Grizzlies Weekly: Series Shifts to Maverik Center as Utah Leads Series 2-0

Grizzlies Weekly: Series Shifts to Maverik Center as Utah Leads Series 2-0

West Valley City, Utah – The Utah Grizzlies will host the Idaho Steelhead for games 3-4 on Wednesday and Friday nights and if necessary for game 5 on Saturday night. Utah leads the best of 7 Mountain Division Semifinals series 2 games to 0.

Playoff tickets are on sale now. Go to utahgrizzlies.com or call (801) 988-8000 for tickets and more information on the Grizzlies 2023 Kelly Cup Playoff run.

#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 – Wednesday, April 26 at 7:10 p.m. MT at UtahGame 4 – Friday, April 28 at 7:10 p.m. MT at UtahGame 5 – Saturday, April 29 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Utah (If Necessary)Game 6 – Monday, May 1 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Idaho (If Necessary)Game 7 – Tuesday, May 2 at 7:10 p.m. MT at Idaho (If Necessary)

• Utah has outscored Idaho 6-2 in the first 2 games of the series. Utah has a goal from 6 different skaters.
• Utah was 1 for 6 on the power play and a perfect 8 for 8 on the penalty kill through 2 games.
• The Grizz outscored the Steelheads 4 to 2 in the third periods of the first 2 games.
• Keaton Jameson, Kyle Mayhew and Aaron Thow are each a +3 through 2 playoff games. Jordan Martel and Tyler Penner are each a +2 in the series.

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 Has Been Dominant

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 the last 3 games Miner has stopped 103 of 105 shots for a .980 save percentage. Miner was named the Grizzlies team MVP for the 2022-2023 season.

Kyle Betts Has Made a Big 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 3 games last week against Tulsa, Betts had 5 assists. He had 2 assists on both April 12th and 14th and 1 assist on April 15th. Betts scored a goal 1:54 into the third period of Utah’s 3-0 game 1 win. Betts has taken 6 shots in 2 games in the series.

2023 Utah Grizzlies Kelly Cup Playoffs Totals (league rankings)

Overall record: 2-0

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

Road record: 2-0. Utah won 3 regular season games at Idaho Central Arena. Idaho was 25-1 at home vs teams other than Utah.

Win percentage: .1000

Streak: Won 2. Utah has won 5 in a row if you count the regular season.

Goals per game: 3.00 Goals for: 6

Goals against per game: 1.00  Goals Allowed: 2

Shots per game: 28.00

Shots against per game: 37.00

Power Play: 1 for 6 (16.7 %)

Penalty Kill: 8 for 8 (100.0 %)

Penalty Minutes: 28. 14.00 per game.

Shorthanded Goals: 0

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 0 

Record When Scoring First: 2-0

Opposition Scores First: 0-0  

Record in One Goal Games (Regular Season): 13-6-4.

SCORING          1ST       2ND               3RD               OT/Shootout       TOTAL                     

Utah Grizzlies     1           1                      4                      0                               6          

Opposition           0           0                      2                      0                               2

Team Leaders (2023 Kelly Cup Playoffs)

Goals: Kyle Betts/Dylan Fitze/Tarun Fizer/Jordan Martel/Kyle Mayhew/Dakota Raabe (1) 

Assists: Keaton Jameson/Aaron Thow (2)

Points: Jameson/Martel/Mayhew/Thow (2)

Plus/Minus: Jameson/Mayhew/Thow (+3_

PIM: Cameron Wright (9)

Power Play Points: Tarun Fizer/Kyle Mayhew/Nolan Ritchie (1)

Power Play Goals: Fizer (1)

Power Play Assists: Mayhew/Ritchie (1)

Shots on Goal: Brandon Cutler (10)

Shooting Percentage: Mayhew/Dakota Raabe (50%) – 1 for 2

Game Winning Goals: Fitze/Raabe (1)

Wins: Trent Miner (2)

Save %: Miner (.973).

Goals Against Average: Miner (1.00)

Shutouts: Miner (1)

Grizzlies With Previous Playoff Experience

15 of the 24 players on Utah’s 2023 playoff roster have appeared in at least 1 postseason game as a professional. The 9 players who are appearing in their first postseason as professionals are Goaltender Garrett Metcalf, Defenseman Aaron Thow, Cory Thomas and Kyle Mayhew, forwards Brandon Cutler, Keaton Jameson, Mick Messner, Nolan Ritchie and Cameron Wright.

Grizzlies with Prior Postseason Experience

Trent Miner appeared in 13 games with Utah in the 2022 Kelly Cup Playoffs. Miner had a 7-6 record with a 2.80 goals against average and a .920 save percentage.

Lukas Parik appeared in 10 playoff games with the Rapid City Rush in 2022. Parik went 6-4 with a .912 save percentage and a 2.88 goals against average.

Kyle Betts played in all 18 playoff games for the Grizzlies in 2022, scoring 10 points (5 goals, 5 assists).

Dylan Fitze played in all 18 playoff games for the Grizzlies in 2022, scoring 6 goals and 3 assists. 5 of his 6 playoff goals came in the third period of games, including 2 big goals in the third period of game 2 vs Rapid City, a game Utah won 5-4. Fitze also played in 9 playoff games with Orlando in 2019.

Tarun Fizer had 15 points (4 goals, 11 assists) in 18 playoff games with Utah in 2022.

Jordan Martel appeared in 2 playoff games with Fort Wayne in 2022.

Brycen Martin played in 2 playoff games with Cincinnati in 2018.

Luke Martin played in 17 playoff games with Utah in 2022 and had 12 points (2 goals, 10 assists). Martin had 2 assists in 8 games for Greenville in the 2021 playoffs.

Connor McDonald played in all 18 playoff games for Utah in 2022 and had 1 goal and 4 assists.

Tyler Penner scored 7 points (3 goals, 4 assists) in 18 playoff games with Utah in 2022.

Kyle Pouncy had 2 points (1 goal, 1 assist) in 8 playoff games with Utah in 2022.

Dakota Raabe had 6 points (2 goals, 4 assists) in 14 playoff games with Utah in 2022.

James Shearer played in 7 postseason games with Utah in 2022.

Zach Tsekos had 12 points (3 goals, 9 assists) in 14 playoff games with Utah in 2022.

Johnny Walker appeared in 1 playoff game with Utah in 2022.

• Kyle Mayhew and Cameron Wright each has championship experience as both were members of the 2022 University of Denver NCAA National Championship squad.

Grizzlies Winning Weekly/Monthly Awards (2022-2023 season)

Andrew Nielsen – Player of the Week (October 31- November 6, 2022)

Andrew Nielsen – 2023 Western Conference All-Star Team.

Trent Miner – ECHL Goaltender of the Week (Jan. 16-22, 2023).

Brandon Cutler – Player of the Week (January 23-29, 2023).

Jordan Martel – Player of the Week (April 10-16, 2023).