 on the season.

Saturday, January 14, 2023 – Utah at Idaho. 7:10 pm. Idaho Central Arena.

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

All Times Mountain.

Upcoming Home Games at Maverik Center

• Monday, January 16, 2023 – Idaho at Utah. 3:10 pm. Nickelodeon and Sensory Friendly Day. Come out and see our “SpongeBob SquarePants” themed jerseys for Nickelodeon Day!  The sound will also be turned down for Sensory Friendly Day.  Bring the whole family for some Nickelodeon themed hockey action!
• Wednesday, January 25, 2023 – Rapid City at Utah. 7:10 pm. Bud Light College Night.
• Friday, January 27, 2023 – Rapid City at Utah. 7:10 pm. AFCU Friday.
• Saturday, January 28, 2023 – Rapid City at Utah. 7:10 pm. Guns & Hoses Night.

The Mighty Grizzlies Power Play/Penalty Kill

Utah went 3 for 3 on the power play vs Idaho on January 13. The Grizz scored 2 goals in a 5 minute major power play late in the second period with Cameron Wright and James Shearer finding the back of the net. Jordan Martel scored the game winner on the power play 9:11 into the third. Utah is 8 for 15 on the power play over their last 4 games. The penalty kill over the last 5 games is 19 for 20. Utah has been a strong power play on the road this season as they are second in the league in road power play at 26.8 percent (22 for 82). The Grizzlies penalty kill oddly enough is also good on the road as they are 7th in the league in road penalty kill at 83.5 percent 66 for 79).

Garrett Metcalf Continues to Win

Garrett Metcalf, the Salt Lake City native, just continues to win. He saved 29 of 32 in Utah’s 5-3 win at Idaho on January 13th. It was Idaho’s first home loss since December 3, 2022, where Metcalf saved 44 of 46 in Utah’s 4-2 win. This season Metcalf is 7-1 with a 3.25 goals against average and a .907 save percentage. In 26 career games with Utah the 26 year old Metcalf has a record of 15-8-1 with a .913 save percentage and a 2.73 goals against average.

Cameron Wright Has Shined in First Pro Season

Cameron Wright earned his 4th game winning goal of the season on January 6 at Rapid City. Wright leads all league rookies with 116 shots. Wright leads Grizzlies forwards with 11 power play points (3 goals, 8 assists). Wright is tied for the club lead with 6 multiple point games.

Grizzlies Player Trends

Cameron Wright – Wright leads all rookies with 116 shots on goal. Wright leads Utah with 4 game winning goals. Wright leads all Utah forwards in points (25) and power play points (11). Wright has 6 points in his last 4 games (4 goals, 2 assists). Wright has taken 22 shots over the last 4 games.

Tarun Fizer – Fizer was a +2 in 4 games in December. Fizer has 8 power play points (3g, 5a). Tarun has a 15.3 shooting percentage (9 for 59).

Jordan Martel – “The Rooster” scored 2 goals on 2 shots at Idaho on January 13, including the game winner 9:11 into the third period. All 3 of his goals this season have come against Idaho. Martel has 8 points (3 goals, 5 assists) in 10 games with Utah. Martel has 35 shots in 11 games.

Dylan Fitze – Dylan has 3 goals in his last 3 games. Fitze has a point in 8 of his last 19 games. Fitze got his first multiple point game this season with 2 goals and 1 assist at RC on Jan. 6.

Cam Strong – Strong has a goal in 3 of his last 7 games.

Dakota Raabe – Raabe has a point in 11 of his last 19 games (5 goals, 10 assists). On December 21 Raabe had 2 goals and 1 assist at Idaho. Raabe has an assist in 5 of his last 8 home games.

Keaton Jameson – Jameson has 9 points (5 goals, 4 assists) in his last 10 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. Jameson has 5 points in 4 games in January (2 goals, 3 assists).

Andrew Nielsen – Nielsen has a point in 7 of his last 15 games (3 goals, 8 assists). Nielsen has a point in 13 of his 27 games. Nielsen was named to the 2023 ECHL Western Conference All-Star team.

Tyler Penner – Penner has 6 goals and 2 assists in his last 17 games. Penner has a goal in 4 of his last 7 home games. Penner appeared in his 100th consecutive game with the Grizzlies on December 31st. 

Bear Bites: Grizzlies Team Notes

Utah is 31 for 117 (26.4 percent on the power play over the last 25 games. Utah is 8 for 15 on the power play in their last 3 games. Utah's penalty kill is 19 for 20 over their last 5 games. Utah is 4-0 when leading after 1 period. Utah is 8-1 when leading after 2 periods. Utah is 5-3-1 in one goal games. Utah is 9-3 when scoring first. Utah is 5th in the league on the power play in road games at 26.8 percent (22 for 82). 

Grizzlies Ironmen

There are 3 players who have appeared in all 32 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.

Utah Has Played Idaho a Ton

The Grizzlies have played in 32 games this season. 13 of them have been against Idaho. 40.6 percent of Utah’s games this season have been against Idaho. After the 3 game set it will be 44.1 percent of Utah’s games against Idaho. The Grizzlies are 10-8-1 when playing someone other than Idaho this season.

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

Overall record: 13-18-1

Home record: 5-8

Road record: 8-10-1

Win percentage: .422

Streak: Won 1

Standings Points: 27

Last 10: 3-6-1

Goals per game: 2.75 (24th)  Goals for: 88

Goals against per game: 3.59 (Tied 22nd) Goals Against: 115

Shots per game: 29.00 (25th)  

Shots against per game: 34.28 (24th)

Power Play: 33 for 143 – 22.6 % (10th)

Penalty Kill: 106 for 132- 80.3 % (16th)

Penalty Minutes: 516. 16.13 per game.

Shorthanded Goals: 3.

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 4.

Record When Scoring First: 9-3.

Opposition Scores First: 4-15-1.  

Record in One Goal Games: 5-3-1. 

SCORING          1ST       2ND               3RD               OT                  TOTAL       

Utah Grizzlies     21         37                   28                   2                      88                                         

Opposition           37         36                   41                   1                      115

Team Leaders (2022-23 Regular season)

Goals: Tarun Fizer/Johnny Walker (9). 

Assists: Andrew Nielsen (20). 

Points: Cameron Wright (25).

Plus/Minus: Zach Tsekos (+3). 

PIM: Nielsen (90)

Power Play Points: Nielsen (15)

Power Play Goals: Walker (5)

Power Play Assists: Nielsen (13).  

Shots on Goal: Cameron Wright (116).  

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

Game Winning Goals: Wright (4)

Wins: Garrett Metcalf (7)

Save %: Metcalf/Lukas Parik (.907).

Goals Against Average: Parik (3.23)

Active Streaks 

Goal Streaks: Jordan Martel, Tyler Penner, James Shearer, Cameron Wright (1)

Assist Streaks: Aaron Thow (2) Tarun Fizer, Keaton Jameson, Vladislav Mikhalchuk, Shearer (1)

Point Streaks of 2 or more: Wright (4) Fizer, Penner, Thow (2).