Grizzlies Gameday: New Year’s Eve in Wichita

Utah Grizzlies (12-13-2, 26 points, .481 point %) @ Wichita Thunder (11-11-2-2, 26 points, .500 point %)  

Date: December 31, 2025  Venue: INTRUST Bank Arena Game Time: 5:05 pm

Streaming: FloHockey – https://www.flohockey.tv/events/14324167-2025-utah-grizzlies-vs-wichita-thunder

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

Next Game: January 2, 2026 – Utah at Wichita. INTRUST Bank Arena. 6:05 pm.

Next Home Game: January 16, 2026, Kansas City at Utah. Maverik Center. 7:10 pm.  

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

Wednesday’s Matchup

It’s the final game for the Grizzlies during the 2025 calendar year. Utah has a power play goal in 16 of their last 21 games. Utah has scored 20 goals in their last 4 games. The Grizzlies have been a solid road team this season with a record of 9-6-1 away from home, outscoring opponents 59 to 51. It’s the third meeting this season between Utah and Wichita. Utah split a two game series at Wichita on November 6-7, losing 6-4 on November 6 and winning 2-0 on November 7^th on a 29 save shutout from Kyle Keyser. Watch out for Evan Friesen, who is on a current 6 game point streak 5g, 3a).

Games This Road Trip

Friday, December 19, 2025 – Utah 7 Kansas City 4 – Reed Lebster had 2 goals and 1 assist. Robbie Stucker had 1 goal and 2 assists. Maxim Barbashev had 1 goal and 1 assist. Noah Ganske and Luke Manning each had 2 assists. Danny Dzhaniyev, Evan Friesen and Neil Shea each scored a goal. Ganske and Stucker were each a +4. KC outshot Utah 41 to 30. Dylan Wells stopped 37 of 41 as he earned his 6^th win of the season. Utah scored a season high 7 goals.

Saturday, December 20, 2025 – Utah 2 Kansas City 3 – Tyler Gratton and Evan Friesen scored goals 26 seconds apart late in the third period. Friesen led Utah with 5 shots on goal. KC outshot Utah 42 to 26. Utah was 1 for 3 on the power play and 2 for 2 on the penalty kill. Dylan Wells saved 39 for 42.

Sunday, December 21, 2025 – Utah 7 Tulsa 4 – Utah scored 6 goals in the third period. Danny Dzhaniyev had 3 goals and 1 assist. Stepan Timofeyev had 1 goal and 3 assists. Reilly Connors and Evan Friesen each had 1 goal and 2 assists. Reed Lebster had 1 goal. Dylan Wells stopped 28 of 32 for Utah. Grizz went 1 for 6 on the power play, Tulsa was 2 for 2. Utah outshot Tulsa 45 to 32.

Wednesday, December 31, 2025 – Utah at Wichita. 5:05 pm. INTRUST Bank Arena.

Friday, January 2, 2026 – Utah at Wichita. 6:05 pm. INTRUST Bank Arena.

Saturday, January 3, 2026 – Utah at Wichita. 5:05 pm. INTRUST Bank Arena.

Friday, January 9, 2026 – Utah at Tahoe. 8:00 pm. Tahoe Blue Event Center.

Saturday, January 10, 2026 – Utah at Tahoe. 8:00 pm. Tahoe Blue Event Center.

Sunday, January 11, 2026 – Utah at Tahoe. 4:00 pm. Tahoe Blue Event Center.

All Times Mountain.

Who’s Been Hot in December

It’s the final game for the Grizzlies in December. Utah has a record of 4-5 in the month. There were 8 players who appeared in every game in December (Up to Dec. 31).

Danny Dzhaniyev has 4 goal and 8 assists in 9 games in December. Dzhaniyev leads Utah with 25 points (9g, 16a). Luke Manning has 1 goal and 6 assists in his last 5 games. Manning missed the last 2 games with an injury. Jack Ricketts (3g, 6a) has 9 points in his last 7 games. Ricketts has missed the last 6 games. Reed Lebster leads Utah with 14 goals and 4 game winning goals. Evan Friesen has a point in 6 straight games (5g, 3a). Friesen is a +7 in his last 5 games.

December Team Leaders

Goals: Evan Friesen/Reed Lebster (5)

Assists: Danny Dzhaniyev (8)

Points: Dzhaniyev (12)

Shots: Dzhaniyev (34)

Plus/Minus: Friesen (+7)

Wins: Dylan Wells (3)

2025 Year in Review

The Utah Grizzlies have a record of 29-35-5-2 during the 2025 calendar year. The Grizzlies got wins by 5 different goaltenders in 2025, led by Jake Barczewski (15). Defenseman Derek Daschke was named first team all-league for the 2024-25 season.

Grizzlies 2025 Leaders

Games: Reed Lebster (70) – Lebster has appeared in all but one game for Utah during the 2025 calendar year.

Goals: Lebster (26) Luke Manning, Keaton Mastrodonato (15), Neil Shea (14) Derek Daschke (13).

Assists: Lebster (28) Manning, Shea (25) Mastrodonato (24) Daschke (20)

Shots: Lebster (187) Shea (178) Mastrodonato (145) Daschke (129)

Plus/Minus: Cole Gallant (+11).

Wins: Jake Barczewski (15). 

Shutouts: Kasimir Kaskisuo, Kyle Keyser, Dylan Wells (1). 

Grizzlies Among League Leaders

Reed Lebster is tied for second in the league with 4 game winning goals. Lebster is tied for fifth in the league with 14 goals. Danny Dzhaniyev is tied for the league lead among rookies with 25 points (9g, 16a). Dzhaniyev is second with 16 assists, second with 96 shots on goal and is tied for second among rookies with 7 power play assists. Aiden Hansen-Bukata is tied for third among rookies with 7 power play assists. Jack Ricketts is tied for 9^th among rookies with 16 points (8g, 8a).

Player Notes 

Maxim Barbashev took a career high 6 shots at Tulsa on December 21. Barbashev scored his first multiple point game as a pro with 1 goal and 1 assist at KC on December 19.

Aiden Hansen-Bukata is 5^th among rookies with 12 assists and is tied for 2^nd with 7 power play assists.

Reilly Connors had 1 goal and 2 assists on December 21 at Tulsa.

Danny Dzhaniyev is tied for the league lead for points among rookies with 25 (9g, 16a). Dzhaniyev has 2 hat tricks on the season (Oct. 30 vs Jacksonville, Dec. 21 at Tulsa). Dzhaniyev leads Utah with 7 multiple point games. Dzhaniyev has 12 points (4g, 8a) in 9 games in December. Danny is second among league rookies with 96 shots on goal. 

Colby Enns is a +5 in his last 5 games.

Christophe Fillion has 2 goals in 9 games for Utah. His first pro goal was a game winner at Tulsa on Nov. 22.

Christian Felton has a point in 4 of his last 8 games.

Evan Friesen has a point in 6 straight games (5g, 3a). Friesen had 1 goal and 2 assists at Tulsa on Dec. 21. Friesen is a +8 in 9 games in December. 

Noah Ganske had 2 assists and was a +4 at KC on Dec. 19.

John Gelatt has a point in 4 of 9 games in December.

Tyler Gratton has a point in 12 of 21 games this season. Gratton had 8 points (3g, 5a) in 8 games in November.

Kyle Keyser has a 2.41 GAA and a .914 save percentage this season. 

Rilen Kovacevic last played on Nov. 15 at Idaho. Kovacevic leads Utah with 37 penalty minutes.

Reed Lebster leads Utah with 14 goals (5^th in the league) and is among league leaders with 4 game winning goals.

Luke Manning (1g, 6a) has 7 points in his last 5 games. Manning has missed the last 2 games due to injury.

Jack Ricketts has a point in 14 of his last 21 games. Ricketts has 9 points (3g, 6a) in his last 7 games. Ricketts has missed the last 6 games due to injury.

Luc Salem has 1 goal and 5 assists this season.

Neil Shea has a point in 13 of his last 16 games. Shea has 45 shots on goal in his last 9 games.

Robbie Stucker has 6 points (1g, 5a) in his last 4 games. Stucker is a +4 in his last 4 games.

Stepan Timofeyev scored 1 goal, 3 assists and was a +4 at Tulsa on Dec. 21. Timofeyev scored 2 goals and 1 assist at Allen on December 6.

Saige Weinstein has 1 goal, 1 assist and 18 shots on goal this season.

Avery Winslow has appeared in 7 games this season and has 2 shots on goal. Winslow last played on December 6 at Allen.

Team Notes

Grizzlies have a third period goal in 10 straight games. Utah has 18 third period goals in their last 10 games. Utah scored 6 goals in the third period at Tulsa on December 21. That’s the most Utah has scored in the third period of a game in team history. There are 8 players who have scored their first pro goals this season (Danny Dzhaniyev, Colby Enns, Christian Felton, Christophe Fillion, John Gelatt, Aiden Hansen-Bukata, Connor Kelley, Jack Ricketts). Utah has shutouts from 3 different goaltenders (Dylan Wells, Kyle Keyser, Kasimir Kaskisuo). The last time the Grizzlies had 3 goalies get a shutout in the same season was the 2015-16 season. It's the third time in Utah's ECHL era where they have had a season where 3 goalies each got a shutout. Utah is 27 for 31 on the penalty kill over their last 9 games. Utah is averaging 34.5 shots per game in their last 12 games (415). Utah has a power play goal in 16 of their last 21 games. Utah is 5-2-1 on Saturdays this season. Utah is 9-4-1 when scoring first and 8-0-1 when leading after 2 periods. Utah is 9-6-1 on the road this season, outscoring opponents 58 to 51. Utah is 11-2-2 when leading or tied after 2 periods. Utah is 11-4 when scoring 3 or more goals.  

Recent Transactions 

December 29 – Goaltender Kyle Keyser reassigned to Utah.

December 21 – Forward Daniel Amesbury traded to Adirondack for cash considerations.

December 19 – Goaltender Kyle Keyser recalled to Colorado (AHL).

December 19 – Goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo suspended by team.

December 16 – Forward Griffin Ness was traded to Kalamazoo to complete the future considerations part of the deal when Utah acquired Luc Salem on August 19.

December 10 – Goaltender Kyle Keyser, forwards Reilly Connors and Cooper Gay were reassigned to Utah from the AHL’s Colorado Eagles.

December 10 – Grizzlies Acquire defenseman Robbie Stucker in a trade with Reading for Ty Voit.

Two Hat Tricks for Danny Dzhaniyev

Utah’s Danny Dzhaniyev scored his first 3 professional goals in Utah’s 6-4 victory over Jacksonville. Dzhaniyev recorded his second hat trick in a Utah uniform on December 21 at Tulsa. It’s the ninth time since the 2006-07 season where a player has recorded two or more hat tricks in the same season.

Dzhaniyev is a first year pro out of Penn State. The Brooklyn native scored 34 goals and 59 assists in four seasons at Penn State and he was part of Penn State’s 2025 Frozen Four team.

Reed Lebster scored three goals at Idaho on October 24. Last season Utah had only one hat trick and that was Neil Shea, who scored three goals vs Tahoe on December 21, 2024 in a 6-4 Utah win. Utah has had 61 hat tricks since the beginning of the 2006-07 season. Utah had 11 hat tricks in the 2007-08 campaign. The second most three goal games in the ECHL era is 6, which was set in the shortened 2019-20 season.

2025-2026 Utah Grizzlies Regular Season Totals  

Overall record: 12-13-2 

Home record: 3-7-1 

Road record: 9-6-1 

Win percentage: .481

Standings Points: 26

Last 10: 5-5

Streak: 1-0

Goals per game: 3.22 (10^th)   Goals for: 87

Goals against per game: 3.30 (23^rd) Goals Against: 89

Shots per game: 32.04 (8^th) Total Shots: 865

Shots against per game: 30.81 (19^th) Total Shots: 832

Power Play: 21 for 107– 19.6 % (10^th)   

Penalty Kill: 71 for 87 – 81.6 % (19^th)

Penalty Minutes: 264. 9.78 per game.  

Shorthanded Goals: 4.  

Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 4. 

Record When Scoring First: 9-4-1. 

Opponent Scores First: 3-9-1.  

Record in One Goal Games: 3-3-2 

Games Decided Past Regulation: 0-0-2 

Attendance per game: 3,829.   

Team Leaders  

Goals: Reed Lebster (14) 

Assists: Danny Dzhaniyev (16)

Points: Dzhaniyev (25)  

Plus/Minus: Colby Enns (+6)

PIM: Rilen Kovacevic (37)  

Power Play Points: Dzhaniyev (8) 

Power Play Goals: Neil Shea (4)

Power Play Assists: Dzhaniyev/Hansen-Bukata (7)  

Shots on Goal: Danny Dzhaniyev (96) 

Shooting Percentage: Jack Ricketts (17.4 %) – Minimum 20 shots 

Game Winning Goals: Lebster (4)

Wins: Dylan Wells (7)

Save %: Keyser (.914) 

Goals Against Average: Keyser (2.41) 

Shutouts: Kaskisuo, Keyser, Wells (1)  

Streaks 

Goals: Evan Friesen (4) Reilly Connors, Danny Dzhaniyev, Reed Lebster, Stepan Timofeyev (1)

Assists: Luke Manning (2) Connors, Dzhaniyev, Colby Enns, Friesen, John Gelatt, Luc Salem, Timofeyev (1)

Points (2 or more): Friesen (6) Manning (2)