Grizzlies Weekly: Utah Won 2 of 3 Last Week at Maverik Center

Grizzlies Weekly: Utah Wins 2 of 3 Last Week at Maverik Center 

West Valley City, Utah – The Utah Grizzlies won 2 out of 3 games last week vs the Allen Americans at Maverik Center. Utah is now 8-5 at home this season. This week the Grizzlies are on to Cincinnati for a Wednesday night game and then they head to Fort Wayne for games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 

Last Saturday was the Grizzlies’ annual Teddy Bear Toss night. A team record 3,647 teddy bears and stuffed animals were thrown on the ice after Kyle Mayhew scored 16:47 into the game. It was also ugly sweater night as Utah won 7-3 in their ugly sweater Christmas themed sweaters. A season high crowd of 7,644 saw the Grizzlies score a season high 7 goals in the Saturday night victory. 

Nathan Burke had 2 goals and 1 assist on December 6 vs Allen. He also had 2 goals and 1 assist on December 9 vs Allen. Utah won both games and Burke was the number one star on each occasion. Cole Gallant has been on fire as he has 8 points (3 goals, 5 assists) in his last 4 games. Mick Messner has 7 goals and 4 assists in his last 10 games. Messner has a goal in 3 straight games. 

The Grizzlies are on the road for 5 straight games. They return to Maverik Center for the final game before the Christmas break as they take on the Idaho Steelheads on Saturday, December 23. Tickets are available at utahgrizzlies.com or by calling (801) 988-8000. 

Games This Week

Wednesday, December 13, 2023 – Utah at Cincinnati. 5:35 pm. Heritage Bank Arena. 

Friday, December 15, 2023 – Utah at Fort Wayne. 6:00 pm. Memorial Coliseum. 

Saturday, December 16, 2023 – Utah at Fort Wayne. 5:30 pm. Memorial Coliseum. 

Sunday, December 17, 2023 – Utah at Fort Wayne. 3:00 pm. Memorial Coliseum. 

All Times Mountain. 

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

Games Last Week

Wednesday, December 6, 2023 – Allen 2 Utah 5 – Nathan Burke had 2 goals and 1 assist. Adam Berg and Mick Messner each had 1 goal and 1 assist. Brandon Cutler added an empty net goal. Dante Giannuzzi got his first pro win as he stopped 34 of 36. 

Friday, December 8, 2023 – Allen 5 Utah 3 – Cole Gallant had 2 goals and 1 assist. Brett Stapley had 2 assists. Allen’s Easton Brodzinski had 3 goals and was a +3. Colby McAuley added 1 goal and 1 assist. Allen goalie Mark Sinclair saved 30 of 33. 

Saturday, December 9, 2023 – Allen 3 Utah 7 - 

Grizzlies Player Notes 

Nathan Burke has 4 different games with 3 points this season. Burke has 8 points (4g, 4a) in his last 4 games. Burke leads Utah with 17 points this season (9g. 8a). Burke had 2 goals and 1 assist on both December 6 and December 9. 

Cole Gallant has 8 points (3g, 5a) in his last 4 games.   

Mick Messner has 7 goals and 4 assists in his last 10 games. Messner is a +7 in his last 10 games. 11 of his 13 points this season have come at home. He has 4 goals on 12 shots over his last 3 games. Messner has a goal in 3 straight games. 

Brett Stapley has a point in 11 of his 14 games with Utah and an assist in 10 of 14 games. Stapley has 4 multiple point games. Stapley has 7 assists in 6 games in December. 

Bryan Yoon leads Utah with a +10 rating. He is a +5 in his last 3 games.  

Kyle Mayhew is tied for 3rd among league defensemen with 5 goals.  

Josh Wesley has 67 shots on goal, 3rd among all league defenseman.  

Patriks Marcinkevics made his pro debut on December 8. 

Cody Caron made his Grizzlies debut on December 9. 

Dante Giannuzzi has appeared in 6 of Utah's last 7 games in net. 

Bear Bites (Grizzlies Team Notes)

Utah is 6-1 when scoring first. Utah is the only team in the league who has not played a game past regulation. Utah is 8-5 at home this season, outscoring opponents 47 to 37. Utah has 4 shorthanded goals this season. Utah has outshot opponents 214 to 175 in the third period. Utah is 5-1 when leading after 1 period and 7-1 when leading after 2 periods. Utah had a season high crowd of 7,644 on December 9. They set a team record for Teddy Bears Tossed with 3,647 on December 9. 

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

Overall record: 8-11

Home record: 8-5

Road record: 0-6

Win percentage: .421

Streak: Won 1

Standings Points: 16

Last 10: 4-6

Goals per game: 3.00 (Tied 19^th)  Goals for: 57

Goals against per game: 3.16 (10^th) Goals Against: 60

Shots per game: 31.74 (11^th)

Shots against per game: 31.68 (15^th)

Power Play: 10 for 58 – 17.2 % (20^th)

Penalty Kill: 42 for 57 – 73.7 % (27^th)

Penalty Minutes: 176. 9.26 per game.  

Shorthanded Goals: 4 

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 4.   

Record When Scoring First: 6-1. 

Opposition Scores First: 2-10. 

Record in One Goal Games: 2-4. 

SCORING         1ST       2ND               3RD               OT/Shootout      TOTAL                      

Utah Grizzlies     15         24                   18                   0                               57         

Opposition          19         22                   19                   0                               60

Team Leaders 

Goals: Nathan Burke (9) 

Assists: Brett Stapley (12)

Points: Burke (17)

Plus/Minus: Bryan Yoon (+10)

PIM: Burke (20)

Power Play Points: Jordan Martel/Stapley (5)

Power Play Goals: Martel (3) 

Power Play Assists: Stapley (3) 

Shots on Goal: Josh Wesley (67) 

Shooting Percentage: Nathan Burke (16.7 %)  - Minimum 20 shots.  

Game Winning Goals: Cutler (2) 

Wins: Trent Miner (4)

Save %: Miner (.916)

Goals Against Average: Miner (2.52) 

Shutouts: Metcalf (1)

Multiple Point Games 

4 – Nathan Burke, Brandon Cutler, Brett Stapley. 

3 – Mick Messner. 

2- Kyle Betts, Cole Gallant, Jordan Martel, Kyle Mayhew, Dakota Raabe, Bryan Yoon. 

1 – Adam Berg, Gianni Fairbrother, Dylan Fitze, Keoni Texeira, Josh Wesley. 

Streaks 

Goals: Mick Messner (3) Nathan Burke, Brandon Cutler, Kyle Mayhew, Josh Wesley (1) 

Assists: Burke (4) Cole Gallant, Brett Stapley (3) Cutler, Patriks Marcinkevics, Mayhew, Tyler Penner, Dakota Raabe, Keoni Texeira, Bryan Yoon (1)

Points – Burke, Gallant (4) Messner, Stapley (3) Cutler, Marcinkevics, Mayhew, Penner, Raabe, Texeira, Wesley, Yoon (1)