Grizzlies Gameday: AFCU Friday at Maverik Center vs KC

Kansas City Mavericks (26-22-6-1, 59 points, .536 Win %) @ Utah Grizzlies (25-26-3, 53 points, .491 Win %) 

Friday, March 10, 2023. 7:10 pm. Arena: Maverik Center

Broadcast: FloHockey.TV -

Audio: YouTube.com/UTAHGRIZZLIES.

It’s the first of a three-game series between the Grizzlies and Mavericks. It’s the 6th of 8 regular season meetings between the clubs.  Utah is 4-1 vs Kansas City this season. Utah has won 4 in a row vs KC. The Grizzlies have standings points in 8 of their last 10 games. Utah has scored 45 goals over their last 10 games. Grizzlies captain Connor McDonald is a +10 in his last 9 games.

Games This Week

Friday, March 10, 2023 – Kansas City at Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. AFCU Friday.

Saturday, March 11, 2023 – Kansas City at Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. Affiliate Night. Stanley Cup is in the building.

Sunday, March 12, 2023 – 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

March 3, 2023 – Utah 5 Wichita 4 (Overtime) – Zach Tsekos scored the game winning goal 6:22 into OT. Tsekos ended the night with 1 goal and 1 assist. Aaron Thow had 2 goals and 1 assist. Cameron Wright had 3 assists. Utah outshot Wichita 58 to 41. It’s the most shots taken by Utah this season. Trent Miner saved 37 of 41 to earn his team leading 9th win of the season.

March 5, 2023 – Utah 5 Wichita 2 – Dylan Fitze, Jordan Martel and James Shearer each had 1 goal and 1 assist. Trent Miner saved 35 of 37. Utah was 1 for 5 on the power play and 5 for 5 on the penalty kill. Tarun Fizer was a +3.

• The Grizzlies took 108 shots in the 2-game series at Wichita.
• Fun Fact: Utah has played in 6 overtime games this season. They are 3-3 past regulation this year. All 6 games were played on the road. Utah has only played in 1 overtime regular season game since the start of the 2021-2022 season.
• Utah has won 7 in a row against Wichita dating back to the start of the 2021-2022 season. Miner got the win in net in both games in Wichita last week, saving 72 of 78. Miner leads the Grizzlies with 10 wins this season.

Stanley Cup Comes to Maverik Center

The World Famous Stanley Cup will be at Maverik Center on Saturday, March 11th. It’s affiliate night at Maverik Center as the Grizzlies celebrate and honor the 2022 Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche, who are the NHL affiliate of the Grizzlies.

Welcome Back Zach Tsekos

On March 3rd Zach Tsekos appeared in a game for the first time since February 3rd and the second time since December 30, 2022. Tsekos made a big impact on Friday night as he was the game’s number one star after scoring the game winner 6:22 into overtime. Tsekos leads Utah in shooting percentage at 21.7 percent (10 for 46). When healthy the first year pro has been great, scoring 18 points (10g, 8a) in 20 games. Tsekos was the team captain at Clarkson University for 2 seasons in 2021 and 2022.

Recent Transactions

March 9 – Trent Miner returns to Grizzlies.

March 5 – Trent Miner reassigned to Colorado. Miner appeared in the third period of Colorado’s 5-2 loss at Calgary on March 7. It was Miner’s first AHL appearance this season.

March 5 – Garrett Metcalf returns from loan to Calgary. Metcalf returns to the Grizzlies after spending a week with the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers.

March 5 – Goaltender Brent Moran was released. Moran did not appear in any games with the Grizzlies.

February 28 – Grizzlies sign Forward Jared Power. Power will wear number 20 for the Grizzlies.Power played at Mount Royal University from 2021-2023, where he scored 5 goals and 15 assists in 42 games over a 2 year stretch. Power had a +12 rating at Mount Royal. majored in business at Mount Royal. In the AJHL he played with the Bonnyville Pontiacs, Olds Grizzlys and Grande Prairie Storm and the BCHL with the Coquitlam Express.

Grizzlies Offense Has Been Rolling

Utah has scored 45 goals over their last 10 games and they have 23 goals in their last 5 games.

Who’s Been Hot Lately

Captain Connor McDonald is a +10 in his last 9 games.

Dakota Raabe has a point in 8 of his last 9 games (4 goals, 6 assists). Raabe is 4th on the club with 30 points (10g, 20a). 

Dylan Fitze has 14 points in his last 9 games (7 goals, 7 assists). Fitze has a point in 8 of his last 9 games. 

Cam Strong has 9 points in his last 9 games (3 goals, 6 assists). Strong is a +5 in his last 6 games.

Jordan Martel has 7 points in his last 5 games (2 goals, 5 assists).

Tarun Fizer has 19 points in his last 17 games (8 goals, 11 assists). Fizer is tied with Cameron Wright for the Grizzlies lead with 18 goals. 

Cameron Wright is tied for the league lead with 7 game winning goals. Wright leads all league rookies with 194 shots on goal. Wright has 6 goals and 5 assists in his last 7 games. Wright leads the league with 42 points.

Aaron Thow is a +11 in his last 10 games. Thow had 2 goals and 2 assists at Wichita on March 3.

Bear Bites: Team Notes

Utah is 16-5 when scoring first. Utah has 45 goals over their last 10 games. Utah has scored 28 goals in their last 6 games. Utah leads the league with 995 penalty minutes. Utah is 10-1 when leading after 1 period. Utah is 20-1 when leading after 2 periods. Utah is 9-3-3 in one goal games. Utah is 16-6-3 in games decided by 1 or 2 goals. Utah has a point in 7 straight road games. Utah is 4-1 vs Kansas City this season. Utah is 5-1 on Sundays.

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

Overall record: 25-26-3

Home record: 10-13

Road record: 15-13-3

Win percentage: .491

Streak: Won 2

Standings Points: 53

Last 10: 6-2-2

Goals per game: 3.00 (Tied 21st) Goals for: 162

Goals against per game: 3.69 (21st)  Goals Against: 199

Shots per game: 30.43 (23rd)  

Shots against per game: 35.41 (26th)

Power Play: 50 for 254 – 19.7 % (16th)

Penalty Kill: 185 for 235 – 78.7 % (18th)

Penalty Minutes: 995. 18.43 per game.

Shorthanded Goals: 4.

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 8. 

Record When Scoring First: 16-5.

Opposition Scores First: 9-21-3.  

Record in One Goal Games: 9-3-3. 

SCORING          1ST       2ND               3RD               OT                  TOTAL       

Utah Grizzlies     48         63                   48                   3                      162                                       

Opposition           57         69                   70                   3                      199

Team Leaders (2022-23 Regular season)

Goals: Tarun Fizer/Cameron Wright (18). 

Assists: Andrew Nielsen (32). 

Points: Wright (42).

Plus/Minus: Connor McDonald (+5)

PIM: Nielsen (166)

Power Play Points: Nielsen (26)

Power Play Goals: Tarun Fizer (7)

Power Play Assists: Nielsen (20). 

Shots on Goal: Cameron Wright (194). 

Shooting Percentage: Tsekos (21.3 %) 10 for 47.   

Game Winning Goals: Wright (7)

Wins: Trent Miner (10)

Save %: Miner (.910).

Goals Against Average: Miner (3.10)

Active Streaks 

Goal Streaks: Dylan Fitze (2) Jordan Martel, Tyler Penner, Kyle Pouncy, James Shearer (1)

Assist Streaks: Victor Bartley, Tarun Fizer, Trent Miner, Cameron Wright (2) Keaton Jameson, Shearer, Bryson Martin, Martel, Dakota Raabe (1)

Point Streaks of 2 or more: Bartley, Fitze, Fizer, Mikhalchuk, Miner, Penner (2)