Grizzlies Gameday: Road Trip Ends in Tulsa

Grizzlies Gameday: Final Game of Road Trip in Tulsa 

Utah Grizzlies (6-9, 12 points, .400 Win %) at Tulsa Oilers (9-6-3, 21 points, .583 Win %) 

Date: December 3, 2023  Venue: BOK Center

Game Time: 3:05 pm. 

Streaming/TV: FloHockey - https://www.flohockey.tv/events/11053430-2023-utah-grizzlies-vs-tulsa-oilers 

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

Sunday’s Matchup

The Grizzlies are on the road at BOK Center for the last of a two-game series against the Tulsa Oilers. It’s the fourth of 10 meetings this season between the clubs. Utah swept Tulsa in a two-game set at Maverik Center in the first weekend of the season. Utah is 7-2 in their last 9 games vs Tulsa. Watch out for Mick Messner, who has 6 points (3 goals, 3 assists) in his last 6 games. Brandon Cutler has 4 assists in his last 5 games. Cutler, Jordan Martel and Brett Stapley are each tied for the club lead with 11 points. 

Games This Week

Friday, December 1, 2023 – Utah 2 Allen 3 – Bryan Yoon and Josh Wesley each scored a goal for Utah. Utah outshot Allen 51 to 30 for the contest and 23 to 3 in the third period. Dante Giannuzzi saved 27 of 30 for the Grizz. Allen’s Leevi Merilainen stopped 49 of 51. Matt Marcinew had 1 goal and 1 assist to lead the Americans attack. 

Saturday, December 2, 2023 – Utah 3 Tulsa 6 – Bryan Yoon had 1 goal and 1 assist. Brett Stapley had 2 assists and Jordan Martel & Jacob Semik each added a goal for the Grizz. Tulsa got 2 goals from Alec Butcher and a Gordie Howe Hat Trick from Jaxsen Wiebe. Tulsa was 2 for 3 on the power play. Utah was 1 for 2. 

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

All Times Mountain. 

Games Next Week

Wednesday, December 6, 2023 – Allen at Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. Smith’s Family Night. 

Friday, December 8, 2023 – Allen at Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. AFCU Friday. 

Saturday, December 9, 2023 – Allen at Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. Teddy Bear Toss & Ugly Sweater Night. 

Tickets for every Grizzlies home game are available at utahgrizzlies.com or by calling (801) 988-8000. 

Save That Puck It’s His First as a Pro 

Two different Grizzlies defenseman scored their first professional goals on the road trip. Bryan Yoon got his first goal with exactly 1 minute left to play in the first period at Allen on December 1^st. Yoon also scored on Saturday night in Tulsa as he has 2 goals and 6 assists in 15 games this season. Yoon leads Utah with a +6 rating. 

Jacob Semik scored his first as a pro on Saturday night in Tulsa. Semik scored 3 goals in is college career at Arizona State. Semik was a +1 for Utah on Saturday night at Tulsa. 

There have been 3 players who have scored their first pro goals this season. Mick Messner got his first on November 18 at Iowa. That goal really jumpstarted Messner’s strong play as he has 8 points (3 goals, 5 assists) in his last 10 games. 

3 Way Tie for Points Lead 

Brandon Cutler, Jordan Martel and Brett Stapley are each tied for the club lead with 11 points this season. Stapley has appeared in 10 games this season while Cutler and Martel have played in 15 contests. Cutler and Stapley are each tied for the club lead with 3 multiple point games. Martel has 2 multiple point games. “The Rooster” leads the Grizz with 3 power play goals. 

Could We Finally See an Overtime Game? 

The Grizzlies are the only team in the league who have yet to play a game past regulation. The Tulsa Oilers on the other hand have played in 5 overtime games this season, including 4 of their last 5 games. Tulsa is 2-3 in overtime this season. 

Player Notes 

Mick Messner had 2 goals and 1 assist in a 6-3 win on Nov. 24. Messner has 6 points (3g, 2a) in his last 6 games. Messner is a +5 in his last 10 games. 

Brett Stapley has a point in 8 of his 10 games with Utah. Stapley has 3 multiple point games. Stapley has 3 assists in his last 2 games. 

Brandon Cutler leads the team with 11 points (4 goals, 7 assists). He leads Utah with 2 game winning goals and is 3^rd on the team with 47 shots. 

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

Kyle Mayhew is tied for 3rd among defensemen with 4 goals. 

Jordan Martel is 2^nd on the club with 10 points and 48 shots on goal and is tied for the club lead with 2 power play goals. 

Josh Wesley leads Utah with 49 shots on goal. The 49 shots rank 5^th among all league defenseman.

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 7-2 in their last 9 games vs Tulsa. Utah has 3 shorthanded goals this season. Utah has outshot opponents 172 to 135 in the third periods. Utah is 4-1 when leading after 1 period and 5-0 when leading after 2 periods. The Grizzlies are 8^th in the league in goals allowed per game at 3.07. 

Utah’s Special Teams

Utah’s power play is 7 for 24 over their last 9 games. For the season Utah’s power play is 9 for 43 (20.9 %). Jordan Martel has 3 goals and 2 assists on the power play. Brett Stapley has 2 goals and 3 assists on the man advantage. Dylan Fitze has 4 points (2g, 2a) on the power play. 

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

Overall record: 6-9

Home record: 6-4

Road record: 0-5

Win percentage: .400

Streak: Lost 3

Standings Points: 12

Last 10: 4-6

Goals per game: 2.73 (Tied 25^th)  Goals for: 41

Goals against per game: 3.07 (8^th) Goals Against: 46

Shots per game: 31.27 (15^th)

Shots against per game: 31.80 (17^th)

Power Play: 9 for 43 – 20.9 % (13^th)

Penalty Kill: 35 for 46 – 76.1 % (24^th)

Penalty Minutes: 140. 9.33 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: 1-8. 

Record in One Goal Games: 2-4. 

SCORING          1ST       2ND               3RD               OT/Shootout      TOTAL                      

Utah Grizzlies     12         14                   15                   0                               41         

Opposition           13         19                   14                   0                               46

Team Leaders 

Goals: Jordan Martel (6) 

Assists: Brett Stapley (8)

Points: Brandon Cutler/Martel/Stapley (11)

Plus/Minus: Bryan Yoon (+6)

PIM: Burke (18)

Power Play Points: Martel/Stapley (5)

Power Play Goals: Martel (3) 

Power Play Assists: Stapley (3) 

Shots on Goal: Cutler/Josh Wesley (52) 

Shooting Percentage: Kyle Mayhew (16.0 %)  - Minimum 10 shots.  

Game Winning Goals: Cutler (2) 

Wins: Trent Miner (4)

Save %: Dante Giannuzzi (.924) 

Goals Against Average: Giannuzzi (2.39) 

Shutouts: Metcalf (1)

Multiple Point Games 

3 – Brandon Cutler, Brett Stapley

2- Kyle Betts, Nathan Burke, Jordan Martel. 

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

Streaks 

Goals: Bryan Yoon (2) Jordan Martel, Jacob Semik (1)

Assists: Brett Stapley (2) Aaron Aragon, Mick Messner, Yoon (1)

Points – Stapley, Yoon (2)