Grizzlies Gameday: Grizzlies Fight Cancer Weekend Continues

Grizzlies Gameday: Grizzlies Fight Cancer Weekend Continues at Maverik Center

Wheeling Nailers (28-17-1-1, 58 points, .617 Win %) @ Utah Grizzlies (22-24-1, 45 points, .479 Win %)

Date: February 17, 2024  Venue: Maverik Center

Game Time: 7:10 pm.

Streaming/TV: FloHockey - https://www.flohockey.tv/events/11054972-2024-wheeling-nailers-vs-utah-grizzlies?nav_id=75

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

Saturday’s Matchup

It’s the second of a three-game series between the Grizzlies and Nailers. It’s Wheeling’s first ever series in the Salt Lake Valley. The Grizz are 4-6 all-time vs Wheeling. Each of the first 9 all-time meetings between the clubs were played at Wheeling. Utah has won 7 of their last 8 home games. The Grizz are 8-2-1 in their last 11 games. Brandon Cutler leads the Grizzlies in goals (22), power play goals (5), game winning goals (4) and shots on goal (179). Brett Stapley has 6 goals in his last 6 games. Kyle Mayhew is 2^nd among all league rookie defenseman with 30 points (7 goals, 23 assists). Mick Messner had 4 assists in last night’s 4-2 victory. Adam Berg has been hot as he has a current 5 game point streak. Utah has outscored opponents 17 to 8 in the third periods over their last 11 games. The Grizz are 15-3-1 when scoring first this season. The Nailers 12 game winning streak came to an end on Friday night. They have won 12 of their last 13 games. Wheeling has been a great road team as they are 13-9-1 away from home. The Nailers are led by former Grizzlies forward Jordan Martel, who has 18 goals in 25 games with Wheeling. 

Games This Series

Friday, February 16, 2024 – Wheeling 2 Utah 4 – Mick Messner had 4 assists. Nathan Burke, Brandon Cutler, Cole Gallant and Brett Stapley each scored a goal for Utah. Gallant got the game winner 6:50 into the third period. Wheeling got 2^nd period goals from Isaac Belliveau and Louie Roehl. Utah outshot Wheeling 43 to 31.

Saturday, February 17, 2024 – Wheeling at Utah. Maverik Center. 7:10 pm. Grizzlies Fight Cancer Presented by Mountainland Supply Company

Monday, February 19, 2024 – Wheeling at Utah. Maverik Center. 3:10 pm. Marvel Super Hero Day.

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

All Times Mountain.

Games Next Week

Friday, February 23, 2024 – Utah at Kansas City. 6:35 pm. Cable Dahmer Arena.

Saturday, February 24, 2024 – Utah at Kansas City. 5:05 pm. Calbe Dahmer Arena.

Sunda, February 25, 2024 – Utah at Kansas City. 3:05 pm. Cable Dahmer Arena.

Outstanding Home Crowds at Maverik Center

On February 16^th a crowd of 6506 saw the Grizzlies defeat the Wheeling Nailers 4-2. A season high crowd of 10,498 saw the Grizzlies Defeated Rapid City 4-2 on January 27. Utah has averaged 7,240 fans per game over their last 10 home games. For the season Utah is averaging 5,738 fans per game.

Back-to-Back 4 Assist Games

On February 10^th Utah defenseman Kyle Mayhew had 4 assists in Utah’s 6-5 overtime win at Idaho. Mayhew is 2^nd among all league rookie defenseman with 30 points (7 goals, 23 assists). In the next Grizzlies game on February 16^th forward Mick Messner assisted in all 4 of Utah’s goals in the 4-2 victory over Wheeling. Messner has 10 assists in his last 10 games. Mick has 4 multiple assists performances in his last 10 games.

Grizzlies Player Notes 

Kyle Mayhew is 2nd among league rookie defenseman with 30 points (7g, 23a). Mayhew had 4 assists and was a +4 on February 10 at Idaho.

Brett Stapley has 6 goals in his last 6 games. He has a point in 17 of his last 22 games. Stapley leads Utah in assists (27) and points (42). Stapley leads Utah with 10 multiple point games. He is a +8 in 6 games in February.

Cole Gallant leads Utah with 10 assists in 12 games in January. Gallant is tied for 2^nd on the team with 23 assists. Gallant scored the game winner 6:50 into the third period on February 16 vs Wheeling.

Brandon Cutler leads Utah in goals (22), PIM (59), Shots on Goal (179), Game Winning Goals (4) and power play goals (5). Cutler has a point in 5 straight games and 9 of his last 11 games. Cutler led Utah with 7 goals in the month of January. He has 10 goals in his last 13 games. Cutler leads Utah with 2 overtime game winning goals. He won the game 20 seconds into overtime on January 20 at Kansas City. He also got the OT GWG on a one-timer from the right circle on Utah’s lone power play at Tulsa on February 3^rd.

Nathan Burke is 2nd on the Grizzlies with 16 goals. Burke has a goal in 6 of his last 9 games. Burke scored the game winning goal 6:17 into overtime on Feb. 10 at Idaho.  

Mick Messner has 1 goal and 10 assists in his last 10 games. Messner had 4 assists in Utah’s 4-2 win over Wheeling on Feb. 16.

Dylan Fitze has 10 points (5g, 5a) in 13 games in January. Fitze was a +6 in January. 

Tyler Penner has appeared in 191 straight regular season games, 215 straight including the playoffs for Utah since the start of the 2021-22 season.

Adam Berg has 14 points (5g, 9a) in his last 16 games. Berg missed the February 16 game vs Wheeling.

Alex Beaucage has 26 shots on goal in 5 games with Utah.

Aaron Aragon scored 2 goals on January 19 at KC. Aragon scored 2 more goals on January 26 vs Rapid City. Jeremiah Addison scored his first goal in a Utah uniform on Feb. 4 at Tulsa. Addison had 1 goal and 1 assist that night. 

Dante Giannuzzi leads Utah with 11 wins this season.

Bear Bites: Grizzlies Team Notes 

Utah is 14-7-1 over their last 22 games. Utah has won 7 of their last 8 home games. Utah is 15 -7 at home this season, outscoring opponents 76 to 60. Utah is averaging 7,240 fans per game over their last 10 home games. Utah is 4-1 in games past regulation this season. Utah is 15-3-1 when scoring first this season. Utah has scored 5 shorthanded goals this season. Utah is 13-2 when leading after 1 period and 12-2-1 when leading after 2 periods. Utah is 9-0 at home when leading after 1 period. Utah has outscored opponents 17 to 8 in the third periods over their last 11 games. The Grizz are 7-6-1 in their last 14 road games.

Recent Transactions: Beaucage, Corbett and Holm Join the Club

February 16 – Goaltender Arvid Holm and Forward Alex Beaucage were reassigned to Utah from Colorado (AHL). Both Beaucage and Holm have NHL deals with the Colorado Avalanche. Beaucage has previously played in 4 games with Utah, scoring 1 goal and 3 assists. Beaucage had 20 shots on goal. Holm joins the Grizzlies for the first time.

February 16 – Utah signs defenseman Cody Corbett. He last played with Kalamazoo in the 2021-2022 season.

February 16 – Utah released forward J.C. Campagna. He had 1 goal and 4 assists in 12 games.

February 15 – Defenseman Keoni Texeira was loaned to the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda. Texeira has 1 goal and 10 assists in 31 games for Utah this season. Texeira does have previous AHL experience with San Jose (4 games in the 2021-22 season) and 1 game with the Colorado Eagles last year.

February 9 – Defenseman Josh Wesley was recalled to Colorado (AHL).

Grizzlies Sign Defenseman Cody Corbett

Corbett signed with Utah on Feb. 16, 2024. Corbett has appeared in 95 AHL games in his career with Lake Erie, San Antonio and Bakersfield. He also has 187 games of ECHL experience with Fort Wayne, Colorado, South Carolina, Idaho, Atlanta, Allen and Kalamazoo. He has played in 12 games against the Grizzlies over his career and he has 3 assists, all of them coming with Idaho in the 2017-18 season. In the WHL he was part of 2 WHL championship clubs with Edmonton (2012, 2014). He was also a member of the Oil Kings 2014 Memorial Cup championship club. Corbett made his Grizzlies debut on February 16 vs Wheeling and had 1 shot on goal.

Beaucage and Holm Reassigned to Grizzlies

Forward Alex Beaucage and Goaltender Arvid Holm were each reassigned to the Grizzlies from the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. Beaucage has 1 goal and 3 assists in 5 games with Utah this season. Beaucage has 26 shots (4.20 shots per game) for Utah. Both players are in their 3^rd seasons as professionals in north America.

Holm was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in the 6^th round (167^th overall) in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. He signed a three-year NHL Entry contract with Winnipeg in the summer of 2020. Holm played with the Manitoba Moose for 2 seasons from 2021-2023. In 59 games with the Moose he had a record of 30-21-6. Holm had a .911 save percentage and a 2.67 GAA in the 2022-23 season. At the conclusion of his entry-level contract with the Jets, Holm was not tendered a qualifying offer and was released as a free agent. On 1 July, 2023, Holm signed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Colorado Avalanche. This season with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles he has a 4-5 record with a 3.20 GAA and a .873 save percentage.

Players Who Have Appeared in Every Game

There are 3 players who have appeared in all 47 games for the Grizzlies this season. They include forwards Brandon Cutler, Mick Messner and Tyler Penner. All 3 of those forwards scored a first period goal at Tulsa on February 4 in the Grizzlies 6-4 win.

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

Overall record: 22-24-1

Home record: 15-7

Road record: 7-17-1

Win percentage: .479

Streak: Won 2

Standings Points: 45

Last 10: 7-2-1

Goals per game: 3.13 (19^th) Goals for: 147

Goals against per game: 3.53 (20^th) Goals Against: 166

Shots per game: 31.62 (13^th)

Shots against per game: 34.38 (23^rd)

Power Play: 24 for 149 – 16.1 % (25^th)

Penalty Kill: 108 for 148 – 73.0 % (28^th)

Penalty Minutes: 510. 10.85 per game. 

Shorthanded Goals: 5.

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 5.   

Record When Scoring First: 15-3-1. 

Opposition Scores First: 7-21.

Record in One Goal Games: 8-7-1.

SCORING          1ST       2ND               3RD               OT/Shootout       TOTAL                     

Utah Grizzlies     39         52                   52                   4                               147

Opposition           50         64                   51                   1                               166

Team Leaders

Goals: Brandon Cutler (22)

Assists: Brett Stapley (27)

Points: Stapley (42)

Plus/Minus: Bryan Yoon (+11)

PIM: Cutler (59)

Power Play Points: Kyle Mayhew (11)

Power Play Goals: Cutler (5)

Power Play Assists: Mayhew (9) 

Shots on Goal: Cutler (179) 

Shooting Percentage: Adam Berg (15.9 %) - Minimum 40 shots.  

Game Winning Goals: Cutler (4)

Wins: Dante Giannuzzi (11)

Save %: Trent Miner (.917)

Goals Against Average: Miner (2.75)

Shutouts: Giannuzzi/Metcalf (1)

Multiple Point Games

10 – Brett Stapley

9 – Brandon Cutler.

8 – Cole Gallant

7 – Nathan Burke, Mick Messner.

3 – Adam Berg, Dylan Fitze, Kyle Mayhew, Dakota Raabe, Josh Wesley, Bryan Yoon.

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

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

Streaks

Goals: Nathan Burke, Brandon Cutler, Brett Stapley (2) Adam Berg, Cole Gallant (1)

Assists: Mick Messner, Max Neill, Robbie Stucker (1)

Points (2 or more) –Berg, Cutler (5)