Grizzlies Gameday: Friday Night Battle in Iowa

Grizzlies Gameday: Friday Night Battle in Iowa

Utah Grizzlies (4-4, 8 points, .500 Win %) at Iowa Heartlanders (4-4-2, 10 points, .500 Win %) 

Date: November 17, 2023  Venue: Xtream Arena 

Game Time: 5:35 pm. 

Streaming/TV: FloHockey - https://www.flohockey.tv/events/11053145-2023-utah-grizzlies-vs-iowa-heartlanders

Audio/Radio: Utah Grizzlies YouTube channel. - https://www.youtube.com/@THEUTAHGRIZZLIES

Friday’s Matchup 

The Utah Grizzlies are at Xtream Arena as they face the Iowa Heartlanders in the second of a three game series. Utah is 3-1 all-time vs Iowa. Utah is playing their second road game of the season. They were the last team to make their road debut this season. Last year the Grizzlies were 16-16-4 on the road in the regular season and 2-0-1 in the playoffs. Watch out for Utah’s power play, which is 4 for 8 over their last 3 games. The Grizzlies power play is tied for 2^nd in the league at 25.0 percent. 

Games This Week 

Wednesday, November 15, 2023 – Utah 2 Iowa 3 – Kyle Mayhew and Dylan Fitze scored Utah’s goals. Iowa got 1 goal and 1 assist from Liam Coughlin and 2 power play assists from Odeen Tufto. Iowa goaltender Peyton Jones saved 20 of 22. Utah’s Trent Miner stopped 22 of 25. Utah was 1 for 3 on the power play. Iowa was 2 for 3. 

Friday, November 17, 2023 – Utah at Iowa. 5:35 pm. Xtream Arena. 

Saturday, November 18, 2023 – Utah at Iowa. 6:05 pm. Xtream Arena. 

All times Mountain. 

Games Last Week

Wednesday, November 8, 2023 – Wichita 4 Utah 2 - Wichita goaltender Trevor Gorsuch stopped 29 of 31. Thunder forwards Peter Bates and Connor MacEachern each had 1 goal and 1 assist. Jordan Martel had 1 goal and 1 assist for Utah. Nathan Burke added his 3^rd goal of the season. Utah outshot Wichita 31 to 28. Utah’s Trent Miner saved 24 of 27. Utah was 0 for 3 on the power play. Wichita was 0 for 2.

Friday, November 10, 2023 – Wichita 4 Utah 5 – Brandon Cutler scored 2 third period goals, including the game winner 14:19 in. Jordan Martel had 3 third period points, including the main assist on both of Cutler’s goals. Wichita outshot Utah 31 to 30. Wichita was 1 for 3 on the power play. Utah was 1 for 1. Nathan Burke and Tyler Penner added goals for Utah. Wichita’s Peter Bates had 2 goals and 1 assist. 

Saturday, November 11, 2023 – Wichita 1 Utah 4 – Dylan Fitze scored 2 goals. Brett Stapley had 1 goal and 1 assist. Josh Wesley had 2 assists. Trent Miner stopped 19 of 20 to earn his second win of the season. Utah outshot Wichita 48 to 20. Utah went 2 for 4 on the power play and was 3 for 3 on the penalty kill. 

Grizzlies Individual Notes

Jordan Martel has 7 points in his last 4 games (2 goals, 5 assists). Martel leads Utah with 8 points (3 goals, 5 assists). Martel also leads all Utah forwards with a +2 rating. 

Brandon Cutler leads Utah with 2 game winning goals and 34 shots on goal. Cutler has a point in 5 of his 9 games this season. 

Brett Stapley has 1 goal and 3 assists in his first 3 games in a Utah uniform. 

Dylan Fitze has 3 goals in his last 2 games. 2 of the 3 goals have come on Utah’s power play. 

Kyle Mayhew has 3 goals this season. 2 of his 3 goals have been unassisted. Mayhew has a 25.0 shooting % (3 for 12). 

Tyler Penner has appeared in 152 straight regular season games. 

Bryan Yoon has an assist in 3 of his last 4 games. 

Mick Messner has an assist in 2 of his last 3 games 

Nathan Burke has scored 4 goals and 2 assists in 8 games this season. 

The Power Play Has Been Plentiful 

The Grizzlies power play has been on point to start the regular season. Utah is 6 for 24 (25.0%) on the man advantage this season, which ranks tied for 2^nd in the league with Toledo. Utah’s power play is 4 for 8 over their last 3 games. Dylan Fitze leads Utah with 4 power play points (2 goals, 2 assists). 

Brett Stapley Has Been Great 

Brett Stapley has a point in all 3 games since joining the Grizzlies as he was reassigned from the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. Stapley is in his second season as a pro. Last year with the Trois Rivieres Lions he scored 52 points (11g, 41a) in 57 games. Stapley was a teammate with Kyle Mayhew on the University of Denver 2022 Frozen Four championship club. 

Recent Transactions

November 13 – Defenseman Gianni Fairbrother was reassigned from the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. Fairbrother has 2 assists in 4 games with Utah this season. 

November 9 – Forward Kyle Betts was loaned to the AHL’s Belleville Senators. Betts has 5 points (1 goal, 4 assists) in 5 games with Utah. 

November 6 – Goaltender Trent Miner reassigned from Colorado to Utah. 

November 3 - Goaltender Trent Miner was recalled by the AHL’s Colorado Eagles on November 3. 

October 31 - Brett Stapley was reassigned to the Grizzlies from the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. Last season Stapley spent his first year as a professional with the ECHL’s Trois-Rivieres Lions, where he scored 52 points (11 goals, 41 assists) in 57 games.  Stapley signed an AHL contract with the Colorado Eagles for the 2023-2024 season.

Bear Bites (Team Notes)

The Grizzlies went 4-3 in their first homestand of the season. Utah has the fewest penalty minutes (48) and the fewest penalty minutes per game at 7.00. Utah is 3-1 when scoring first. Utah is tied for 2^nd in the league on the power play at 25.0 percent (6 for 24). Utah took a season high 48 shots vs Wichita on Nov. 11. Utah's 22 shots in the second period on Nov. 11 is tied for the most in the 2nd period in the league. Utah is 2-1 when leading after 1 period and 3-0 when leading after 2 periods.

2023-2024 Utah Grizzlies Regular Season Totals (league rankings) 

Overall record: 4-4

Home record: 4-3

Road record: 0-1 

Win percentage: .500

Streak: Lost 1

Standings Points: 8

Last 10: 4-4

Goals per game: 3.00 (Tied 17^th)  Goals for: 24

Goals against per game: 3.00 (9^th) Goals Against: 24

Shots per game: 31,38 (14^th) 

Shots against per game: 30.75 (12^th)

Power Play: 6 for 24 – 25.0 % (Tied 2^nd)

Penalty Kill: 16 for 21 – 76.2 % (Tied 21^st)

Penalty Minutes: 56. 7.00 per game. (fewest in the league) 

Shorthanded Goals: 1 

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 1.  

Record When Scoring First: 3-1. 

Opposition Scores First: 1-3. 

Record in One Goal Games: 2-2. 

SCORING         1ST       2ND               3RD               OT/Shootout      TOTAL                      

Utah Grizzlies     6           9                      9                      0                               24         

Opposition          5           11                   8                      0                               24

Team Leaders 

Goals: Nathan Burke/Brandon Cutler (4) 

Assists: Jordan Martel (5)

Points: Martel (8)

Plus/Minus: Jordan Martel/ Keoni Texeira/Bryan Yoon (+2)

PIM: Dylan Fitze (8)

Power Play Points: Dylan Fitze (4) 

Power Play Goals: Fitze (2)

Power Play Assists: Fitze/Martel/Brett Stapley/Josh Wesley (2) 

Shots on Goal: Cutler (34). 

Shooting Percentage: Kyle Mayhew (25.0 %)  - Minimum 8 shots.  

Game Winning Goals: Cutler (2) 

Wins: Garrett Metcalf/Trent Miner (2)

Save %: Metcalf (.913) 

Goals Against Average: Miner (2.62) 

Shutouts: Metcalf (1)

Multiple Point Games 

2- Kyle Betts, Brandon Cutler, Jordan Martel. 

1 – Nathan Burke, Gianni Fairbrother, Dylan Fitze, Brett Stapley, Josh Wesley. 

Streaks 

Goals: Dylan Fitze (2) Kyle Mayhew (1)

Assists: Martel (3) Brett Stapley (2) 

Points – 2 or more: Martel (4) Fitze, Stapley (3)