Grizzlies Gameday: Second Game of Series at Newfoundland

Grizzlies Gameday: Second Game of Long Road Trip

Utah Grizzlies (12-17, 24 points, .414 Win %) @ Newfoundland Growlers (14-12-5, 33 points, .532 Win %)

Date: January 6, 2024  Venue: Mary Brown’s Centre

Game Time: 3:30 pm. 

Streaming/TV: FloHockey - https://www.flohockey.tv/events/11054469-2024-utah-grizzlies-vs-newfoundland-growlers 

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

Saturday’s Matchup

It’s the second of a three-game baseball style weekend series. It’s the fifth meeting between the clubs this season. Utah is 3-1 vs Newfoundland this season.  Utah won 2 out of 3 games against Newfoundland on Thanksgiving week at Maverik Center. Utah has won a season high 4 straight games. Utah is 5-2 all-time vs Newfoundland. The January 5^th game was the first time the Grizzlies have played in St. John’s, NL. The Grizzlies are in the second contest of a stretch where they play 7 games in 10 days. Utah has been led by Brett Stapley, who has 8 points in his last 4 games (2 goals, 6 assists) and Kyle Mayhew, who has an assist in 4 straight games. Josh Wesley has a power play goal in 2 straight games. 

Kyle Mayhew Named to 2024 All-Star Team

Grizzlies defenseman Kyle Mayhew has been named to the 2024 ECHL All-Star Team. Mayhew has 6 goals and 12 assists and a +4 rating in 29 games in the 2023-24 season. He is 2^nd on the club with 5 power play assists. Mayhew has had a solid first full season as a professional. He had a successful five-year college career at the University of Denver, highlighted by winning the 2022 Frozen Four National Championship, where he was a teammate with current Grizzlies forward Brett Stapley.

Games This Week 

Friday, January 5, 2024 – Utah 4 Newfoundland 3 (Overtime) – Dylan Fitze scored the game winner 5:09 into overtime. Aaron Aragon had 1 goal and 1 assist and Brett Stapley had 2 assists. Josh Wesley and Tyler Penner also scored a goal for Utah. Newfoundland was led by Jonny Tychonick, who had 1 goal and 1 assist. Dante Giannuzzi saved 37 of 40 in the win for Utah. Growlers goalie Dryden McKay saved 37 of 41. 

Saturday, January 6, 2024 – Utah at Newfoundland. 3:30 pm. Mary Brown’s Centre. 

Sunday, January 7, 2024 – Utah at Newfoundland. 12:30 pm. Mary Brown’s Centre. 

All Times Mountain. 

Games Next Week

Wednesday, January 10, 2024 – Utah at Allen. 6:10 pm. 

Friday, January 12, 2024 – Utah at Allen. 6:10 pm. 

Saturday, January 13, 2024 – Utah at Allen. 3:10 pm. 

Sunday, January 14, 2024 – Utah at Wichita. 3:05 pm. 

All Times Mountain. 

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

Grizzlies Finally Played Past Regulation 

On January 5, 2024 the Grizzlies played in overtime for the first time this season. With Dylan Fitze scoring the game winner 5:09 into the extra session. Utah and Atlanta are the only 2 teams who have appeared in only 1 game past regulation this season. Last year the Grizzlies had 9 games decided past regulation. They were 3-4 when the game ended in OT and 2-0 when it ended in a shootout. 

6 Players Have Appeared in Every Game 

There are 6 players who have appeared in all 29 games for the Grizzlies this season. They include defensemen Kyle Mayhew and Bryan Yoon. Forwards Brandon Cutler, Cole Gallant, Mick Messner and Tyler Penner have also played in every game. 

Brett Stapley Remains Red Hot

It has been a great stretch for Brett Stapley, who has 2 goals and 6 assists in his last 4 games. Stapley had 2 goals and 1 assist and was the number 1 star of Utah’s 3-2 win vs Tulsa on December 29. The next night he had 2 assists in Utah’s 5-2 victory. On December 31^st he had the main assist in Utah’s 1-0 win to complete the weekend sweep. Stapley had 2 assists in Utah’s 4-3 overtime win at Newfoundland on January 5^th. Stapley leads Utah with 21 assists and 26 points this season. He had an outstanding month of December, where he scored 16 points (2 goals, 14 assists) in 15 games. Stapley leads Utah with 8 multiple point games this season. 

Player Notes 

Brett Stapley has 2 goals and 6 assists in his last 4 games. Stapley had 2 goals and 14 assists in 15 games in December. Stapley leads Utah with 8 multiple point games. Stapley leads all Utah forwards in plus/minus (+5). 

Kyle Mayhew is among defenseman league leaders with 6 goals. Mayhew has an assist in 4 straight games. 

Cole Gallant had 16 points (5 goals, 11 assists) in December. Gallant had 1 assist in his first game in the 2024 calendar year. 

Tyler Penner has appeared in 173 straight regular season games, 197 including the playoffs. Penner scored the game tying goal for Utah on Jan. 5, 2024 vs Newfoundland. Penner has 29 goals and 33 assists in his Grizzlies career. 

Brandon Cutler has 6 goals and 3 assists in his last 13 games. Cutler has 4 power play goals in his last 11 games. Cutler leads Utah with 4 power play goals and 103 shots on goal. 

Mick Messner has 6 goals in his last 13 games. 

Bryan Yoon leads Utah in plus/minus (+6). 

Dante Giannuzzi earned his first professional shutout on Dec. 31 vs Tulsa as he saved all 32 shots. Giannuzzi had 5 shutouts in 5 seasons in the WHL with the Portland Winterhawks. 

Bear Bites: Grizzlies Team Notes

Utah is 9-3 when scoring first and 9-0 when scoring first at home. Utah is 11-6 at home this season, outscoring opponents 57 to 47. Utah has 4 shorthanded goals this season. Utah outshot opponents 308 to 276 in the third period. Utah is 7-2 when leading after 1 period and 9-2 when leading after 2 periods. Utah is averaging 6,801 fans over their last 5 home games. Utah is 9-5 when scoring a power play goal this season. 

Transactions: Cory Thomas Traded to Trois-Rivieres, Burke Returns From AHL Loan 

January 2 – Cory Thomas traded to Trois-Rivieres. Defenseman Cory Thomas was traded to the Trois-Rivieres Lions to complete a trade where the Utah Grizzlies received forward Cole Gallant for future considerations. 

Thomas played in 20 games with Utah this season and had 3 assists. In the 2022-23 season he had 7 assists in 40 games for Utah. He also had 1 assist in 4 games in the 2023 Kelly Cup Playoffs.  

January 2 – Nathan Burke returns from loan with the AHL’s Ontario Reign. Burke played in 1 game with Ontario and had 1 shot on goal on Dec. 31, 2023 vs Henderson. 

Utah vs Newfoundland This Season

Utah won 2 out of 3 games at Maverik Center on Thanksgiving week. Mick Messner had 2 goals and 2 assists in the series. Both of Messner’s goals were shorthanded on November 24^th. Brett Stapley has 2 goals and 3 assist vs Newfoundland this season. Kyle Mayhew has 1 goal and 3 assists vs Newfoundland. 

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. 

Friday, January 5, 2024 – Utah 4 Newfoundland 3 (OT) 

Saturday, January 6, 2024 – Utah at Newfoundland. 3:30 pm. Mary Brown’s Centre. 

Sunday, January 7, 2024 – Utah at Newfoundland. 12:30 pm. Mary Brown’s Centre. 

Penner Played in 173^rd Straight Regular Season Game 

On January 5, 2024 the Grizzlies Ironman, Tyler Penner, played in his 173^rd straight regular season game. Penner has appeared in every regular season and playoff game for Utah since the start of the 2021-22 season. The streak is currently 173 regular season contests and 197 games if you include the postseason. Penner’s consecutive game streak is the longest for the Grizzlies in the 21^st century. Penner has 29 goals and 33 assists in his Grizzlies career. 

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

Overall record: 12-17

Home record: 11-6

Road record: 1-11

Win percentage: .414

Streak: Win 4

Standings Points: 24

Last 10: 4-6

Goals per game: 2.82 (26^th) Goals for: 82

Goals against per game: 3.27 (16^th) Goals Against: 95

Shots per game: 31.00 (16^th)

Shots against per game: 33.20 (21^st)

Power Play: 16 for 93 – 17.2 % (21^st)

Penalty Kill: 67 for 92 – 72.8% (28^th)

Penalty Minutes: 353. 12.17 per game. 

Shorthanded Goals: 4 

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 4.   

Record When Scoring First: 9-3. 

Opposition Scores First: 3-14. 

Record in One Goal Games: 5-6. 

SCORING         1ST       2ND               3RD               OT/Shootout      TOTAL                      

Utah Grizzlies     21         33                   27                   1                               82

Opposition          29         35                   31                   0                               95

Team Leaders 

Goals: Nathan Burke/Brandon Cutler (10) 

Assists: Brett Stapley (21)

Points: Stapley (26)

Plus/Minus: Bryan Yoon (+6)

PIM: Cutler (49)

Power Play Points: Stapley (9)

Power Play Goals: Cutler (4) 

Power Play Assists: Stapley (7) 

Shots on Goal: Brandon Cutler (103) 

Shooting Percentage: Cole Gallant (16.0 %) - Minimum 25 shots.  

Game Winning Goals: Cutler/Dylan Fitze/Stapley (2) 

Wins: Dante Giannuzzi (5)

Save %: Miner (.916) 

Goals Against Average: Miner (2.52) 

Shutouts: Giannuzzi/Metcalf (1)

Streaks 

Goals: Josh Wesley (2) Aaron Aragon, Dylan Fitze, Tyler Penner (1)

Assists: Kyle Mayhew, Brett Stapley (4) Aragon, Cody Caron, Cole Gallant (1) 

Points (2 or more) – Mayhew, Stapley (4) Wesley (2)