January 17, 2025 - Grizzlies Gameday: Hillebrand, Yoon Reassigned to Grizzlies, Utah Signs Hunter Warner

Grizzlies Gameday: Hillebrand, Yoon Reassigned to Grizzlies, Utah Signs Hunter Warner

Utah Grizzlies (11-19-3, 25 points, .379 point %) @ Bloomington Bison (15-16-1-2, 33 points, .485 point %) 

Date: January 17, 2025 Venue: Grossinger Motors Arena Game Time: 6:00 pm. 

Streaming: FloHockey – https://www.flohockey.tv/events/12620580-2025-utah-grizzlies-vs-bloomington?nav_id=75

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

Next Home Game: January 24, 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 first ever meeting between the Grizzlies and Bison. The Grizzlies are 6-3 over their last 9 games. Utah has scored 43 goals in their last 10 games. Utah has won 4 of their last 6 games. Bloomington is 5-4-1 over their last 10 games.

Grizzlies Standouts 

#5 Derek Daschke is tied for 6th among league defensemen with 25 points (6g, 19a). Daschke has a point in 18 of 26 games this season. Daschke and Shea are tied for the club lead with 6 multiple point games. Daschke leads Utah with 9 power play points (3g, 6a). Daschke has a power play goal in 2 of his last 3 games. 

#6 Andrew Nielsen has 15 points in 16 games with Utah this season (2g, 13a).

#8 Keaton Mastrodonato has a point in 11 of 14 games this season and a point in 10 of his last 11 games. Mastrodonato has 2 or more points in 5 of 14 games this season. 

#14 Briley Wood is tied for 8th among league rookies with 26 points (12g, 14a). Wood is tied for 4th among league rookies with 12 goals. Wood leads Utah with 4 power play goals.  

#22 Neil Shea has a point in all 9 home games he's appeared in (18 points at home, 10 goals, 8 assists). Shea has 6 points (1g, 5a) in his last 3 games. Shea has 14 goals and 10 assists in 16 games this season. Shea has a point in 14 of 16 games this season and a goal in 11 of 16 games this season. Shea has a 21.5 shooting %. 

#39 Jake Barczewski is 4-2 over his last 6 starts and has a .920 save % and a 2.70 GAA over that stretch. 

#41 Cody Corbett has a goal in 2 of his last 3 games. 

Games This 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 at Bloomington. 6:00 pm. 

Saturday, January 18, 2025 – Utah at Bloomington. 6:00 pm. 

Sunday, January 19, 2025 – Utah at Bloomington. 2:00 pm. 

Games Next 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.  

Grizzlies Team Notes 

Utah has a second period goal in 18 of their last 19 games. Utah is 7-3-2 when scoring first. Utah is 6-2 when leading after 1 period and 8-0 when leading after 2 periods. Utah is 11-1-1 when they score 4 or more goals in a game. Utah is 4-0 when they allow less than 3 goals in a game. Utah has 43 goals in their last 10 games. 

Mick Messner Named Grizzlies Captain

Mick Messner has been named the new captain of the Utah Grizzlies. Messner has appeared in 111 consecutive regular season games for the Grizzlies since the tail end of the 2022-23 regular season. Messner leads Utah with 91 shots on goal and he has 19 points (7 goals, 12 assists) in 33 games. Messner was the captain of the USHL’s Madison Capitols during the 2017-2018 season. 

Recent Transactions 

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

January 17 – Grizzlies sign defenseman Hunter Warner. 

January 17 – 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). 

Defenseman Bryan Yoon was Reassigned to Grizzlies from Colorado 

Defenseman Bryan Yoon is back in a Grizzlies uniform as he was reassigned from the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. Yoon appeared in 2 games with the Eagles. The Grizzlies are 11-6-2 in the 19 games that Yoon has played in. In 19 games with the Grizzlies this season Yoon has 4 goals and 8 assists. 

Grizzlies Sign Defenseman Hunter Warner

Warner has appeared in 193 American Hockey League games with the Iowa Wild in a six season stretch from 2016-2021. Warner scored 4 goals, 15 assists and had 211 penalty minutes with Iowa. Warner appeared in 18 games with Bordeaux in France, scoring 1 goal and 2 assists. Last season Warner played in 1 game for Asiago HC in Austria. 

Warner will wear number 40 for the Grizzlies. 

Chad Hillebrand Reassigned to Grizzlies from AHL’s Colorado Eagles

Chad Hillebrand was reassigned to the Grizzlies from the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. Hillebrand had 1 assist and 8 penalty minutes in 11 games for the Eagles this season. Hillebrand also appeared in 2 games with the Eagles at the end of the 2023-24 season. Hillebrand was at Western Michigan University from 2020-2024, including three seasons where he was a teammate with Utah forward Cole Gallant from 2020-2023. In four seasons at Western Michigan University he had 17 goals and 35 assists. Hillebrand was a combined +31 in four college seasons. Hillebrand has good size at 6’4” and 201 pounds. Hillebrand will wear number 44 for the Grizzlies. 

Grizzlies Acquire Cooper Jones in a Trade with Jacksonville 

The Utah Grizzlies have acquired defenseman Cooper Jones, who comes over in a trade with the Jacksonville Icemen. Jones appeared in 18 games with Jacksonville this season, scoring 1 goal. Jones comes to Utah having appeared in 89 ECHL games, scoring 1 goal and 5 assists. Jones has pro experience with Adirondack, Idaho, Jacksonville, Rapid City and Trois-Rivieres of the ECHL and Evansville, Knoxville, Macon and Pensacola of the SPHL. Last season with Idaho Jones was a teammate with current Utah forward Keaton Mastrodonato. Jones will wear number 43 for the Grizzlies. 

Grizzlies 2024-25 Ironmen  

There are 5 players who have appeared in all 33 games for the Grizzlies during the 2024-25 season. Craig Armstrong, Cole Gallant, Luke Manning, Mick Messner and Briley Wood are the five forwards who have not missed a game this season. 

Bloomington Bison

The Bison have already used 44 players this season. Bloomington’s leading scorer is Eddie Matsushima, who has 28 points (14 goals, 14 assists). Matsushima has 3 goals and 5 assists in 17 regular season games vs Utah as a member of the Tulsa Oilers. Matsushima had 3 goals and 1 assist vs Utah in 6 games in the 2021-22 playoffs. Chongmin Lee leads the Bison with 19 assists, including 8 power play assists. Bison defenseman Carter Berger is 2^nd among league rookies with 10 power play points (2g, 8a). Berger has an assist in 6 straight home games. Bloomington is 8-7-1-1 at home this season, outscoring opponents 46 to 38. Bloomington is 13-3-0-1 when scoring first. They have scored first in exactly half of their 34 games this season. Bloomington has outscored opponents 28 to 25 in the third periods of games. The Bison are 9-0 when leading after 1 period and 11-1 when leading after 2 frames. Bloomington is 6-0 in games decided by three goals. 

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 (8): Cody Corbett, Derek Daschke, Kade Jensen, Cooper Jones, Andrew Nielsen, Dilan Savenkov, Hunter Warner, Bryan Yoon. 

Goaltenders (2): Jake Barczewski, Vincent Duplessis. 

2024-2025 Utah Grizzlies Regular Season Totals 

Overall record: 11-19-3

Home record: 7-8-2

Road record: 4-11-1

Win percentage: .379

Standings Points: 25

Last 10: 6-3-1

Streak: 0-1

Goals per game: 3.12 (14^th) Goals for: 103

Goals against per game: 4.36 (29^th) Goals Against: 144

Shots per game: 30.42 (13^th) 

Shots against per game: 34.27 (26^th)

Power Play: 18 for 100 – 18.0 % (Tied 18^th)

Penalty Kill: 61 for 92 – 66.3 % (29^th)

Penalty Minutes: 337. 10.21 per game. 

Shorthanded Goals: 2.  

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 2. 

Record When Scoring First: 7-3-2.

Opposition Scores First: 4-16-1. 

Record in One Goal Games: 3-2-3 

Games Decided Past Regulation: 2-0-3 

Team Leaders 

Goals: Neil Shea (14) 

Assists: Derek Daschke (19) 

Points: Briley Wood (26) 

Plus/Minus: Daschke (+6) 

PIM: Andrew Nielsen (46) 

Power Play Points: Daschke (9)

Power Play Goals: Briley Wood (4) 

Power Play Assists: Daschke (6)

Shots on Goal: Mick Messner (91) 

Shooting Percentage: Neil Shea (21.5 %) - Minimum 50 shots. 

Game Winning Goals: Daschke/Keaton Mastrodonato (2) 

Wins: Adam Scheel (5)

Save %: Jake Barczewski (.886) 

Goals Against Average: Jake Barczewski (3.89) 

Streaks 

Goals: Derek Daschke (1)

Assists: Neil Shea (3) Keaton Mastrodonato (1)

Points (2 or more): Mastrodonato, Shea (3)

Multiple Point Games

6 – Derek Daschke, 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, Cade Neilson.

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