Grizzlies Gameday: March 14, 2025 - Utah at Wichita

Grizzlies Gameday: March 14, 2025 – Utah at Wichita 

Utah Grizzlies (19-33-5-2, 45 points, .381 point %) @ Wichita Thunder (32-20-6-1, 71 points, .602 point %) 

Date: March 14, 2025  Venue: INTRUST Bank Arena Game Time: 6:05 pm. 

Streaming: FloHockey – https://www.flohockey.tv/events/12621791-2025-utah-grizzlies-vs-wichita-thunder 

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

Next Home Game: March 26, 2025 – Allen @ Utah. 7:10 pm. 

Every Grizzlies game can be streamed on FloHockey and audio coverage is available on the Grizzlies YouTube channel. 

Friday’s Matchup

It’s the ninth and final regular season meeting this season between the Grizzlies and Thunder. Utah is 1-5-0-2 vs Wichita this season. 

Briley Wood has a point in 5 straight games and a goal in 3 of his last 5 games. Wood is 6^th among league rookies with 42 points (19g, 23a) Wood with Neil Shea for the club lead with 19 goals. Reed Lebster has also had a solid rookie campaign as he leads Utah with 19 points since February 1^st (9 goals, 10 assists). Lebster is tied for 3^rd on the club with 17 goals and is fifth with 35 points. Lebster had 2 goals and 2 assists at Tulsa on March 1. Luke Manning is a +8 in his last 19 games. Derek Daschke is fourth among league defensemen with 47 points (14g, 33a) and is tied for second with 14 goals. Mick Messner has appeared in 137 consecutive games with Utah and le heads the Grizzlies with 163 shots on goal. 

Second Period Fireworks for Utah 

Utah has scored a second period goal in 14 of their last 15 games as well as 38 of their last 45 games. The Grizzlies have 30 goals in the second period over their last 23 games. Utah is fourth in the league with 74 second period goals. Wichita has also been a strong second period club as they have scored 83 second period goals. 

Many Close Games for the Grizzlies

Seven of Utah’s last 17 games have been decided past regulation. 12 of their last 20 games have been decided by one goal. 

Remaining Grizzlies Home Games for the 2024-2025 Season

March 26, 2025 – Allen at Utah. 7:10 pm. Bud Light Wednesday. 

March 28, 2025 – Allen at Utah. 7:10 pm. Youth Sports Night. 

March 29, 2025 – Allen at Utah. 7:10 pm. Retro Night presented by Hercules First Federal Credit Union. 

April 4, 2025 – Tahoe at Utah. 7:10 pm. Star Wars Night. 

April 5, 2025 – Tahoe at Utah. 7:10 pm. Fan Appreciation Night presented by Les Schwab Tires. 

Tickets for every Grizzlies home game are available at utahgrizzlies.com or by calling (801) 988-8000.  

Grizzlies Ironmen

There are 2 players who have appeared in all 59 games for the Grizzlies during the 2024-25 season: Mick Messner and Briley Wood. Cole Gallant played in each of Utah’s first 58 games of the season before he was traded to Toledo for Griffin Ness, who coincidentally played in all of Toledo’s first 59 games of the 2024-25 season. 

Recent Transactions – 

March 14 – Grizzlies sign forward Reilly Connors. 

March 10 – Grizzlies acquire forward Griffin Ness and defenseman Grant Gabriele from the Toledo Walleye in exchange for forward Cole Gallant. 

March 10 – Goaltender Adam Scheel was recalled to Colorado (AHL). 

March 7 – Forward Briley Wood was reassigned to Utah from Colorado (AHL). 

March 5 - Grizzlies sign defenseman Andrius Kulbis-Marino and forward Reed Stark. 

March 4 – Grizzlies sign defenseman Luke LaMaster. 

March 4 – Goaltender Adam Scheel was reassigned to Utah from Colorado (AHL) by Colorado (NHL). 

March 4 – Forward Briley Wood was recalled to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. 

March 3 – Defenseman Dilan Savenkov was traded to the Savannah Ghost Pirates. 

February 28 – Grizzlies acquire defenseman Matt Araujo in a trade with Rapid City. 

February 26 – Defenseman Garrett Pyke was reassigned to Utah from Colorado (AHL). 

February 25 – Utah acquired defenseman Christian Hausinger in a trade with Atlanta. 

Grizzlies Sign Forward Reilly Connors 

The Utah Grizzlies have signed forward Reilly Connors. Connors played at St. Lawrence University during the 2024-25 season, scoring 2 goals and 7 assists in 35 games. Connors played at Yale University for three seasons from 2021-2024, serving as team captain during the 2023-24 campaign. Conners scored 12 goals and 14 assists in his time at Yale. 

He is a native of Madison, Connecticut. Connors will wear number 42 for the Grizzlies. He will be the 48^th different player to appear in a game for Utah this season. 

Grizzlies Acquire Ness and Gabriele from Toledo for Gallant 

The Utah Grizzlies have acquired forward Griffin Ness and Defenseman Grant Gabriele from the Toledo Walleye in exchange for forward Cole Gallant. 

Ness scored 11 goals and 11 assists in 59 games with the Walleye during his 2024-25 rookie campaign. He began his pro career by appearing in 2 games for the Maine Mariners towards the end of the 2023-24 season. Ness played at the University of North Dakota from 2020-2024, scoring 10 goals and 10 assists. Ness was the captain of the USHL’s Waterloo Black Hawks from 2018-2020. His brother, Tucker Ness, currently plays at Arizona State University. 

Gabriele played in 21 games with Toledo this season, scoring 3 goals and 6 assists. He is currently playing with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, where he has appeared in 15 games. Gabriele is listed at 6’2” and 196 pounds. Gabriele also has AHL experience with Hartford and Rochester as well as ECHL experience with the 2022-23 Maine Mariners, where he scored 9 goals and 16 assists in 67 games. 

Gallant had 6 goals and 26 assists in 58 games with Utah during the 2024-25 season. In 126 career games with the Grizzlies, he had 18 goals and 61 assists. 

Grizzlies Stats

#3 Craig Armstrong has 7 goals in his last 35 games and 3 goals in his last 21 contests. Armstrong is a +1 or better in 14 different games this season. 

#5 Derek Daschke is 4^th among league defensemen with 47 points (14g, 33a). Daschke has a point in 30 of 52 games this season. Daschke leads the club with 12 multiple point games. Daschke leads Utah with 19 power play points (8g, 11a). He is 2^nd among league d-men with 8 power play goals and is 3^rd in power play points. Daschke was a +6 in 12 games in January. Daschke's 14 goals are tied for 2nd among league defensemen. Daschke has 29 games of 3 or more shots. Daschke has 2 overtime game winning goals this season.

#6 Andrius Kulbis-Marino made his professional debut on March 7 vs Tulsa, where he had 1 shot on goal and 2 penalty minutes. 

#8 Keaton Mastrodonato has 6 goals and 14 assists in his last 23 games. Mastrodonato has a point in 14 of 21 home games he’s appeared in (8g, 19a). He has a point in 23 of 40 games this season and 2 or more points in 11 games this season. Mastrodonato has 4 or more shots in 17 different games this season. Keaton led Utah with a season high 10 shots vs Idaho on Feb. 1. 

#10 Mick Messner has 10 points (6g, 4a) in his last 16 games. Messner leads the club with 163 shots on goal. Messner has 7 multiple point games this season. He has appeared in 137 straight regular season games.. Mick has 11 power play points (5g, 6a). Messner was named captain of the Grizzlies on January 14, 2025.

#13 Dylan Fitze has 7 goals and 7 assists in 45 games this season. In 205 games with Utah Fitze has 57 goals and 55 assists. 

#14 Briley Wood has a point in 5 straight games and a goal in 3 of his last 5. Wood is 6th among league rookies with 42 points (19g, 23a). He is tied for the club lead in goals. Wood has 6 power play goals and 3 power play assists. Wood has a 14.4 shooting percentage (19 for 132). Wood had a point in 8 of 12 games in January. Wood led Utah with 8 shots on goal on Feb. 21 vs RC. He was recalled to Colorado (AHL) on March 4, 2025 and he made his AHL debut on March 5. Wood has appeared in all 59 games for Utah this season. 

#15 Aaron Aragon was a +1 in 3 games in January. Aragon has 5 goals and 5 assists in 41 games this season. In 100 games with Utah he has 15 goals and 11 assists.  

#16 Luke Manning had 4 goals and 5 assists in his last 18 games. Manning has 26 points this season (9g, 17a). Manning is a +8 in his last 19 games. 

#17 Reed Lebster has a point in 13 of his last 19 games (9g, 9a). Lebster has 3 or more shots in 26 different games this season. Lebster led Utah with 9 shots on goal on February 14 vs Idaho. Lebster led Utah with 14 points in February (7g, 7a). 

#19 Adam Berg has 5 goals and 6 assists this season. Berg had 2 assists and was a +3 vs RC on Feb. 21. Berg had 2 assists and was a +4 on March 1 at Tulsa.  

#22 Neil Shea has 29 points (14g, 15a) in 21 home games this season. Shea led Utah with 14 points in 12 games in January (4g, 10a). Shea has a point in 25 of 36 games this season and a goal in 16 of 36. Shea has 4 or more shots in 24 of 36 games this season. Shea has 106 shots on goal in 21 home games this season and overall is averaging 4.33 shots per game. Shea has missed 6 straight games with an upper body injury. 

#23 Kade Jensen was a +3 on January 25 vs Wichita and a +2 at Tulsa on February 7. Jensen has missed each of Utah’s last 8 games. 

#24 Luke LaMaster made his professional debut on March 7, 2025 vs Tulsa. 

#26 Tyson Upper has 1 goal and 1 assist in 29 games this season. 

#29 Reed Stark made his professional debut on March 7, 2025 vs Tulsa. 

#35 Vinny Duplessis has a standings point in 5 of his last 9 starts. Duplessis stopped 38 of 41 in Utah’s 8-3 win at Tulsa on March 1, 2025. 

#39 Jake Barczewski leads Utah with 10 wins. 

#41 Cody Corbett has a goal in 2 of his last 17 games. Corbett was a +3 vs Wichita on January 25. Corbett had 2 assists at Idaho on January 3, 2025. Corbett is out with an upper body injury. 

#43 Cooper Jones has a goal in 3 of his last 12 games. Jones has 4 goals and 5 assists in 26 games with Utah. Jones was a +3 for Utah on March 1, 2025. 

#51 Brayden Nicholetts made his pro debut on December 14, 2024 at Tahoe. Nicholetts scored his first pro goal in his home debut on February 22, 2025 vs RC. 

#61 Griffin Ness scored an assist in his Grizzlies debut on March 12 at Wichita. Ness had 11 goals and 11 assists in 59 games with Toledo. 

Utah Grizzlies 2024-2025 Roster

Forwards (15): Aaron Aragon, Craig Armstrong, Adam Berg, Reilly Connors, Dylan Fitze, Reed Lebster, Luke Manning, Keaton Mastrodonato, Mick Messner, Griffin Ness, Brayden Nicholetts, Neil Shea, Reed Stark, Tyson Upper, Blake Wells.  

Defenseman (10): Matt Araujo, Cody Corbett, Derek Daschke, Lincoln Erne, Christian Hausinger, Kade Jensen, Cooper Jones, Andrius Kulbis-Marino, Luke LaMaster, Garrett Pyke.  

Goaltenders (2): Jake Barczewski, Vincent Duplessis. 

2024-2025 Utah Grizzlies Regular Season Totals 

Overall record: 19-33-5-2

Home record: 10-16-4-1

Road record: 9-17-1-1

Win percentage: .381

Standings Points: 45

Last 10: 2-8

Streak: 0-4

Goals per game: 3.14 (Tied 14^th) Goals for: 185

Goals against per game: 4.14 (Tied 28^th) Goals Against: 244

Shots per game: 31.36 (11^th) 

Shots against per game: 34.71 (26^th)

Power Play: 37 for 190 – 19.5 % (Tied 13^th)

Penalty Kill: 126 for 177 – 71.2 % (29^th)

Penalty Minutes: 586. 9.93 per game. 

Shorthanded Goals: 6.  

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 6. 

Record When Scoring First: 12-6-2-2.

Opposition Scores First: 7-27-3. 

Record in One Goal Games: 7-6-5-2 

Games Decided Past Regulation: 5-0-5-2 

Team Leaders 

Goals: Neil Shea/Briley Wood (19) 

Assists: Derek Daschke (33) 

Points: Daschke (47) 

Plus/Minus: Daschke (+4) 

PIM: Andrew Nielsen (83) 

Power Play Points: Daschke (19)

Power Play Goals: Daschke (8) 

Power Play Assists: Keaton Mastrodonato (12)

Shots on Goal: Mick Messner (163) 

Shooting Percentage: Briley Wood (14.4 %) - Minimum 60 shots. 

Game Winning Goals: Daschke (3)

Wins: Jake Barczewski (10)

Save %: Jake Barczewski (.897) 

Goals Against Average: Barczewski (3.73) 

Streaks 

Goals: Cooper Jones, Keaton Mastrodonato (1)

Assists: Briley Wood (2) Luke Manning, Griffin Ness, Garrett Pyke (1) 

Points (2 or more): Wood (5) Manning (3) Jones (2)