Grizzlies Gameday: Smith's Family Night at Maverik Center

Grizzlies Gameday: Smith’s Family Night at Maverik Center 

Allen Americans (6-11-1, 13 points, .361 Win %) at Utah Grizzlies (6-10, 12 points, .375 Win %) 

Date: December 6, 2023  Venue: Maverik Center

Game Time: 3:05 pm. 

Streaming/TV: FloHockey - https://www.flohockey.tv/events/11053458-2023-allen-americans-vs-utah-grizzlies 

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

Wednesday’s Matchup

The Utah Grizzlies are at Maverik Center as they take on the Allen Americans in the opener of a three-game series. Utah is 6-4 at home this season. Allen is 5-5-1 on the road. It’s the second of seven meetings this season between the clubs. Former Grizzlies forward Johnny Walker makes his return to Maverik Center as a member of the Americans. Walker has 2 goals and 1 assist in 4 games for Allen this season. 

Games This Week

Wednesday, December 6, 2023 – Allen at Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. Smith’s Family Night (4 tickets for $40, each additional ticket is $10). 

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. 

All Times Mountain. 

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

Games Last 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 1 Tulsa 4 – Cole Gallant scored a goal for Utah. Nathan Burke and Kyle Mayhew had 1 assist. Tulsa outshot Utah 30 to 28. Tyler Poulsen had 1 goal and 1 assist for Tulsa. 

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 Allen Americans are 2-1 in overtime this season. Last season Utah met Allen 12 times and they went past regulation twice. Utah won 3-2 at Allen in overtime on November 9, 2022 as Connor McDonald got the game winner. On March 17, 2023 Utah won 2-1 at Allen in a shootout as Cameron Wright scored the only goal in the shootout. Trent Miner was outstanding in net that night as he stopped 40 of 41 and all 3 in the shootout. 

Adam Berg Makes Grizzlies Home Debut 

New Grizzlies forward Adam Berg made his team debut on December 1^st at Allen. Berg had 5 shots on goal in 3 games last week for Utah. It’s not the first time Berg has played at Maverik Center as he appeared in 3 games for Cincinnati at Utah in March of 2023 and he had 1 goal and 1 assist. 

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. 

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

Overall record: 6-10

Home record: 6-4

Road record: 0-6

Win percentage: .375

Streak: Lost 4

Standings Points: 12

Last 10: 3-7

Goals per game: 2.63 (26^th)  Goals for: 42

Goals against per game: 3.13 (10^th) Goals Against: 50

Shots per game: 31.06 (15^th)

Shots against per game: 31.69 (18^th)

Power Play: 9 for 46 – 19.6 % (17^th)

Penalty Kill: 36 for 48 – 75.0 % (25^th)

Penalty Minutes: 144. 9.00 per game. (3^rd fewest in the league) 

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

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 4.   

Record When Scoring First: 5-1. 

Opposition Scores First: 1-9. 

Record in One Goal Games: 2-4. 

SCORING          1ST       2ND               3RD               OT/Shootout      TOTAL                      

Utah Grizzlies     12         15                   15                   0                               42         

Opposition           15         19                   16                   0                               50

Team Leaders 

Goals: Jordan Martel (6) 

Assists: Brett Stapley (8)

Points: Brandon Cutler/Martel/Stapley (11)

Plus/Minus: Bryan Yoon (+5)

PIM: Burke (20)

Power Play Points: Martel/Stapley (5)

Power Play Goals: Martel (3) 

Power Play Assists: Stapley (3) 

Shots on Goal: Cutler (56) 

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

Game Winning Goals: Cutler (2) 

Wins: Trent Miner (4)

Save %: Miner (.916) 

Goals Against Average: Miner (2.52) 

Shutouts: Metcalf (1)