Grizzlies Gameday: Friday Night Battle in the Lonestar State

Grizzlies Gameday: Friday Night Battle in the Lonestar State 

Utah Grizzlies (6-7, 12 points, .462 Win %) at Allen Americans (5-10-1, 11 points, .344 Win %) 

Date: December 1, 2023  Venue: Credit Union of Texas Event Center

Game Time: 6:10 pm. 

Streaming/TV: FloHockey - https://www.flohockey.tv/events/11053376-2023-utah-grizzlies-vs-allen-americans 

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

Friday’s Matchup

The Grizzlies are on the road at Credit Union of Texas Event Center for the first of 7 meetings this season between the mountain division rivals. These teams will meet 4 times in the Grizzlies next 6 games. 

Games This Week

Friday, December 1, 2023 – Utah at Allen. 6:10 pm. 

Saturday, December 2, 2023 – Utah at Tulsa. 6:05 pm. 

Sunday, December 3, 2023 – Utah at Tulsa. 3:05 pm. 

All Times Mountain. 

Games Last Week 

Wednesday, November 22, 2023 – Newfoundland 1 Utah 4 – Dakota Raabe had 1 goal and 1 assist and Trent Miner saved 29 of 30. Brandon Cutler had 2 assists. Jordan Martel, Brett Stapley and Josh Wesley added goals. Newfoundland outshot Utah 30 to 13. Utah was 0 for 5 on the power play. Newfoundland was 0 for 3. 

Friday, November 24, 2023 – Newfoundland 3 Utah 6 – Mick Messner had 2 goals and 1 assist. Nathan Burke had 1 goal and 2 assists. Kyle Mayhew and Brett Stapley each had 1 goal and 1 assist. Keoni Texeira had 2 shorthanded assists in the third period. Utah scored 2 power play goal, 2 shorthanded goals in the third period, a 4 on 4 goal early in the second period and a 5 on 5 goal in the first period. Newfoundland went 2 for 8 on the power play. Growlers were led by Zach O’Brien and Isaac Johnson, who each had 1 goal and 1 assist and 3 assists from Jonny Tychonick. 

Saturday, November 25, 2023 – Newfoundland 2 Utah 0 – Growlers goaltender Luke Cavallin stopped all 28 Utah shots. Neil Shea had both of the goals in the contest. Utah’s Dante Giannuzzi saved 27 of 28. 

November Recap

Utah finished the month of November with a record of 4-5. Arguably the most exciting game came on November 10 vs Wichita where the Grizzlies overcame a 4-1 deficit to win 5-4. Utah went 4-2 at home in the month. Jordan Martel was statistically Utah’s best forward with 9 points (4 goals, 5 assists) and he led the team with 33 shots. Brett Stapley had 8 points in 8 games in November (3 goals, 5 assists). 

November Leaders

Goals: Jordan Martel (4)

Assists: Jodan Martel, Brett Stapley, Bryan Yoon (5)

Points: Martel (9)

Shots: Martel (33)

Plus/Minus: Mick Messner. Bryan Yoon (+6)

Grizzlies Acquire Adam Berg in Trade With Cincinnati

The Utah Grizzlies have acquired forward Adam Berg in a trade with the Cincinnati Cyclones for future considerations. Berg will wear number 14 for Utah. 

Berg appeared in 8 games with Cincinnati this season and had 1 goal and 1 assist. Last season Berg played in 19 games with Cincinnati and had 4 goals, 2 assists and a +4 rating. Berg had 2 goals in 11 games in the 2023 Kelly Cup Playoffs. Last season Berg played in 3 games vs Utah and had 1 goal and 1 assist. 

Prior to his professional career he played at Brock University from 2018-2023. His best season came as a senior in the 2022-23 season where he scored 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists) in 24 games. Berg also played in the WHL with Regina and Edmonton and in the BCHL with the Chilliwack Chiefs in the 2017-18 season. 

Recent Transactions

November 25 – Utah acquired forward Adam Berg in a trade with Cincinnati. 

November 25 – Goaltender Trent Miner was recalled to Colorado (AHL). 

November 21 – Utah signs forward Aaron Aragon. Utah released forward Jared Power. Aragon is a +2 in 2 games with Utah and has 9 penalty minutes. 

November 16 – Defenseman Gianni Fairbrother was recalled to Colorado (AHL). 

November 13 – Defenseman Gianni Fairbrother was reassigned from the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. Fairbrother has 2 assists in 5 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. 

Player Notes 

Mick Messner had 2 goals and 1 assist in a 6-3 win on Nov. 24. Messner has 5 points (3g, 2a) in his last 4 games. Messner is a +6 in his last 8 games. 

Brett Stapley has a point in 6 of his 8 games with Utah. Stapley has 2 multiple point games. 

Brandon Cutler leads Utah with 2 game winning goals and 46 shots. Cutler and Jordan Martel are tied for the team lead with 10 points. 

Bryan Yoon is a +6 in the month of November. 

Kyle Mayhew is tied for 2nd among defenseman with 4 goals. 

Bear Bites: Grizzlies Team Notes 

Utah is 5-1 when scoring first. Utah is the only team in the league who has not played a game past regulation. Utah is 6-4 at home this season. 10 of the first 13 games were played at home. Utah is 4-2 all-time vs Newfoundland. Utah has 3 shorthanded goals this season. Utah has outshot opponents 145 to 116 in the third periods. Utah is 6th in goals allowed per game at 2.85. The 37 goals allowed is tied for the fewest in the league. Utah is 4-1 when leading after 1 period and 5-0 when leading after 2 periods. 

Utah’s Special Teams

Utah’s power play is 6 for 20 over their last 7 games. For the season Utah’s power play is 8 for 36 (22.2 %). Dylan Fitze, Jordan Martel and Brett Stapley each have 2 goals and 2 assists on the power play. The Grizzlies penalty kill is 9 for 11 in the series vs Newfoundland.  

Martel and Cutler Have Similar Stat Lines 

In looking at the stat lines for Brandon Cutler and Jordan Martel there are many similarities that pop up. 

Cutler 2023-24: 12 games, 4 goals, 6 assists, 10 points, -1, 2 PPA, 2 GWG, 46 shots, 8.7 Shooting %. 

Martel 2023-24: 12 games, 5 goals, 5 assists, 10 points, -1, 2 PPG, 2 PPA, 42 shots, 11.9 Shooting %. 

Both Cutler and Martel are tied for the club lead with 10 points. 

Brett Stapley Has Been Great 

Brett Stapley has a point in 6 of his 8 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. 

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

Overall record: 6-7

Home record: 6-4

Road record: 0-3

Win percentage: .462

Streak: Lost 1

Standings Points: 12

Last 10: 4-6

Goals per game: 2.77 (25^th) Goals for: 36

Goals against per game: 2.85 (6^th) Goals Against: 37

Shots per game: 30.23 (18^th)

Shots against per game: 31.38 (15^th)

Power Play: 8 for 39 – 20.5 % (Tied 13^th)

Penalty Kill: 32 for 40 – 80.0 % (16^th)

Penalty Minutes: 118. 9.08 per game. (4^th fewest in the league) 

Shorthanded Goals: 3 – Utah scored 2 shorthanded goals in the third period on Nov. 24. 

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 3.   

Record When Scoring First: 5-1. 

Opposition Scores First: 1-6. 

Record in One Goal Games: 2-3. 

SCORING         1ST       2ND               3RD               OT/Shootout      TOTAL                      

Utah Grizzlies     10         13                   13                   0                               36         

Opposition          10         15                   12                   0                               37

Team Leaders 

Goals: Nathan Burke/Jordan Martel (5) 

Assists: Brandon Cutler (6)

Points: Cutler/Martel (10)

Plus/Minus: Bryan Yoon (+6)

PIM: Burke (16)

Power Play Points: Dylan Fitze/Martel/Brett Stapley (4) 

Power Play Goals: Fitze (2)

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

Shots on Goal: Cutler (46) 

Shooting Percentage: Kyle Mayhew (20.0 %)  - Minimum 10 shots.  

Game Winning Goals: Cutler (2) 

Wins: Trent Miner (4)

Save %: Dante Giannuzzi (.935) 

Goals Against Average: Giannuzzi (2.05) 

Shutouts: Metcalf (1)

Multiple Point Games 

3 – Brandon Cutler

2- Kyle Betts, Nathan Burke, Jordan Martel, Brett Stapley. 

1 – Gianni Fairbrother, Dylan Fitze, Kyle Mayhew, Mick Messner, Dakota Raabe, Keoni Texeira, Josh Wesley. 

Grizzlies and Americans Connections 

Allen forward Johnny Walker and defenseman Kris Myllari and Eric Williams are all former Grizzlies. Walker played in 44 games with Utah over the past 2 seasons, scoring 14 goals and 8 assists. Walker appeared in 4 games in the 2023 Kelly Cup Playoffs. Myllari played in 17 games with the Grizzlies in the 2020-21 season, scoring 1 goal and 2 assists. Williams played in all 62 games in the abbreviated 2019-20 season, scoring 7 goals and 16 assists. Williams was a +19 for Utah in what was his first pro season.