Grizzlies Weekly: Utah Hosts Kansas City This Weekend at Maverik Center

Grizzlies Weekly: Utah Hosts KC This Weekend at Maverik Center

West Valley City, Utah – The Utah Grizzlies’ host the Kansas City Mavericks at Maverik Center on Friday and Saturday nights. Face-off both evenings is at 7:10 pm. 

Last weekend the Grizzlies split a two-game series against the Idaho Steelheads at Idaho Central Arena. Utah won 4-1 in the first game of the 2025 calendar year on January 3^rd as Jake Barczewski stopped 28 of 29 and Andrew Nielsen led the way with 1 goal and 1 assist. Utah got 2 assists from Cody Corbett and goals from Craig Armstrong, Dylan Fitze, Nielsen and Neil Shea. 

Jake Barczewski has put together three solid starts in net for Utah as he has saved 86 of 93 over the last three games. Neil Shea has 13 goals in 13 games for Utah this season. Briley Wood scored both of Utah’s goals in a 3-2 loss at Idaho on January 4^th. Wood leads Utah with 24 points this season (11 goals, 13 assists). Wood leads Utah with 4 power play goals this season. Derek Daschke leads Utah with 19 assists. Daschke has a point in 16 of 23 games this season. 

Friday night is an AFCU Friday with tickets starting at $12 when you use your AFCU debit or credit card. Tickets for every Grizzlies game are available at utahgrizzlies.com or by calling (801) 988-8000. 

Games Last Week 

Friday, January 3, 2025 – Utah 4 Idaho 1 – Andrew Nielsen had 1 goal and 1 assist. Jake Barczewski saved 28 of 29. Cody Corbett had 2 assists. Grizzlies got goals from Craig Armstrong, Dylan Fitze, Nielsen and Neil Shea. Utah outshot Idaho 41 to 29. 

Saturday, January 4, 2025 – Utah 2 Idaho 3 – Briley Wood scored two first period goals for Utah. Jake Barczewski stopped 31 of 34. Utah went 6 for 6 on the penalty kill. Connor Mayer led Utah with 5 shots on goal. 

Games This Week

Friday, January 10, 2025 – Kansas City at Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. AFCU Friday. 

Saturday, January 11, 2025 – Kansas City at Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. 

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. 

Recent Transactions 

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). 

December 22 – Defenseman James Shearer was suspended by team and removed from roster. 

December 18 – Grizzlies sign defenseman Cody Corbett. 

December 15 – Forward Neil Shea reassigned to the Grizzlies from Colorado (AHL). 

Grizzlies Player Notes 

#3 Craig Armstrong has 4 goals in his last 11 games. 

Utah is 9-6-2 when #4 Bryan Yoon plays. Yoon has 6 points (1g, 5a) in his last 6 games. Yoon has 3 multiple point games in his last 6 games. Yoon led Utah in plus/minus in December (+4). 

#5 Derek Daschke has a point in 16 of 23 games this season. Daschke leads Utah in assists (19), power play points (7) and plus/minus (+5). Daschke is 9th among league defensemen with 23 points.

#6 Andrew Nielsen has 4 separate 2 assist games in December. Nielsen was the number 1 star in Utah’s 4-1 win at Idaho on January 3, 2025 as he scored 1 goal and 1 assist. Nielsen has 13 points (1g, 12a) in 13 games with Utah.

#7 Connor Mayer has 1 assist in 3 games with Utah this season. This season Mayer has scored 3 goals in 6 games with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. 

#8 Keaton Mastrodonato has a point in 7 of his last 8 games. Mastrodonato has 3 multiple point games in the last 7 contests. Mastrodonato has a point in 8 of 11 games with Utah. Mastrodonato has 39 shots in 11 games. 

#13 Dylan Fitze has 4 goals in his last 9 games. 

#14 Briley Wood leads Utah with 24 points (11g, 13a). Wood has 13 points (8g, 5a) in his last 12 games. Wood has a point in 10 of his last 12 games. Wood has a point in 19 of 30 games this season. Wood is tied for 5th among league rookies with 4 power play goals and tied for 10^th among league rookies in points.  

#22 Neil Shea has 13 goals in 13 games for Utah this season. Shea has a goal in 10 of 13 games and a point in 11 of 13. Shea has 10 points in his last 7 games. Shea has 59 shots in 13 games. Shea has a point in 7 straight home games. 

#24 Gianni Fairbrother has 4 points (2g, 2a) in his last 5 games. Fairbrother is 4th among league defensemen with 8 goals. Fairbrother has a 14.3 shooting percentage (8 for 56), which is second best among league defensemen.

#25 Cole Gallant leads Utah forwards with 16 assists. Gallant scored his first goal on Dec. 27 vs RC.

#39 Jake Barczewski has saved 86 of 93 over his last 3 games. 

#41 Cody Corbett had 2 assists at Idaho on Jan. 3, 2025. It was Corbett’s first multiple point game since he had 2 assists for Kalamazoo at Wheeling on January 9, 2022.

#42 Cole Fonstad has 9 assists in 13 games for Utah.

Grizzlies Team Notes 

Utah has scored a second period goal in 15 of their last 16 games. 39 of Utah’s 92 goals this season have come in the second period. Utah has 8 power play goals in their last 12 games. Utah has scored 32 goals in their last 7 games. Utah is 9-1-1 when they score 4 or more goals. Utah is 7-0 when leading after 2 periods. Utah is 5-2 when leading after 1 period. Utah is 6-3-2 when scoring first.

Utah Grizzlies 2024-2025 Roster

Forwards (17): Aaron Aragon, Craig Armstrong, Adam Berg, Cameron Buhl, Dylan Fitze, Cole Fonstad, Cole Gallant, Reed Lebster, Luke Manning, Keaton Mastrodonato, Mick Messner, Cade Neilson, Brayden Nicholetts, Neil Shea, Tyson Upper, Blake Wells, Briley Wood. 

Defenseman (8): Cody Corbett, Derek Daschke, Gianni Fairbrother, Kade Jensen, Connor Mayer, Andrew Nielsen, Dilan Savenkov, Bryan Yoon. 

Goaltenders (2): Jake Barczewski, Vincent Duplessis. 

2024-2025 Utah Grizzlies Regular Season Totals 

Overall record: 9-18-3

Home record: 5-8-2

Road record: 4-10-1

Win percentage: .350

Standings Points: 21

Last 10: 4-5-1

Streak: 0-1

Goals per game: 3.07 (14^th) Goals for: 92

Goals against per game: 4.50 (29^th) Goals Against: 135

Shots per game: 31.23 (11^th) 

Shots against per game: 34.13 (25^th)

Power Play: 15 for 89 – 16.9 % (22^nd)

Penalty Kill: 50 for 78 – 64.1 % (29^th)

Penalty Minutes: 305. 10.17 per game. 

Shorthanded Goals: 2.  

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 2. 

Record When Scoring First: 6-3-2.

Opposition Scores First: 3-15-1. 

Record in One Goal Games: 2-2-3 

Games Decided Past Regulation: 2-0-3 

Team Leaders 

Goals: Neil Shea (13) 

Assists: Derek Daschke (19) 

Points: Briley Wood (24) 

Plus/Minus: Daschke (+5) 

PIM: Andrew Nielsen (38) 

Power Play Points: Daschke (7)

Power Play Goals: Briley Wood (4) 

Power Play Assists: Daschke (6)

Shots on Goal: Mick Messner (88) 

Shooting Percentage: Neil Shea (22.0 %) - Minimum 45 shots. 

Game Winning Goals: Cameron Buhl/ Daschke/Gianni Fairbrother/Dylan Fitze/Cole Gallant/Kade Jensen/Keaton Mastrodonato/Bryan Yoon (1) 

Wins: Adam Scheel (5)

Save %: Scheel (.885) 

Goals Against Average: Scheel (3.98) 

Streaks 

Goals: Briley Wood (1)

Assists: Nielsen (3), Cole Fonstad, Cole Gallant, Connor Mayer, Andrew Nielsen (1)

Points (2 or more): Nielsen, Wood (3)

Multiple Point Games

6 – Derek Daschke

5 - Andrew Nielsen, Briley Wood.

4 – Mick Messner, Neil Shea. 

3 – Reed Lebster, Luke Manning, Keaton Mastrodonato, Bryan Yoon.

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

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