Grizzlies Gameday: Military Night at Maverik Center

Grizzlies Gameday: Military Night at Maverik Center 

Norfolk Admirals (34-19-4-1, 73 points, .629 Win %) @ Utah Grizzlies (26-30-2, 54 points, .466 Win %) 

Date: March 16, 2024  Venue: Maverik Center

Game Time: 7:10 pm. 

Streaming/TV: FloHockey -  https://www.flohockey.tv/events/11055337-2024-norfolk-admirals-vs-utah-grizzlies?nav_id=75 

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

Sunday’s Matchup

It’s the opener of a three-game series between the Grizzlies and Admirals. It’s the second all-time meeting between the clubs. The first meeting was on October 16, 2017 when Norfolf defeated Utah 5-3 at Maverik Center. 

Brett Stapley has 9 points (2 goals, 7 assists) in his last 6 games. Brandon Cutler has 6 goals and 3 assists in his last 6 games. Kyle Mayhew is tied for the league lead among all rookie defenseman with 41 points (10 goals, 31 assists). Mayhew has a point in 4 of his last 6 games. Dylan Fitze has scored 7 goals in his last 9 games. The Grizz are 13-0 when scoring first at home. 

Many Connections Between the Clubs

Norfolk has 3 former Grizzlies skaters on their roster: Forwards Keaton Jameson and Gehrett Sargis as well as defenseman Brandon Fehd. Admirals Forward Denis Smirnov was part of the Grizzlies 2020-21 training camp roster. Norfolk Head Coach Jeff Carr was an assistant coach for the Grizzlies in the 2016-17 season. Norfolk assistant coach Joel Rumpel was a goaltender for Utah in the 2017-18 season. Norfolk Equipment Manager and Utah native Mason Weyland returns to his hometown. Weyland was the Head Equipment Manager for the Grizzlies for 2 seasons from 2021-2023. Utah forward Dean Yakura played in 8 games with Norfolk in the 2022-23 season. Grizzlies assistant coach Christian Horn played with Norfolk for 73 games from 2017-2020, scoring 21 goals and 25 assists. Horn had 2 hat tricks for Norfolk in the 2017-18 season. 

Games This Homestand 

Friday, March 8, 2024 – Rapid City 3 Utah 2 (Overtime) – Nathan Burke had 1 goal and 1 assist. Kyle Mayhew had 1 goal for Utah. Utah outshot Rapid City 46 to 38. Rapid City got goals from Blake Bennett, Keanu Yamamoto and Logan Nelson. Nelson scored the game winner 3:20 into OT. Rush goaltender Connor Murphy saved 44 of 46. Utah’s Will Cranley stopped 35 of 38. It was the first time this season the Grizzlies played past regulation at home. 

Saturday, March 9, 2024 – Rapid City 4 Utah 5 (Overtime) – Alex Beaucage had 2 goals and 3 assists, including the game winner 2:53 into OT. Brandon Cutler had 2 goals and 1 assist. Brett Stapley had 1 goal and 2 assists. Utah was 2 for 5 on the power play, Rapid City was 1 for 3. 

Monday, March 11, 2024 – Rapid City 5 Utah 1 – Tyler Penner scored Utah’s lone goal. RC outshot Utah 31 to 24. Grizz were 6 for 6 on the penalty kill. Blake Bennett had 1 goal and 1 assist for RC. 

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. 

Recent Transactions: Grizzlies Sign Forward Luke Manning 

March 15 – Grizzlies sign forward Luke Manning. Manning started his college career at the Air Force Academy and played in 35 games during the 2019-2020 season, scoring 8 goals and 4 assists. He transferred to the University of St. Thomas, where he scored 24 goals and 21 assists in 117 games from 2020-2024. Manning was a marketing major at St. Thomas. He was twice named to the CCHA All-Academic Team. 

March 9 – Grizzlies release forward Jeremiah Addison. He appeared in 6 games with Utah and had 1 goal and 1 assist. 

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. 

Grizzlies Among League Leaders

Brandon Cutler is tied for 2^nd in the league with 220 shots on goal. Cutler is tied for 6^th in the league with 28 goals. Josh Wesley 2^nd in goals among defensemen with 14. Wesley leads league defensemen with 6 power play goals and is 3^rd among defensemen with 153 shots on goal. Kyle Mayhew is tied for 6^th among league defensemen with 41 points. Mayhew is tied with Jonny Tychonick with 41 points for the league lead for points among rookie d-men. Mayhew is 3^rd among league rookies with 13 power play assists. Brett Stapley is tied for 18^th in the league with 55 points. 

Utah Has Had Success at Home

The Grizzlies will be home for 9 of their final 14 games of the 2023-24 regular season. The Grizzlies are 17-9-1 at home this season. They have outscored opponents 88 to 77 at Maverik Center this season. 35 of Utah’s 54 standings points have come at home. Utah’s penalty kill is 9^th in the league at home (66 for 80, 82.5 %). Utah is 9-0 at home when leading after 1 period and 11-1 when leading after 2 periods. The Grizz are 6-1-1 at home in one goal games. 

Outstanding Home Crowds at Maverik Center 

On March 9^th a big crowd of 8,519 saw Utah overcome a 4-2 deficit to win 5-4 in overtime. Utah has averaged 7,099 fans per game over their last 15 home games. For the season Utah is averaging 5,938 fans per game. The Grizzlies are on pace to have their best average attendance since the 2002-03 season where the AHL’s Utah Grizzlies averaged 6353 fans per game. 

Grizzlies Player Notes 

#7 Brett Stapley has 9 points (2g, 7a) in his last 6 games. Stapley has a point in 12 of his last 17 games. Stapley leads Utah with 37 assists and 55 points. He leads Utah with 13 multiple point games. 

#13 Dylan Fitze has 7 goals and 2 assists in his last 9 games. 

#20 Josh Wesley is 2^nd in the league for goals among defenseman with 14. Wesley leads all league defensemen with 6 power play goals. Wesley is 3rd among league defenseman with 153 shots on goal. 

#21 Tyler Penner has appeared in 202 consecutive regular season games for Utah, 226 if you include the playoffs. 

#24 Nathan Burke is tied for 2nd on the club with 18 goals. 

#25 Cole Gallant has 4 assists in his last 5 games. Gallant has 7 different 2 assist games. 

#26 Alex Beaucage scored 2 goals and 3 assists vs RC on March 8. Beaucage has 6 points (2g, 4a) in his last 3 games and 8 points (4g, 4a) in his last 5 games. Beaucage has 76 shots in 16 games. He has a point in 9 of his 16 games with Utah. He is serving a one-game suspension that will be served on March 16 vs Norfolk. 

#27 Kyle Mayhew has 7 points in his last 6 games (2g, 5a). Mayhew is tied for first among league rookie defenseman with 41 points (10g, 31a). Mayhew is 3rd among league rookies with 13 power play assists. 

#29 Brandon Cutler has 6 goals and 3 assists in his last 6 games. Cutler is tied for 2^nd in the league with 220 shots on goal and is tied for 6th with 28 goals. Cutler leads Utah with 7 power play goals. Cutler has 11 multiple point games this season. 

Bear Bites: Grizzlies Team Notes 

The Grizzlies are home for 9 of their last 14 games. Utah has won 9 of their last 13 home games (9-3-1 record). Utah is 17-9-1 at home this season, outscoring opponents 88 to 77. Utah is averaging 7,099 fans per game over their last 15 home games. Utah has had 7 home games with over 7,600 fans. Utah is averaging 5,938 fans per game and is on pace for their largest average attendance since the 2002-03 season when the Grizz averaged 6353 fans per game when the club was in the AHL. Utah is 5-2 in games past regulation this season. Utah is 19-3-1 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 34 to 23 in the third periods over their last 22 games. The Grizz are 9-10-1 in their last 20 road games

Players Who Have Appeared in Every Game 

There are 3 players who have appeared in all 58 games for the Grizzlies this season. They are forwards Brandon Cutler, Mick Messner and Tyler Penner. 

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

Overall record: 26-30-2 

Home record: 17-9-1 

Road record: 9-21-1 

Win percentage: .466

Streak: Lost 1

Standings Points: 54

Last 10: 3-6-1

Goals per game: 3.14 (18^th) Goals for: 182

Goals against per game: 3.60 (23^rd) Goals Against: 209

Shots per game: 31.26 (15^th) 

Shots against per game: 34.02 (23^rd) 

Power Play: 34 for 178 – 19.1 % (17^th)

Penalty Kill: 134 for 181 – 74.0 % (28^th) 

Penalty Minutes: 605. 10.43 per game. 

Shorthanded Goals: 5. 

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 7. 

Record When Scoring First: 19-3-1. 

Opposition Scores First: 7-27-1. 

Record in One Goal Games: 10-7-2. 

Team Leaders 

Goals: Brandon Cutler (28)  

Assists: Brett Stapley (37) 

Points: Stapley (55) 

Plus/Minus: Bryan Yoon (+11) 

PIM: Cutler (71) 

Power Play Points: Stapley (16) 

Power Play Goals: Brandon Cutler (7) 

Power Play Assists: Mayhew (13) 

Shots on Goal: Cutler (220) – Tied for 2^nd in the league. 

Shooting Percentage: Nathan Burke (14.8 %) - Minimum 55 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)