Grizzlies Gameday: Guns N Hoses Extravaganza at Maverik Center

Grizzlies Gameday: Guns N Hoses Extravaganza at Maverik Center

Rapid City Rush (17-21-2, 36 points, .450 Win %) @ Utah Grizzlies (17-22, 34 points, .436 Win %) 

Date: January 27, 2024  Venue: Maverik Center

Game Time: 7:10 pm. 

Streaming/TV: FloHockey - https://www.flohockey.tv/events/11054734-2024-rapid-city-rush-vs-utah-grizzlies?nav_id=75 

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

Saturday’s Matchup

It’s the popular Guns N Hoses Night at Maverik Center as the Grizzlies look for a three-game sweep as they face the Rapid City Rush. It’s the third of nine meetings this season between the Grizzlies and Rush. Utah has now won 5 in a row against Rapid City dating back to last January. Utah was 5-3-2 vs Rapid City in the 2022-23 season. The Grizz are 9-5 in their last 14 games.  Utah has been led by Brett Stapley, who has a point in 12 of his last 14 games. Stapley leads Utah in assists (25) and points (34). 2024 All-Star Kyle Mayhew was a +4 in Utah’s 6-3 win over Rapid City on Jan. 26. Dylan Fitze has 5 goals in 11 games in January. Cole Gallant has 10 assists in 11 games in January. Ryan Sandelin has 2 goals and 17 shots over the past 2 games. Utah’s penalty kill is 11 for 11 over their last 3 games. 

Rapid City is led by Logan Nelson, who has 1 goal and 2 assists through 2 games in the series.  

Games This Week

Wednesday, January 24, 2024 – Rapid City 2 Utah 4 – Trent Miner stopped 32 of 34 for Utah. Mick Messner had 2 assists. Alex Beaucage, Adam Berg, Tyler Penner and Ryan Sandelin each scored a goal for Utah. James Hardie and Logan Nelson had the Rush goals. Utah outshot RC 38 to 34. 

Friday, January 26, 2024 – Rapid City 3 Utah 6 – Aaron Aragon and Ryan Sandelin each scored 2 goals. Josh Wesley had 1 goal and 2 assists. Brandon Cutler had 1 goal. Alex Beaucage, Dylan Fitze and Cole Gallant each had 2 assists. Utah had a sellout crowd of 8,572. 

Saturday, January 27, 2024 – Rapid City at Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. Guns N Hoses Night. 

All Times Mountain. 

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

Games Next Week

Tuesday, January 30, 2024 – Utah at Kansas City. 6:05 pm. Cable Dahmer Arena. 

Friday, February 2, 2024 – Utah at Tulsa. 6:05 pm. BOK Center. 

Saturday, February 3, 2024 – Utah at Tulsa. 6:05 pm. BOK Center. 

Sunday, February 4, 2024 – Utah at Tulsa. 3:05 pm. BOK Center. 

Outstanding Crowds at Maverik Center

A season high crowd of 8,572 was at Maverik Center for the January 26, 2024 game vs Rapid City. Utah has had some outstanding crowds as of late at Maverik Center. Over their last 7 home games Utah has a combined crowd of 46,790, an average of 6,684 per game. For the season Utah is averaging 5,296 fans per game. 

Recent Transactions: Trent Miner Recalled to Colorado

January 27 – Goaltender Trent Miner was recalled by Colorado (AHL). Miner saved 32 of 34 on January 24 vs Rapid City. He stopped 45 of 48 in a 6-3 win on January 26. 

January 24 – Grizzlies release defenseman Sam Rossini. He had an assist in each of his 2 games with Utah. 

January 24 – Goaltender Trent Miner and forwards Alex Beaucage and Ryan Sandelin were reassigned to Utah from the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. 

Miner has appeared in 11 games with Utah this season and has a 6-5 record 917 save percentage and a 2.75 goals against average. In 11 games with Colorado he has a 4-4-1 record with a .913 save percentage and a 2.51 GAA. 

Beaucage played in 126 games with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles over a 3 year stretch, scoring 13 goals and 26 assists. This season for Colorado he has 1 goal and 6 assists in 21 games. Beaucage scored a goal and had 6 shots on goal in Utah’s 4-2 win over Rapid City on January 24. 

Sandelin has played in 5 games with Utah this season and has 1 goal and 2 assists. In 20 games with Colorado he has 3 goals, 2 assists and a +6 rating. 

January 22 – Grizzlies captain Josh Wesley was reassigned to Utah from the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. Wesley is 2^nd among league defenseman with 9 goals. 

January 19 – Grizzlies claimed forward Jordan Stallard off waivers from Kansas City. Stallard made his Grizzlies debut on January 19 at KC, wearing number 54. 

Grizzlies Player Notes

Brett Stapley has a point in 12 of his last 14 games. Stapley leads Utah in assists (25), points (34) and multiple point games (8). He also leads Utah forwards with 9 power play points (3 goals, 6 assists).

Kyle Mayhew has a point in 9 of his last 13 games (1g, 8a). Mayhew is 2^nd among all league rookie defensemen with 23 points. He was a +4 on January 26 vs Rapid City.

Josh Wesley is 2nd for goals among all league defensemen (9). He is 3^rd among league defenseman with 115 shots on goal. 

Brandon Cutler leads Utah with 16 goals, 55 penalty minutes, 4 power play goals and 140 shots on goal. He also leads Utah with 3 game winning goals, including the OT GWG at Kansas City on January 20. 

Cole Gallant is 2^nd on the club with 30 points (7 goals, 23 assists). Gallant leads Utah with 10 assists in the month of January. He leads all Utah rookies in points. 

Mick Messner is tied for 2^nd on the club with 10 goals. He is 3^rd on the club with 103 shots on goal. Messner leads all league rookies with 3 shorthanded goals.

Tyler Penner has appeared in 183 straight regular season games, 207 if you include the playoffs. Penner has 8 points (2g, 6a) in 11 games in January. He is a +6 in January. 

Dylan Fitze scored the game winner 5:09 into overtime on Jan. 5 at Newfoundland. Fitze has 5 goals and 5 assists in 11 games in January. 

Adam Berg has a point in 5 of his last 7 games (3g, 2a). Berg has 8 points (4g, 4a) in his last 9 games.

Aaron Aragon had 2 goals vs RC on January 26. 

Bear Bites: Grizzlies Team Notes

Utah is 12-3 when scoring first and 10-0 when scoring first at home. Utah is 13-6 at home this season, outscoring opponents 67 to 52. Utah has 5 shorthanded goals this season. Utah outshot its opponents 429 to 364 in the third period. Utah is 10-2 when leading after 1 period and 11-2 when leading after 2 periods. Utah is averaging 6,684 fans over their last 7 home games. Utah is 10-7 when scoring a power play goal this season. Utah has won 9 of their last 14 games. Utah is 2-0 in overtime this season. The 2 games past regulation are the fewest in the league. The Grizz went 4-5 on their season long 9 game road trip to start the 2024 calendar year.  

1 Year Anniversary of Brandon Cutler’s 6 Point Game 

On January 27, 2023 Grizzlies forward Brandon Cutler put on a legendary performance where he scored 4 goals and 2 assists in Utah’s 6-3 victory over Rapid City. 

Players Who Have Appeared in Every Game 

There are 4 players who have appeared in all 39 games for the Grizzlies this season. They include forwards Brandon Cutler, Cole Gallant, Mick Messner and Tyler Penner. Defenseman Bryan Yoon missed a game for the first time this season on January 19 at Kansas City as he was loaned to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack on Jan. 19. 

Grizzlies/Rush Connections 

Grizzlies head coach Ryan Kinasewich and Rush head coach Scott Burt were teammates on the 2007-08 Utah squad. Both players were tied for the Grizzlies lead with 60 points on the season. Kinasewich had 23 goals and 37 assists in 44 games and Burt had 27 goals and 33 assists in 70 games. 

Grizzlies defenseman Quinn Wichers played with Rapid City for 2 seasons from 2021-2023. In 93 games he had 3 goals, 17 assists and 39 penalty minutes for the Rush. This season with Utah he has 2 goals and 5 assists in 19 games. 

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

Overall record: 17-22

Home record: 13-6

Road record: 4-16

Win percentage: .436

Streak: Won 3

Standings Points: 34

Last 10: 5-5

Goals per game: 3.03 (20^th) Goals for: 118

Goals against per game: 3.49 (19^th) Goals Against: 136

Shots per game: 31.92 (12^th)

Shots against per game: 33.56 (22^nd)

Power Play: 19 for 127 – 15.0 % (27^th)

Penalty Kill: 93 for 127 – 73.2 % (28^th)

Penalty Minutes: 452. 11.59 per game. 

Shorthanded Goals: 5. 

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 5.   

Record When Scoring First: 12-3. 

Opposition Scores First: 5-19. 

Record in One Goal Games: 6-7. 

SCORING         1ST       2ND               3RD               OT/Shootout      TOTAL                      

Utah Grizzlies     30         46                   40                   2                              118

Opposition          42         51                   43                   0                               136

Team Leaders 

Goals: Brandon Cutler (16) 

Assists: Brett Stapley (25)

Points: Stapley (34)

Plus/Minus: Bryan Yoon (+11)

PIM: Cutler (55)

Power Play Points: Kyle Mayhew/Stapley (9)

Power Play Goals: Cutler (4) 

Power Play Assists: Mayhew (7) 

Shots on Goal: Cutler (140) 

Shooting Percentage: Aaron Aragon (16.7 %) - Minimum 40 shots.   

Game Winning Goals: Cutler (3) 

Wins: Dante Giannuzzi (7)

Save %: Trent Miner (.917) 

Goals Against Average: Miner (2.75) 

Shutouts: Giannuzzi/Metcalf (1)

Multiple Point Games 

8 – Cole Gallant, Brett Stapley

6 – Brandon Cutler

5 – Nathan Burke. 

4 – Mick Messner

3 – Adam Berg, Dylan Fitze, Dakota Raabe, Bryan Yoon. 

2- Aaron Aragon, Kyle Betts, Jordan Martel, Kyle Mayhew, Jacob Semik, Josh Wesley. 

1 – Alex Beaucage, J.C. Campagna, Gianni Fairbrother, Tyler Penner, Ryan Sandelin, Keoni Texeira.  

Streaks 

Goals: Ryan Sandelin (2) Aaron Aragon, Brandon Cutler, Josh Wesley (1)

Assists: Dylan Fitze, Cole Gallant (2) Alex Beaucage, Nathan Burke, Tyler Penner, Wesley (1) 

Points (2 or more) – Cutler, Fitze, Penner (3). Gallant (2)