Grizzlies Gameday: AFCU Friday against Rapid City in Series Opener

Grizzlies Gameday: Series Opener at Maverik Center Against Rapid City 

Rapid City Rush (20-33-2, 42 points, .382 Win %) @ Utah Grizzlies (25-29-1, 51 points, .464 Win %) 

Date: March 8, 2024  Venue: Maverik Center

Game Time: 7:10 pm. 

Streaming/TV: FloHockey - https://www.flohockey.tv/events/11055196-2024-rapid-city-rush-vs-utah-grizzlies?nav_id=75 

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

Friday’s Matchup

It’s the opener of a three-game series between the Grizzlies and Rush. Utah is 3-0 vs Rapid City this season. Brandon Cutler leads the Grizzlies in goals (26) and shots on goal (206). Kyle Mayhew is 2^nd among all league rookie defenseman with 40 points (9 goals, 31 assists). Mick Messner has 2 goals and 6 assists in his last 9 games. Dylan Fitze scored 7 goals in the recently completed 7 game road trip. The Grizz are 18-3-1 when scoring first this season. Rapid City’s leading scorer is Alex Aleardi, who has 20 goals and 33 assists in 55 games this season. 

Games This Homestand 

Friday, March 8, 2024 – Rapid City at Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. AFCU Friday. 

Saturday, March 9, 2024 – Rapid City at Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. 

Monday, March 11, 2024 – Rapid City at Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. Smith’s Family Night. 

Saturday, March 16, 2024 – Norfolk at Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. Military Night. 

Sunday, March 17, 2024 – Norfolk at Utah. 3:10 pm. Maverik Center. 

Monday, March 18, 2024 – Norfolk at Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. Smith’s Family Night. Tickets for Grizzlies home games are available at utahgrizzlies.com or by calling (801) 988-8000. 

All Times Mountain. 

Games Last Week

Wednesday, February 28, 2024 – Utah 1 Idaho 3 - Brandon Cutler scored Utah’s lone goal. Kyle Mayhew and Brett Stapley each had 1 assist for Utah. Will Cranley stopped 31 of 33 for Utah. Idaho goaltender Jake Kielly saved 30 of 31. Francesco Arcuri had 2 goals for Idaho. Will Merchant got the GWG 16:16 into the third period. Idaho outshot Utah 34 to 31. 

Friday, March 1, 2024 – Utah 7 Idaho 8 - Utah outscored Idaho 4 to 2 in the third period and outshot Idaho 20 to 9 in the third period. Dylan Fitze and Alex Beaucage each had 2 goals. Kyle Mayhew had 4 assists. Brandon Cutler and Brett Stapley each had 1 goal and 3 assists. Robbie Stucker had 2 assists. Idaho was led by Lynden McCallum, who had 3 goals and 2 assists. Matt Register and Jordan Kawaguchi each had 1 goal and 2 assists for the Steelheads. Utah went 4 for 5 on the power play. Idaho was 1 for 3. 

Saturday, March 2, 2024 – Utah 3 Idaho 1 – Brandon Cutler, Kyle Mayhew and Dylan Fitze each scored a goal for Utah. Will Cranley stopped 27 of 28 in the win. 

Road Trip Recap

The Grizzlies went 2-4 on the recently completed six-game road trip against the top two teams in the Mountain Division standings. Utah won the first game of the trip 7-4 vs Kansas City on February 23^rd and they ended the trip on March 2^nd with a 3-1 victory. Dylan Fitze was outstanding for Utah on the trip as he scored 7 goals and 2 assists. Kyle Mayhew and Brett Stapley each had 1 goal and 7 assists on the road trip. Brandon Cutler had 4 goals on the trip. Cutler leads Utah with 26 goals and is 3^rd in the league with 206 shots on goal. 

The Captain is Back

Grizzlies captain Josh Wesley returned to the Grizzlies after spending a week with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. Wesley leads all league defensemen with 14 goals. Wesley has a point in 14 of his last 19 games with Utah. He has appeared in 9 games with Colorado and has 1 assist and a +4 rating.

Tyler Penner to Appear in 200^th Straight Regular Season Game 

Grizzlies ironman Tyler Penner will appear in his 200^th straight regular season game on March 8 vs Rapid City. Penner has 33 goals and 39 assists in his Grizzlies career. It’s also his 200^th career league game. Penner is in his third season with the Grizzlies. He played with the Birmingham Bulls in the SPHL in the 2020-21 season. Penner played his college hockey at Colgate University from 2016-2020. 

Utah Has Had Success at Home

The Grizzlies will be home for 12 of their final 17 games of the 2023-24 regular season. The Grizzlies are 16-8 at home this season. They have outscored opponents 80 to 65 at Maverik Center this season. 32 of Utah’s 51 standings points have come at home. Utah’s penalty kill is 9^th in the league at home (56 for 69, 81.2 %). Utah is 9-0 at home when leading after 1 period and 11-1 when leading after 2 periods. The Grizz are 5-1 at home in one goal games. Utah has not played a game past regulation at home this year.  

Outstanding Home Crowds at Maverik Center 

On February 17^th a crowd of 8291 saw Utah win 2-1. A season high crowd of 10,498 saw the Grizzlies Defeated Rapid City 4-2 on January 27. Utah has averaged 7,159 fans per game over their last 12 home games. For the season Utah is averaging 5,823 fans per game. 

Who’s Been Hot Lately for Utah

#7 Brett Stapley has 6 points (1g, 5a) in his last 3 games. Stapley has a point in 23 of his last 30 games. Stapley leads Utah with 35 assists and 52 points. He leads Utah with 12 multiple point games. 

#13 Dylan Fitze has 7 goals and 2 assists in his last 6 games. 

#20 Josh Wesley is tied for the league lead for goals among defenseman with 14. Wesley leads all league defensemen with 6 power play goals. 

#21 Tyler Penner has appeared in 199 consecutive regular season games for Utah, 223 if you include the playoffs. 

#24 Nathan Burke is tied for 2nd on the club with 17 goals. 

#26 Alex Beaucage is averaging 4.84 shots per game (63 shots in 13 games). Beaucage has 5 goals and 4 assists in a Utah uniform. 

#27 Kyle Mayhew has 6 points in his last 3 games (1g, 5a). Mayhew is 2nd among league rookie defenseman with 40 points (9g, 31a). Mayhew is 3rd among league rookies with 13 power play assists. 

#29 Brandon Cutler is 3rd in the league with 206 shots on goal and 7th in the league with 26 goals. Cutler has a goal in 3 straight games and 9 goals in his last 13 games. Cotler has a point in 10 of his last 13 games. 

Bear Bites: Grizzlies Team Notes 

The Grizzlies will be home for 12 of their last 17 games. Utah has won 8 of their last 10 home games. Utah is 16 -8 at home this season, outscoring opponents 80 to 65. Utah is averaging 7,159 fans per game over their last 12 home games. Utah has had 6 home games with over 7,600 fans.  Utah is 4-1 in games past regulation this season. Utah is 18-3-1 when scoring first this season. Utah has scored 5 shorthanded goals this season. Utah is 14-2 when leading after 1 period and 15-2-1 when leading after 2 periods. Utah is 9-0 at home when leading after 1 period. Utah has outscored opponents 30 to 19 in the third periods over their last 19 games. The Grizz are 9-10-1 in their last 20 road games.

Recent Transactions: Wesley Returns to Club

March 4 – Defenseman Josh Wesley was reassigned to Utah from Colorado (AHL). 

February 26 – Goaltender Arvid Holm and Defenseman Josh Wesley were each recalled to Colorado (AHL). 

February 23 – Defenseman Keoni Texeira released from loan with San Jose (AHL), returns to Grizz. 

February 19 – Defenseman Josh Wesley reassigned to Utah from Colorado (AHL). 

Players Who Have Appeared in Every Game 

There are 3 players who have appeared in all 55 games for the Grizzlies this season. They include forwards Brandon Cutler, Mick Messner and Tyler Penner. 

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

Overall record: 25-29-1 

Home record: 16-8 

Road record: 9-21-1 

Win percentage: .464 

Streak: Won 1

Standings Points: 51 

Last 10: 5-5

Goals per game: 3.16 (16^th) Goals for: 174

Goals against per game: 3.58 (22^nd) Goals Against: 197

Shots per game: 31.18 (16^th) 

Shots against per game: 34.07 (23^rd) 

Power Play: 32 for 170 – 18.8 % (Tied 18^th) 

Penalty Kill: 124 for 170 – 72.9 % (28^th) 

Penalty Minutes: 568. 10.33 per game. 

Shorthanded Goals: 5. 

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 5. 

Record When Scoring First: 18-3-1. 

Opposition Scores First: 7-26. 

Record in One Goal Games: 9-7-1. 

Team Leaders 

Goals: Brandon Cutler (26) 

Assists: Brett Stapley (35) 

Points: Stapley (52) 

Plus/Minus: Bryan Yoon (+11) 

PIM: Cutler (65) 

Power Play Points: Kyle Mayhew (15) 

Power Play Goals: Brandon Cutler/Josh Wesley (6) 

Power Play Assists: Mayhew (13) 

Shots on Goal: Cutler (206) – 3^rd in the league. 

Shooting Percentage: Aaron Aragon (14.5 %) - Minimum 50 shots. 

Game Winning Goals: Cutler/Stapley (4) 

Wins: Dante Giannuzzi (11) 

Save %: Trent Miner (.917) 

Goals Against Average: Miner (2.75) 

Shutouts: Giannuzzi/Garrett Metcalf (1) 

Streaks 

Goals: Brandon Cutler (3) Dylan Fitze (2) Kyle Mayhew (1)

Assists: Brett Stapley (3) Mick Messner, Max Neill (1)

Points (2 or more) –Cutler, Mayhew, Stapley (3)