Opening Weekend at Maverik Center

Grizzlies Weekly: Opening Weekend at Maverik Center 

West Valley City, Utah – The Utah Grizzlies are out of hibernation as they begin the 2023-2024 regular season with a 2 game series against the Tulsa Oilers. Opening night is on Saturday, October 21^st at 7:10 pm. 

The Grizzlies are home for seven straight games to begin the season and 10 of their first 13 contests will be at Maverik Center. 

Utah split the two games in the preseason last weekend vs Idaho. Jordan Martel scored 3 power play goals in the series. Kyle Mayhew had 1 goal and 4 assists in the preseason. Garrett Metcalf earned a 39 save shutout on Utah’s 6-0 win at Mountain America Center in Idaho Falls. 

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Preseason Games 

• October 13, 2023 (Game in Idaho Falls) – Utah 6 Idaho 0 – Grizzlies got goals from 6 different skaters and Garrett Metcalf stopped all 39 Idaho shots. Kyle Mayhew, Kyle Betts, Kade Jensen, Dakota Raabe, Jordan Martel and Cole Gallant each scored a goal for Utah. 
• October 14, 2023 – Utah 4 Idaho 7 (Game in Boise, Idaho) – Jordan Martel had 2 goals and 2 assists and Kyle Mayhew had 3 assists to lead the Grizzlies attack.

Games This Week

Saturday, October 21, 2023 – Tulsa Oilers at Utah Grizzlies. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. 

Sunday, October 22, 2023 – Tulsa Oilers at Utah Grizzlies. 3:10 pm. Maverik Center. 

FloSports is the exclusive streaming provider of the ECHL. 

Audio coverage is on the Utah Grizzlies YouTube channel.  

Utah Grizzlies 2023-2024 Roster

Forwards (13): Kyle Betts, Cody Caron, Cameron Cook, Brandon Cutler, Dylan Fitze, Cole Gallant, Jordan Martel, Mick Messner, Tyler Penner, Jared Power, Dakota Raabe, Dylan Stewart, Dean Yakura. 

Defenseman (9): Kade Jensen, Kyle Mayhew, Jacob Semik, Jordon Stone, Keoni Texeira, Cory Thomas, Michael Underwood, Josh Wesley, Bryan Yoon. 

Goaltenders (2): Dante Giannuzzi, Garrett Metcalf.

• Roster subject to change. 

Staff for 2023-2024 Season

Ryan Kinasewich enters his third season as Grizzlies Head Coach/General Manager. Kinasewich led the Grizzlies to a 42-27-2-1 record, winning the Mountain Division title for the first time in team history. In 2 seasons with the Grizzlies coach Kinasewich has a record of 77-60-7. 

Christian Horn is the new Grizzlies assistant coach. Last season Horn was an assistant coach with the EIHL’s Cardiff Devils. Horn played with Utah in the final game of the 2019-2020 season, scoring 1 goal at Rapid City on March 7, 2020. Horn played in 24 games with Utah in the 2020-2021 season, scoring 2 goals and 5 assists. Jaxson Hibbard is the first year Head Equipment Manager after spending the past 2 seasons as Assistant Equipment Manager. Collin Lee will be in his fourth year as Grizzlies Athletic Trainer. Broadcaster Tyson Whiting begins his sixth season as the “Voice of the Grizzlies”. 

2023-2024 Games by Opponents

Idaho Steelheads – 14 (7 home, 7 away)

Tulsa Oilers – 10 (5 home, 5 away)

Wichita Thunder – 4 (3 home, 1 away)

Iowa Heartlanders – 3 (Away)

Newfoundland Growlers – 6 (3 home, 3 away)

Allen Americans 7 (3 home, 4 away)

Cincinnati Cyclones – 1 (Away)

Fort Wayne Komets – 3 (Away)

Kansas City Mavericks – 9 (3 home, 6 away)

Rapid City Rush – 9 (6 home, 3 away)

Wheeling Nailers – 3 (Home)

Norfolk Admirals – 3 (Home)

2023-2024 Games by Day of the Week

Monday – 3 home, 0 away

Tuesday – 0 home, 1 away

Wednesday – 6 home, 4 away

Thursday – 0 games

Friday – 11 home, 12 away

Saturday – 13 home, 12 away

Sunday – 3 home, 7 away

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

Overall record: 35-33-4

Home record: 19-17

Road record: 16-16-4

Win percentage: .514

Streak: Won 3

Standings Points: 74

Last 10: 6-3-1

Goals per game: 3.19 (15^th)  Goals for: 230

Goals against per game: 3.59 (21^st) Goals Against: 259

Shots per game: 32.04 (11^th)

Shots against per game: 34.53 (24^th)

Power Play: 64 for 336 – 18.4 % (19^th) 

Penalty Kill: 244 for 306 – 79.6 % (17^th)

Penalty Minutes: 1316. 18.28 per game. (2^nd most in the league)

Shorthanded Goals: 5. 

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 14. 

Record When Scoring First: 24-7-1. 

Opposition Scores First: 11-26-3.   

Record in One Goal Games: 13-6-4.

SCORING         1ST       2ND               3RD               OT/Shootout      TOTAL                      

Utah Grizzlies     72         87                   66                   5                              230      

Opposition          84         87                   84                   4                               259

Best Grizzlies Home Attendances in the 2022-2023 Season

Attendance was up by an average of 1,085 per game in the 2022-2023 regular season. The annual Guns N Hoses night drew a season high 10,397 as Utah won 4-3. The regular season finale saw a huge crowd of 9,693 as Utah clinched a playoff spot against the Tulsa Oilers. The Stanley Cup was in the building on March 11^th as 8,136 were at Maverik Center to witness the Stanley Cup live and in person and they were treated to an outstanding game as Utah won 5-4 in a shootout. 

10,397 – January 28, 2023 – RC at Utah. 

9,693 – April 15, 2023 – Tulsa at Utah. 

8,136 – March 11, 2023 – KC at Utah. 

7382 – January 27, 2023 – RC at Utah. 

7164 – March 24, 2023 – Cincinnati at Utah. 

6954 – April 14, 2023 – Tulsa at Utah. 

6941 – February 24, 2023 – Allen at Utah. 

6927 – December 30, 2022 – Idaho at Utah. 

6843 – April 8, 2023 – Idaho at Utah. 

6494 – December 17, 2022 – KC at Utah. 

6415 – February 4, 2023 – Allen at Utah. 

6349 – November 18, 2022 – Idaho at Utah. 

6325 – December 28, 2022 – Idaho at Utah. – Best Grizzlies Wednesday home crowd in 10 years. 

The Grizzlies averaged 5,334 fans per game in the 2022-2023 season. That’s the highest attendance average since the 2018-19 season (5,496).