Grizzlies Gameday: First Meeting in Wichita This Season

Grizzlies Gameday: First Meeting With Wichita This Season

Utah Grizzlies (23-26-3, 49 points, .471 Win %) @ Wichita Thunder (26-24-4, 56 points, .519 Win %) 

Friday, March 3, 2023. 6:05 pm. Arena: INTRUST Bank Arena

Broadcast: FloHockey.TV - https://www.flohockey.tv/events/7760897-2023-utah-grizzlies-vs-wichita-thunder

Audio: YouTube.com/UTAHGRIZZLIES.

It’s the first of a two-game series between the Grizzlies and Thunder. It’s the first of five meetings this season between the clubs. Last season Utah went 5-0 vs Wichita. The Grizzlies have standings points in 6 of their last 8 games. Utah has scored 35 goals over their last 8 games. It’s the first game in February. Utah went 4-6-2 in 12 games in February. Grizzlies captain Connor McDonald is a +9 in his last 7 games. Dakota Raabe has a point in 7 straight games. The Grizzlies have been a good road team as of late as they have a standings point in 5 straight road games.

Games This Week

Friday, March 3, 2023 – Utah at Wichita. 6:05 pm. INTRUST Bank Arena.

Sunday, March 5, 2023 – Utah at Wichita. 3:05 pm. INTRUST Bank Arena.

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

All Times Mountain.

Recent Transactions

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.

February 27 – Goaltender Trent Miner reassigned to Grizzlies from AHL’s Colorado Eagles. Miner has appeared in 23 games with the Grizzlies this season and has a record of 8-12-2 with a .909 save percentage and a 3.12 goals against average. Miner is the Grizzlies all-time leader with 9 shutouts, with 2 of them coming this season. Last year Miner broke a Grizzlies team record with 7 shutouts.

February 27 – Defenseman Andrew Nielsen loaned to AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Nielsen leads the Grizzlies in assists (32), points (41) and penalty minutes (166). Nielsen has 26 power play points (6g, 20a).

Stanley Cup is Coming to Maverik Center

The world famous Stanley Cup will be at Maverik Center on Saturday, March 11th. A limited quantity of Photo Op Experience packages are on sale now on DASH and include a ticket to the game. https://web.dashapp.io/event/64001be7ece393d675ff9bc4?fbclid=IwAR24k90acJ7qcIEh2nMTNovxAn-lBKAVr9_nWSnNYUH52ryze7j71uYFd3Y

February Recap

Utah went 4-6-2 in the 2nd calendar month of 2023. Utah lost their first 5 games in February before going on a 3 game win streak. Utah had a 6 game point streak from February 11-24. Tarun Fizer led Utah with 12 points in the month (7 goals, 5 assists). Fizer also led Utah with 60 shots on goal. Dylan Fitze had 11 points in February (5 goals, 6 assists). It was the most points for Fitze in a single month in his professional career. Andrew Nielsen also had 11 points in the month (2 goals, 9 assists).

February Leaders

Points: Tarun Fizer (12).

Goals: Fizer (7). Cameron Wright (6).

Assists: Andrew Nielsen (9).

Shots: Fizer (60)

Plus/Minus: Connor McDonald (+7). 

Grizzlies Offense Has Been Rolling

Utah has scored 35 goals over their last 8 games and they scored 13 goals in the 3 game series last week vs Allen. Tarun Fizer and Cameron Wright each has 6 goals in the Grizzlies last 8 games. Dylan Fitze has 11 points in the last 8 contests (5 goals, 6 assists). Defenseman Connor McDonald and Aaron Thow are each a +7 over the last 8 games. Dakota Raabe has a point in 7 straight games (4 goals, 5 assists). Cam Strong has 8 points in his last 7 games (3 goals, 5 assists).  

Bear Bites: Team Notes

Utah was 4-6-2 in the month of February. Utah is 15-4 when scoring first. Utah has 35 goals over their last 8 games. Utah scored 18 goals in 4 games last week. Utah leads the league with 965 penalty minutes. Utah is 9-1 when leading after 1 period. Utah is 18-1 when leading after 2 periods. Utah is 8-3-3 in one goal games. Utah is 15-6-3 in games decided by 1 or 2 goals. Utah has a point in 5 straight road games. 

Match-Up With Wichita

It’s the first meeting this season between the Grizzlies and Thunder. Utah went 5-0 vs Wichita last season, outscoring them 22 to 6. Wichita has a couple of former Grizzlies on their roster. Defenseman Austin Crossley was acquired by Wichita in a trade with Florida on February 24, 2023. Crossley appeared in 42 games with Utah last year, scoring 1 goal and 5 assists and earning 91 penalty minutes. Austin played in 13 games in the 2022 Kelly Cup playoff run for Utah, scoring 1 assist. Goaltender Eric Dop played in 1 game with Utah this season, saving 33 of 39 vs Idaho on December 28, a game Idaho won 6-2. Goaltender Evan Buitenhuis is not on the current Wichita roster but he has appeared in 30 games this season with Wichita and has an impressive .920 save percentage and a 2.90 goals against average and a record of 13-13-3-1. Current Utah defenseman Kyle Pouncy played in 4 games with Wichita in the 2019-20 season and 1 game the following year.

Thunder Statistical Leaders

Games: Jay Dickman/Jake Wahlin (54)

Goals: Michal Stinil (25)

Assists: Stinil (35)

Points: Stinil (60)

PIM’s: Mark Liwiski (135).

Utah Grizzlies 2022-2023 Roster

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

Defenseman (8): Victor Bartley, Joey Colatarci, Brycen Martin, Connor McDonald, Kyle Pouncy, James Shearer, Cory Thomas, Aaron Thow.

Goaltenders (3): Trent Miner, Brent Moran, Lukas Parik.  

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

Overall record: 23-26-3

Home record: 10-13

Road record: 13-13-3

Win percentage: .471

Streak: Loss 2

Standings Points: 49

Last 10: 4-4-2

Goals per game: 2.92 (23rd) Goals for: 152

Goals against per game: 3.71 (Tied 22nd)  Goals Against: 193

Shots per game: 29.52 (24th)  

Shots against per game: 35.27 (26th)

Power Play: 49 for 245 – 20.0 % (15th)

Penalty Kill: 178 for 227 – 78.4 % (18th)

Penalty Minutes: 965. 18.56 per game.

Shorthanded Goals: 4.

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 7.  

Record When Scoring First: 15-5.

Opposition Scores First: 8-21-3.   

Record in One Goal Games: 8-3-3. 

SCORING          1ST       2ND               3RD               OT                  TOTAL       

Utah Grizzlies     45         59                   46                   2                      152                                       

Opposition           56         66                   68                   3                      193

Team Leaders (2022-23 Regular season)

Goals: Tarun Fizer/Cameron Wright (18). 

Assists: Andrew Nielsen (32). 

Points: Nielsen (41).

Plus/Minus: Connor McDonald (+4)

PIM: Nielsen (166)

Power Play Points: Nielsen (26)

Power Play Goals: Tarun Fizer (7)

Power Play Assists: Nielsen (20).  

Shots on Goal: Cameron Wright (183).  

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: Dakota Raabe (2) Vladislav Mikhalchuk, Christian Simeone (1)

Assist Streaks: Jordan Martel (3) Victor Bartley (2) Brycen Martin, Connor McDonald, James Shearer (1)

Point Streaks of 2 or more: Raabe (7) Martel (3) Bartley, Mikhalchuk, Shearer, Simeone (2)