Grizzlies Gameday: Pivotal Game 5 at Maverik Center

Grizzlies Gameday: Pivotal Game 5 at Maverik Center. Series is Tied 2-2

Idaho Steelheads at Utah Grizzlies. Game 5 of the Mountain Division Semifinals

Maverik Center 7:10 pm. The Series is Tied 2-2

Video Stream – FloHockey.TV - https://www.flohockey.tv/events/10888784-2023-idaho-steelheads-vs-utah-grizzlies

Audio Broadcast - The Utah Grizzlies YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@THEUTAHGRIZZLIES

The Utah Grizzlies host the Idaho Steelheads for the pivotal game 5 of the Mountain Division Semifinals. The series is tied 2-2. The road team has won all 4 games in the series. The road team has won each of the last 7 playoff games between Utah and Idaho. The winning team had exactly 3 goals in the first 3 games of the series before Idaho broke through with 6 goals in game 4.

#1 Idaho Steelheads (58-11-3) vs. #4 Utah Grizzlies (35-33-4)Game 1 – Utah 3 Idaho 0 – Trent Miner 43 save shutout. Jordan Martel had 1 goal and 1 assist. Dakota Raabe and Kyle Betts each scored a goal. Idaho outshot Utah 43 to 24. Utah was 0 for 2 on the power play and 4 for 4 on the penalty kill.Game 2 – Utah 3 Idaho 2 – Trent Miner saved 29 of 31. Kyle Mayhew had 1 goal and 1 assist. Dylan Fitze and Tarun Fizer added goals. Utah was 1 for 4 on the power play and 4 for 4 on the penalty kill.Game 3 – Idaho 3 Utah 2 (Overtime) – Idaho’s Willie Knierim scored the game winner 26 seconds into overtime. Idaho outshot Utah 37 to 27. Idaho was 1 for 7 on the power play. Utah was 1 for 8. The Grizz scored 2 second period goals 28 seconds apart. Cameron Wright on the power play 8:16 in. Dylan Fitze scored from the left wing 8:44 in. Idaho got regulation goals from Wade Murphy and Colton Kehler.Game 4 – Idaho 6 Utah 5 (Overtime) – Idaho’s Ty Pelton-Byce scored the game winner 3:27 into overtime. AJ White had 2 goals and 1 assist to lead Idaho. The Steelheads got 1 goal and 1 assist performances from Jordan Kawaguchi and Wade Murphy. Byce had 2 goals. For Utah Cameron Wright had 1 goal & 3 assists and Kyle Betts had 1 goal & 2 assists. Keaton Jameson, Kyle Mayhew and Zach Tsekos added goals for Utah. Idaho outshot Utah 51 to 34. Utah was 2 for 4 on the power play and Idaho was 2 for 5.Game 5 – Saturday, April 29 at 7:10 p.m. MT at UtahGame 6 – Monday, May 1 at 7:10 p.m. MT at IdahoGame 7 – Tuesday, May 2 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Idaho (If Necessary)

• Utah has outscored Idaho 13-11 in the first 4 games of the series. Utah has a goal from 10 different skaters.
• Utah is 4 for 18 on the power play and 17 for 20 on the penalty kill through 4 games.
• The Grizz outscored the Steelheads 5 to 3 in the third periods of the first 4 games.
• The team that has scored first has won all 4 games in the series.
• Interesting Fact: Each of Idaho’s last 8 playoff wins against Utah have come in overtime. The last time Idaho defeated Utah in the playoffs in regulation was on April 23, 2010 when Idaho won 4-1 to sweep Utah 4 games to 0 in the second round. Utah has won 7 playoff games all-time against Idaho and all 7 were decided in regulation.

Utah Grizzlies 2023 Kelly Cup Playoff Roster

Forwards (13): Kyle Betts, Brandon Cutler, Dylan Fitze, Tarun Fizer, Keaton Jameson, Jordan Martel, Mick Messner, Tyler Penner, Dakota Raabe, Nolan Ritchie, Zach Tsekos, Johnny Walker, Cameron Wright.

Defenseman (8): Brycen Martin, Luke Martin, Kyle Mayhew, Connor McDonald, Kyle Pouncy, James Shearer, Cory Thomas, Aaron Thow.

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

Trent Miner

Trent Miner saved all 43 shots he saw in game 1’s 3-0 win. In game 2 Miner stopped 29 of 31 in a 3-2 victory. In game 3 he saved 34 of 37 in an overtime loss. In game 4 Miner saved 45 of 51. In 4 playoff games this season Miner has a 2-0-2 record with a 2.71 goals against average and a .932 save percentage. Miner was named the Grizzlies team MVP for the 2022-2023 season. Last season in the playoffs Miner had a 7-6 record with a .920 save percentage and a 2.80 goals against average. Miner is in the second season of a three-year NHL Entry deal with the Colorado Avalanche.

Balanced Scoring Attack for Utah

The Grizzlies scoring attack was very balanced in the first 4 games of the first round series. 9 Grizzlies skaters have 2 or more points in the series. Cameron Wright leads the way with 6 points (2 goals, 4 assists). Kyle Betts has 5 points (2 goals, 3 assists). Dylan Fitze and Kyle Mayhew each have 2 goals for Utah in the series.

Utah’s Plus Performers of the Series

Defensemen Kyle Mayhew and Aaron Thow are each a +4 to lead the Grizzlies in the playoffs. Keaton Jameson and Tyler Penner lead the forward group with a +3 rating.

Kyle Betts Has Made an Impact

Kyle Betts has been outstanding for the Grizzlies after he was released from the Belleville Senators on April 10th. Betts played in the first weekend of action for Utah this season before signing with the Senators. Betts appeared in 40 games with Belleville and had 1 goal and 2 assists. In the series Betts has 2 goals and 3 assists in 4 games. Betts had 1 goal and 2 assists in game 4 at Maverik Center.

2023 Utah Grizzlies Kelly Cup Playoffs Totals (league rankings)

Overall record: 2-0-2

Home record: 0-0-2. Utah went 19-17 at home this season.

Road record: 1-0. Utah won 3 regular season games at Idaho Central Arena. Idaho was 25-1 at home vs teams other than Utah.

Win percentage: .500

Streak: Lost 2

Goals per game: 3.25 Goals for: 13

Goals against per game: 2.75  Goals Allowed: 11

Shots per game: 29.25

Shots against per game: 40.50

Power Play: 4 for 18 (22.2 %)

Penalty Kill: 17 for 20 (85.0 %)  

Penalty Minutes: 60. 15.00 per game.

Shorthanded Goals: 0

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 0 

Record When Scoring First: 2-0

Opposition Scores First: 0-0-2

Record in One Goal Games: 1-0-2

SCORING          1ST       2ND               3RD               OT/Shootout       TOTAL                     

Utah Grizzlies     5           3                      5                      0                               13        

Opposition           3           3                      3                      2                               11

Team Leaders (2023 Kelly Cup Playoffs)

Goals: Kyle Betts/Dylan Fitze/Kyle Mayhew/Cameron Wright (2)

Assists: Wright (4)

Points: Wright (6)

Plus/Minus: Mayhew/Aaron Thow (+4)

PIM: Cameron Wright (13)

Power Play Points: Betts/Wright (3)

Power Play Goals: Wright (2)

Power Play Assists: Betts/Nolan Ritchie (2)

Shots on Goal: Brandon Cutler (21)  

Shooting Percentage: Kyle Mayhew (2 for 3, 66.6 %)

Game Winning Goals: Fitze/Raabe (1)

Wins: Trent Miner (2)

Save %: Miner (.932).

Goals Against Average: Miner (2.71)

Shutouts: Miner (1)