Grizzlies Gameday: January 24, 2025 - Wichita at Utah

Grizzlies Gameday: January 24, 2025 - Series Opener vs Wichita at Maverik Center

Wichita Thunder (22-14-2-1, 47 points, .603 point %) @ Utah Grizzlies (12-21-3, 27 points, .375 point %) 

Date: January 24, 2025  Venue: Maverik Center Game Time: 7:10 pm. 

Streaming: FloHockey – https://www.flohockey.tv/events/12620669-2025-wichita-thunder-vs-utah-grizzlies?nav_id=75 

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

Next Home Game: January 25, 2025 – Wichita @ Utah. 7:10 pm. 

Tickets for every Grizzlies home game are available at utahgrizzlies.com or by calling (801) 988-8000. Every Grizzlies game can be streamed on FloHockey and audio coverage is available on the Grizzlies YouTube channel. 

Friday’s Matchup

It’s the fourth of 9 regular season meetings this season between the Grizzlies and Thunder. The Grizzlies are 7-5 over their last 12 games. Utah has scored 49 goals in their last 13 games. Utah has 5 power play goals in their last 6 games. Utah has scored a second period goal in 20 of their last 22 games. Neil Shea has a point in all 9 home games he’s played in (10 goals, 8 assists). Keaton Mastrodonato has a point in all 7 home games he’s appeared in (5 goals, 7 assists). The Grizzlies start the second half of their season as it’s game 37 of 72. Wichita has played at home in 26 of their first 39 games this season. The Thunder have a team save percentage of .927. 

Four Is the Magic Number 

The Grizzlies are 12-1-1 this season when scoring 4 or more goals. On the other end of the ice Utah is 8-5-1 when they allow less than 4 goals. 

Games on Homestand

Friday, January 24, 2025 – Wichita @ Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. AFCU Friday. 

Saturday, January 25, 2025 – Wichita @ Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center.

Monday, January 27, 2025 – Wichita @ Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. Family 4 pack of tickets for $48. 

Friday, January 31, 2025 – Idaho @ Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. AFCU Friday. 

Saturday, February 1, 2025 – Idaho @ Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. Guns N Hoses Extravaganza. 

Monday, February 3, 2025 – Idaho @ Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. Family 4 pack of tickets for $48. 

Games Last Week

Wednesday, January 15, 2025 – Utah 1 Cincinnati 3 – Derek Daschke scored Utah’s lone goal. Jake Barczewski stopped 34 of 37 to keep the Grizzlies within striking distance. Ty Voit had 2 assists for Cincinnati. Cyclones got goals from Lincoln Griffin, Chas Sharpe and Marko Sikic. Cincinnati outshot Utah 37 to 16. Utah was 1 for 3 on the power play. Cincinnati was 2 for 4. 

Friday, January 17, 2025 – Utah 1 Bloomington 3 - Bloomington outshot Utah 34 to 29. Bison got goals from Jake Murray, Chongmin Lee and Jared Westcott. Utah’s lone goal was scored by Keaton Mastrodonato with 1 second left in the second period. Neil Shea and Luke Manning each picked up their 11^th assists of the season. Shea led Utah with 8 shots on goal. Jake Barczewski saved 31 of 34 for Utah. Bloomington’s Yaniv Perets saved 28 of 29. 

Saturday, January 18, 2025 – Utah 1 Bloomington 4 – Craig Armstrong scored Utah’s lone goal 3:52 into the third period with Adam Berg getting the assist. Bloomington got 1 goal and 1 assist performances from Brett Budgell and Eddie Matsushima. Utah outshot Bloomington 23 to 22. The Bison were 1 for 3 on the power play, Utah was 0 for 3. Neil Shea led Utah with 5 shots on goal. 

Sunday, January 19, 2025 – Utah 4 Bloomington 1 – Jake Barczewski stopped the first 31 shots he saw and ended the night saving 33 of 34. Derek Daschke had 1 goal and 2 assists. Adam Berg, Hunter Warner and Briley Wood added goals for Utah. Utah went 1 for 2 on the power play and 2 for 2 on the penalty kill. Bloomington outshot Utah 34 to 24. 

In the four-game road trip the Grizzlies were led by 4 points (2g, 2a) from Derek Daschke. Berg, Fonstad, Mastrodonato and Shea each had 2 points during the road trip. 

Grizzlies Team Notes 

Utah has a second period goal in 20 of their last 22 games. Utah is 8-3-2 when scoring first. Utah is 7-2 when leading after 1 period and 9-0 when leading after 2 periods. Utah is 12-1-1 when they score 4 or more goals in a game. Utah is 5-0 when they allow less than 3 goals in a game. Utah has 49 goals in their last 13 games. 

Derek Daschke Named to League’s Midseason All Star Team

Grizzlies’ defenseman Derek Daschke was named to the league’s Midseason All Star Team. 

Daschke leads the Grizzlies in assists (21), points (28), plus/minus (+8), power play points (10) and is tied for the club lead with 4 power play goals and 2 game winning goals. Daschke also leads Utah with 7 multiple point games, and he has a point in 19 of 29 games this season.

It is the fourth consecutive season where the Grizzlies all-star representative has been a defenseman. Kyle Mayhew was an all-star for Utah in the 2023-24 season. Mayhew is on the Western Conference All-Stars with Fort Wayne. Andrew Nielsen was selected as an all-star during the 2022-23 season. Charles-Edouard D’Astous was an all-star for Utah during the 2021-22 season.

While there is no official all-star game the league is recognizing its star performers through the first half of the 2024-25 season.

The roster for the ECHL All-Stars was determined in a vote of coaches, team captains, media

relations directors and broadcasters. The coaches were determined by the team with the highest

points percentage in each conference through games of Jan. 5, 2025.

Mick Messner Named Grizzlies Captain

Mick Messner has been named the new captain of the Utah Grizzlies after defenseman Gianni Fairbrother left for a team in Europe. Messner has appeared in 114 consecutive regular season games for the Grizzlies since the tail end of the 2022-23 regular season. Messner leads Utah with 95 shots on goal and he has 19 points (7 goals, 12 assists) in 36 games. 

Recent Transactions 

January 21 – Grizzlies release defenseman Hunter Warner. 

January 17 – Defenseman Bryan Yoon was reassigned to Utah from Colorado (AHL). 

January 17 – Grizzlies sign defenseman Hunter Warner. 

January 16 – Forward Chad Hillebrand was reassigned to Utah from Colorado (AHL). 

January 16 – Grizzlies acquire defenseman Cooper Jones in a trade with the Jacksonville Icemen. 

January 14 – Defenseman Gianni Fairbrother removed from roster, suspended by team. 

January 13 – Defenseman Bryan Yoon was recalled to Colorado (AHL). 

January 11 – Defenseman Connor Mayer was recalled to Colorado (AHL). 

January 4, 2025 – Defenseman Kabore Dunn was traded to Fort Wayne for either cash or future considerations. 

December 28 – Defenseman Connor Mayer was reassigned to Utah from Colorado (AHL). 

Grizzlies 2024-25 Ironmen  

There are 4 players who have appeared in all 36 games for the Grizzlies during the 2024-25 season. Cole Gallant, Luke Manning, Mick Messner and Briley Wood are the four forwards who have not missed a game this season. Craig Armstrong was out of the lineup for the first time all season on January 17 at Bloomington. 

Wichita Thunder

The Wichita Thunder have a record of 22-14-2-1 on the season and they are in 4^th place in the Mountain Division with 47 standings points and a .603 point percentage. The Thunder have been outstanding in net this season as they have a team save percentage of .927. Trevor Gorsuch has a 5-1 record with a .958 save percentage and a 1.52 goals against average. Peter Bates is a +25 this season and has 43 points (12 goals, 31 assists) in 39 games. Bates has 4 game winning goals on the season. Jay Dickman has 14 goals and 23 assists this season and Kobe Walker is a +20 and has 37 points (13 goals, 24 assists) on the campaign. Jeremie Bucheler has been one of the best rookie defensemen in the league as he has 24 points (6g, 18a) in 39 games. D man Nolan Kneen is a +15 for the Thunder this season. 

Utah Grizzlies 2024-2025 Roster

Forwards (18): Aaron Aragon, Craig Armstrong, Adam Berg, Cameron Buhl, Dylan Fitze, Cole Fonstad, Cole Gallant, Chad Hillebrand, Reed Lebster, Luke Manning, Keaton Mastrodonato, Mick Messner, Cade Neilson, Brayden Nicholetts, Neil Shea, Tyson Upper, Blake Wells, Briley Wood. 

Defenseman (7): Cody Corbett,Derek Daschke, Kade Jensen, Cooper Jones, Andrew Nielsen, Dilan Savenkov,  Bryan Yoon. 

Goaltenders (2): Jake Barczewski,Vincent Duplessis. 

2024-2025 Utah Grizzlies Regular Season Totals 

Overall record: 12-21-3

Home record: 7-8-2

Road record: 5-11-1

Win percentage: .375

Standings Points: 27

Last 10: 5-5

Streak: 1-0

Goals per game: 3.03 (Tied 14^th) Goals for: 109

Goals against per game: 4.22 (29^th) Goals Against: 152

Shots per game: 30.00 (14^th) 

Shots against per game: 33.92 (25^th)

Power Play: 20 for 110 – 18.2 % (18^th)

Penalty Kill: 68 for 100 – 68.0 % (29^th)

Penalty Minutes: 355. 9.86 per game. 

Shorthanded Goals: 2.  

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 2. 

Record When Scoring First: 8-3-2.

Opposition Scores First: 4-18-1. 

Record in One Goal Games: 3-2-3 

Games Decided Past Regulation: 2-0-3 

Team Leaders 

Goals: Neil Shea (14) 

Assists: Derek Daschke (28) 

Points: Daschke (28) 

Plus/Minus: Daschke (+8) 

PIM: Andrew Nielsen (50) 

Power Play Points: Daschke (10)

Power Play Goals: Daschke/Briley Wood (4) 

Power Play Assists: Daschke (6)

Shots on Goal: Mick Messner (95) 

Shooting Percentage: Neil Shea (17.7 %) - Minimum 50 shots. 

Game Winning Goals: Daschke/Keaton Mastrodonato (2) 

Wins: Jake Barczewski/Adam Scheel (5)

Save %: Jake Barczewski (.895) 

Goals Against Average: Barczewski (3.58) 

Streaks 

Goals: Adam Berg/Derek Daschke/Briley Wood (1)

Assists: Daschke/Cole Fonstad/Reed Lebster/Bryan Yoon (1)

Points (2 or more): Berg (2)

Multiple Point Games

7 – Derek Daschke

6 – Neil Shea.

5 – Keaton Mastrodonato, Mick Messner, Andrew Nielsen, Briley Wood.

3 – Cole Gallant, Reed Lebster, Luke Manning, Bryan Yoon.

2 – Aaron Aragon, Gianni Fairbrother, Cole Fonstad, Cade Neilson.

1 – Cameron Buhl, Cody Corbett, Dylan Fitze, Kade Jensen.