Grizzlies Gameday: Sunday Showdown in the Sunshine State

Utah Grizzlies (21-24-2, 44 points, .468 Win %) @ Orlando Solar Bears (24-20-6-1, 55 points, .539 Win %) 

Sunday, February 19, 2023. 1:00 pm. Arena: Amway Center

Broadcast: FloHockey.TV - https://www.flohockey.tv/events/7760782-2023-utah-grizzlies-vs-orlando-solar-bears

Audio: YouTube.com/UTAHGRIZZLIES.

It’s the first of a two-game series between Utah and Orlando. Utah has a standings point in 3 straight games and they are 2-1-1 on the current 6 game road trip. Utah is 5-4-1 in their last 10 games. The Solar Bears are 6-2-2 in their last 10 contests.

Games This Week

Wednesday, February 15, 2023 – Utah 4 Greenville 3 – Cameron Wright scored 2 goals. Cam Strong had 1 goal and 1 assist. Connor McDonald and Dakota Raabe each had 2 assists. McDonald had a +3 rating. Lukas Parik stopped 29 of 32 to earn his 5th win of the season. Utah was 1 for 4 on the power play. Greenville was 1 for 1.

Friday, February 17, 2023 – Utah 6 Savannah 1 – Cameron Wright scored 2 goals. Dylan Fitze had a Gordie Howe Hat Trick with 1 goal, 2 assists and 1 fight. Andrew Nielsen, Cam Strong and Tarun Fizer added goals. Lukas Parik saved 27 of 30 to earn his 6th win of the season. James Shearer was a +4.

Sunday, February 19, 2023 – Utah at Orlando. 1:00 pm. Amway Center.

Monday, February 20, 2023 – Utah at Orlando. 5:00 pm. Amway Center.

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

All Times Mountain.

Games Next Week

Wednesday, February 22, 2023 – Allen at Utah – 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. Bud Light College Night.

Friday, February 24, 2023 – Allen at Utah – 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. Grizzlies Fight Cancer Weekend.

Saturday, February 25, 2023 – Allen at Utah – 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. Grizzlies Fight Cancer Weekend.

• Utah had 96 penalty minutes in their last meeting with Allen on February 4th.

Upcoming Promotions at Maverik Center

• Wednesday, February 22, 2023 – Allen at Utah. 7:10 pm. Bud Light College Night.
• Friday, February 24, 2023 – Allen at Utah. 7:10 pm. Grizzlies Fight Cancer Night. AFCU Friday
• Saturday, February 25, 2023 – Allen at Utah. 7:10 pm. Grizzlies Fight Cancer Weekend

Great Memories

Utah faced Orlando in the 1996 Turner Cup Finals in the old IHL. Utah won the series 4 games to 0 to win their second straight Turner Cup. The 1995-96 season was the Grizzlies first in the Salt Lake valley as they played their home games at Delta Center.

Dylan Fitze Faces Former Team

Dylan Fitze returns to Amway Center for the first time since being traded from Orlando to Utah on March 24, 2022 for Brian Bowen. Fitze scored 28 goals and 22 assists in 129 games with Orlando over a 3 year stretch. Dylan scored 7 points in 9 regular season games for Utah last season (3 goals, 4 assists). In 18 games in the 2022 Kelly Cup Playoffs Fitze had 9 points (6 goals, 3 assists). 5 of his 6 playoff goals came in the third period(s). This season Fitze has 19 points (10 goals, 9 assists) in 47 games. He had a Gordie Howe Hat Trick on February 17 at Savannah where he scored 1 goal, 2 assists and 5 penalty minutes.

Who’s Been Hot Lately

Cameron Wright has taken 26 shots in his last 3 games. Wright has 5 goals and 1 assist in his last 3 games. Wright leads all league rookies with 177 shots on goal. He leads the league with 7 game winning goals. Wright leads the Grizzlies with 37 points.

Last 3 Games for Cameron Wright – 2 points in each game.

February 11 at Rapid City – 1 goal, 1 assist, 12 shots.

February 15 at Greenville – 2 goals, 8 shots.

February 17 at Savannah – 2 goals, 6 shots.

Andrew Nielsen is 5th among league defenseman with 36 points. Nielsen has a point in 8 of his last 11 games. Nielsen has 12 points in his last 11 games (5 goals, 7 assists). Nielsen leads all league defenseman with 23 power play points (6 goals, 17 assists). Nielsen has a penalty minute in 10 of his last 11 games. Nielsen has a point in 20 of his 42 games. Andrew leads Utah with 10 multiple point games.

Tarun Fizer has a point in 7 of his last 10 games. Fizer is 2nd on the club with 13 goals.

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. Martel has 16 points (6 goals, 9 assists) in 26 games with Utah. Martel has 64 shots in 26 games. Martel was the number 1 star on January 28 vs RC with 2 goals.

Keaton Jameson – 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 had 9 points in 12 games in January (3 goals, 6 assists). Keaton had a point in 7 of 12 games in January. Jameson scored his first point in February with an assist at Greenville on February 15.

Bear Bites: Team Notes

Utah went 8-3-1 in 12 games in January. Utah is 14-3 when scoring first. Utah is 7-0 when leading after 1 period. Utah is 16-1 when leading after 2 periods. Utah is 8-3-2 in one goal games. The Grizz are 2nd in the league in penalty minutes per game at 17.70

Double Digit Goal Scoring Club

Cameron Wright (17)

Tarun Fizer (13)

Brandon Cutler, Dylan Fitze, Johnny Walker (10).

Match-Up With Orlando

It’s the first meeting this season between Utah and Orlando. Utah split 2 games at Orlando in the 2021-2022 season. Utah got 3 out of 4 standings points last season at Orlando, losing 4-3 in overtime on January 27, 2022 and winning 3-2 in overtime on January 31, 2022 as Luke Martin scored the game winner.

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

Overall record: 21-24-2

Home record: 9-11

Road record: 12-13-2

Win percentage: .468

Streak: Won 2

Standings Points: 44

Last 10: 5-4-1

Goals per game: 2.76 (24th)  Goals for: 130

Goals against per game: 3.59 (21st)  Goals Against: 169

Shots per game: 28.67 (26th)  

Shots against per game: 34.91 (24th)

Power Play: 43 for 222 – 19.4 % (17th)

Penalty Kill: 165 for 207 – 79.7 % (16th)

Penalty Minutes: 832. 17.70 per game.

Shorthanded Goals: 3.

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 6.

Record When Scoring First: 14-3.

Opposition Scores First: 7-21-2.   

Record in One Goal Games: 8-3-2. 

SCORING          1ST       2ND               3RD               OT                  TOTAL       

Utah Grizzlies     37         52                   39                   2                      130                                       

Opposition           53         54                   60                   2                      169

Team Leaders (2022-23 Regular season)

Goals: Cameron Wright (17). 

Assists: Andrew Nielsen (27). 

Points: Wright (37).

Plus/Minus: Zach Tsekos (+2).

PIM: Nielsen (133)

Power Play Points: Nielsen (23)

Power Play Goals: Nielsen/Johnny Walker (6)

Power Play Assists: Nielsen (17).  

Shots on Goal: Cameron Wright (177).  

Shooting Percentage: Tsekos (23.1 %) 9 for 39.   

Game Winning Goals: Wright (7)

Wins: Trent Miner (8)

Save %: Miner (.909).

Goals Against Average: Miner (3.12)

Active Streaks 

Goal Streaks: Cameron Wright (3) Dylan Fitze, Cam Strong (2) Tarun Fizer, Andrew Nielsen (1)

Assist Streaks: Dakota Raabe, (2) Fitze, Jordan Martel, Vladislav Mikhalchuk, Tyler Penner (1)

Point Streaks of 2 or more: Wright (3) Fitze, Raabe, Strong (2)

Wright has 3 straight 2 point games.