Grizzlies Gameday: Wednesday Night Battle vs Allen

Allen Americans (18-21-1, 37 points, .463 Win %) at Utah Grizzlies (19-20-1, 39 points, .488 Win %) 

Wednesday, February 1, 2023. 7:10 pm. Arena: Maverik Center

Broadcast: FloHockey.TV - https://www.flohockey.tv/events/7760542-2023-allen-americans-vs-utah-grizzlies

Audio: YouTube.com/UTAHGRIZZLIES.

It’s the opener of a three-game series between the Grizzlies and the Americans. Utah won 2 of 3 games at Allen in the second week of November, 2022. It’s the first game in February Utah was 8-3-1 in 12 games in the month of January. Allen has been one of the hottest teams in the league as they are 7-3 in their last 10 games.

Cameron Wright and Andrew Nielsen are each tied for the team lead with 31 points. Brandon Cutler is on a current 5 game point streak. Andrew Nielsen has a goal in 3 straight games and a point in 4 straight.

Amazing Crowds at Maverik Center Last Weekend

The Grizzlies are on a 4 game winning streak as they just completed a 3 game sweep against Rapid City at Maverik Center. The 2 biggest home crowds of the season were at Maverik Center last weekend. A crowd of 7,382 saw Utah win 6-4 on January 27. The following night was Guns and Hoses night at Maverik Center, where a crowd of 10,397 saw Jordan Martel score 2 goals, including the game winner 8:04 into the third period to lead Utah to a 4-3 victory. It was the largest home crowd since 10,529 saw the Grizz face the Tulsa Oilers on January 19, 2019.

Brandon Cutler Named ECHL Player of the Week.

Brandon Cutler of the Utah Grizzlies is the Inglasco ECHL Player of the Week for Jan. 23-29.

Cutler scored five goals and added three assists for eight points in three games against Rapid City last week.

The 23-year-old had a goal in a 3-1 win on Wednesday, notched six points (4g-2a) in a 6-4 victory on Friday and picked up an assist in a 4-3 win on Saturday.

A native of Fort MacMurray, Alberta, Cutler has 15 points (9g-6a) in 17 games with the Grizzlies this season while also skating in nine games in the American Hockey League with Belleville and Hartford.

Cutler has tallied 42 points (19g-23a) in 40 career ECHL games with Utah and has eight points (2g-6a) in 45 career AHL games with Abbotsford, Belleville and Hartford.

Prior to turning pro, Cutler posted 106 points (47g-59a) in 258 career games with Victoria of the Western Hockey League.

Cutler’s Stats Last Week

Jan. 25, 2023 vs Rapid City, 3-1 win: 1 goal, 0 assist, 1 point, +1, 8 shots. 

Jan. 27, 2023 vs Rapid City, 6-4 win: 4 goals, 2 assists, 8 points, +3, 8 shots. 1 power play goal. 1 GWG. 

Jan. 28, 2023 vs Rapid City, 4-3 Win: 0 goals, 1 assist, 1 point, 2 shots. 

• Cutler is the first Grizzlies player to score 4 goals in a game since Charlie Gerard on June 5, 2021 vs Fort Wayne. 
• Cutler is the 2nd Grizzlies skater to be named the ECHL Player of the Week this season. Andrew Nielsen won the award for the week of October 31-November 6, 2022.

Games This Week

• Wednesday, February 1, 2023 – Allen at Utah. 7:10 pm. Bud Light College Night.
• Friday, February 3, 2023 – Allen at Utah. 7:10 pm. Heart Health Night.
• Saturday, February 4, 2023 – Allen at Utah. 7:10 pm. Black History Night.

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

All Times Mountain

Games Last Week

Wednesday, January 25, 2023 – Rapid City 1 Utah 3 – Andrew Nielsen had 1 goal and 1 assist. Trent Miner saved 31 of 32 in net. Cameron Wright scored his 6th game winning goal of the season 16:06 into the second period. Brandon Cutler added an empty net goal for his 5th of the season. Both teams had 32 shots on goal. Utah was 1 for 4 on the power play and 5 for 5 on the penalty kill.

Friday, January 27, 2023 – Rapid City 4 Utah 6 – Brandon Cutler scored 4 goals and 2 assists. Andrew Nielsen had 1 goal and 2 assists. Tarun Fizer 1 goal, 1 assist. Cameron Wright had 2 assists. Utah was 3 for 7 on the power play. RC was 2 for 6. Grizz outshout the Rush 38 to 31. Trent Miner saved 27 of 31 to earn his team leading 8th win of the season. Attendance was 7382, which is the biggest crowd of the 2022-2023 season to date.

Saturday, January 28, 2023 – Rapid City 3 Utah 4 – A season high crowd of 10,397 saw Jordan Martel score 2 goals, including the game winner 8:04 into the third period. Kyle Pouncy scored his first goal of the season. Andrew Nielsen scored a power play goal. Lukas Parik saved 35 of 38 in the win. Tarun Fizer and Cam Strong each had 2 assists. Utah went 1 for 6 on the power play. Rapid City was 1 for 7.

January Was a Success for the Grizz

The Grizzlies went 8-3-1 in 12 games in January. Utah scored 39 goals in 12 games. Cameron Wright had 12 points in 12 games (8 goals, 4 assists). Wright led Utah in January in goals, assists and shots. Brandon Cutler has 10 points in his last 5 games (6 goals, 4 assists). Jordan Martel had 11 points in January (6 goals, 5 assists). Tarun Fizer and Cutler each had 10 points in January. Keaton Jameson had 3 goals and 6 assists in January. Dylan Fitze has 5 goals in his last 11 games. Utah’s power play is 13 for 49 (26.5 %) over the last 12 games. Utah’s penalty kill is 56 for 61 over their last 13 games. Utah got outstanding goaltending in the month of January. Trent Miner went 5-1-1 with a .945 save percentage in 7 games in January. Lukas Parik had 1 win and Garrett Metcalf had 2 wins in January.

November Statistical Leaders

Goals: Cameron Wright (8)

Assists: Tarun Fizer (7)

Points: Wright (12)

Shots: Wright (45)

Plus/Minus: Kyle Pouncy/Cam Strong (+5)

Bear Bites

Utah had their best home crowd this season of 10,379. It was the Grizzlies largest crowd since January 19, 2019 vs Tulsa, where they had an attendance of 10,529. Attendance was 17,779 over their last 2 games. Utah averaged 6,513 fans in 4 home games in January 2023. Utah went 8-3-1 in 12 games in January. Utah’s power play is 13 for 49 (26.5 %) over the last 12 games. Utah’s penalty kill is 56 for 61 over their last 13 games (91.8 %). The Grizzlies are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. Utah is 12-3 when scoring first. Utah is 6-0 when leading after 1 period. Utah is 14-1 when leading after 2 periods. Utah is 7-3-1 in one goal games. 

Utah Grizzlies 2022-2023 Roster

Forwards (13): Brandon Cutler, Dylan Fitze, Tarun Fizer, Keaton Jameson, Jordan Martel, Vladislav Mikhalchuk, Tyler Penner, Dakota Raabe, Christian Simeone, Cam Strong, Zach Tsekos, Johnny Walker, Cameron Wright.

Defenseman (10): Victor Bartley, Joey Colatarci, Brycen Martin, Connor McDonald, Andrew Nielsen, Kyle Pouncy, James Shearer, Jordon Stone, Cory Thomas, Aaron Thow.

Goaltenders (3): Garrett Metcalf, Trent Miner, Lukas Parik.  

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

Overall record: 19-20-1

Home record: 9-8

Road record: 10-12-1

Win percentage: .488

Streak: Won 4

Standings Points: 39

Last 10: 7-2-1

Goals per game: 2.80 (24th)  Goals for: 112

Goals against per game: 3.35 (16th) Goals Against: 134

Shots per game: 28.53 (26th)  

Shots against per game: 35.03 (26th)

Power Play: 38 for 183 – 20.8 % (Tied 11th)

Penalty Kill: 143 for 173 – 82.7 % (Tied 9th)

Penalty Minutes: 643. 16.08 per game.

Shorthanded Goals: 3.

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 5.

Record When Scoring First: 12-3.

Opposition Scores First: 7-16-1.  

Record in One Goal Games: 7-3-1. 

SCORING          1ST       2ND               3RD               OT                  TOTAL       

Utah Grizzlies     30         45                   35                   2                      112                                       

Opposition           45         40                   48                   1                      134

Team Leaders (2022-23 Regular season)

Goals: Cameron Wright (12). 

Assists: Andrew Nielsen (24). 

Points: Nielsen/Wright (31).

Plus/Minus: Zach Tsekos (+3). 

PIM: Nielsen (119)

Power Play Points: Nielsen (19)

Power Play Goals: Nielsen/Johnny Walker (5)

Power Play Assists: Nielsen (14).  

Shots on Goal: Cameron Wright (139).  

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

Game Winning Goals: Wright (6)

Wins: Trent Miner (8)

Save %: Miner (.915).

Goals Against Average: Miner (2.90)