
Friday Night Showdown at Maverik Center
November 10, 2023 - ECHL (ECHL)
Utah Grizzlies News Release
Grizzlies Gameday: Pooch on the Pond Night at Maverik Center
Wichita Thunder (4-5-1, 9 points, .450 Win %) at Utah Grizzlies (2-3, 4 points, .400 Win %)
Date: November 10, 2023 Venue: Maverik Center.
Game Time: 7:10 pm.
Streaming/TV: FloHockey - https://www.flohockey.tv/events/11053003-2023-wichita-thunder-vs-utah-grizzlies
Audio/Radio: Utah Grizzlies YouTube channel. - https://www.youtube.com/@THEUTAHGRIZZLIES
Tonight's Matchup
The Utah Grizzlies host the Wichita Thunder for the second of a 3 game series. It's the annual Pooch on the Pond night as well as Pride Night and AFCU Friday. Utah is 2-3 on the season with all 5 games being played at Maverik Center. Tonight is game 6 of a 7 game homestand for the Grizzlies. Utah is 10-1 vs Wichita in the Ryan Kinasewich era. Utah is 20-3 all-time vs Wichita at Maverik Center. Brandon Cutler has a point in 4 of his 5 games this season. Nathan Burke and Cutler are tied for the club lead with 5 points. Burke's 3 goals lead the team.
Games This Week
Wednesday, November 8, 2023 - Wichita 4 Utah 2 - Wichita goaltender Trevor Gorsuch stopped 29 of 31. Thunder forwards Peter Bates and Connor MacEachern each had 1 goal and 1 assist. Jordan Martel had 1 goal and 1 assist for Utah. Nathan Burke added his 3rd goal of the season. Utah outshot Wichita 31 to 28. Utah's Trent Miner saved 24 of 27. Utah was 0 for 3 on the power play. Wichita was 0 for 2.
Friday - Wichita at Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center. Third Annual Pride Night. Pooch on the Pond. AFCU Friday.
Saturday, November 11, 2023 - Wichita at Utah. 7:10 pm. Maverik Center.
Multiple Point Game for "The Rooster"
Jordan Martel scored 1 goal and 1 assist on Wednesday night in the 4-2 loss. It was his first multiple point game of the 2023-24 campaign. Last season Martel was 2nd on the club with 14 multiple point games. Martel has 2 goals and 1 assist in 5 games this season. He is tied for the club lead with a +1 rating. Last year Martel had 18 goals and 26 assists in 45 games with Utah after being acquired in a trade with Fort Wayne.
Transactions - Kyle Betts Loaned to Belleville
November 9 - Forward Kyle Betts was loaned to the AHL's Belleville Senators. Betts is tied for the club lead with 5 points (1 goal, 4 assists). Last season Betts played in 40 games with Belleville.
November 6 - Goaltender Trent Miner reassigned from Colorado to Utah.
November 3 - Goaltender Trent Miner was recalled by the AHL's Colorado Eagles on November 3.
October 31 - Brett Stapley was reassigned to the Grizzlies from the AHL's Colorado Eagles. Last season Stapley spent his first year as a professional with the ECHL's Trois-Rivieres Lions, where he scored 52 points (11 goals, 41 assists) in 57 games. Stapley signed an AHL contract with the Colorado Eagles for the 2023-2024 season.
October 30 - Defenseman Gianni Fairbrother and forward Ryan Sandelin were recalled to Colorado (AHL).
Individual Notes
Garrett Metcalf got his first professional shutout on October 22 in Utah's 1-0 win. Metcalf won the ECHL Goaltender of the Week award. Brandon Cutler has a point in 4 of his first 5 games of the season. Cutler leads the Grizzlies with 23 shots on goal. Tyler Penner has appeared in 149 straight regular season games since the start of the 2021-22 season. Cole Gallant scored his first goal in a Utah uniform on October 28. Dean Yakura scored an assist on October 28. At 38 years old he is the oldest player in Grizzlies history to score a point. Cory Thomas registered Utah's first fighting major of the season as he battled with Wichita's Xavier Pouliot.
Bear Bites (Grizzlies Team Notes)
Utah is the only team in the league who have not played a road game this season. Utah had a crowd of 6526 in their regular season opener on October 21. Utah is home for 10 of their first 13 games in the regular season. Utah has outshot opponents 53 to 47 in the third period(s). Utah is 10-1 vs Wichita over the last 2 plus seasons. Utah is averaging a league low 6.20 penalty minutes per game.
2023-2024 Utah Grizzlies Regular Season Totals (league rankings)
Overall record: 2-3
Home record: 2-3
Road record: 16-16-4 (2022-2023) - Grizz first road game is on November 15 at Iowa.
Win percentage: .400
Streak: Lost 3
Standings Points: 4
Last 10: 2-3
Goals per game: 2.60 (24st) Goals for: 13
Goals against per game: 3.20 (Tied 12th) Goals Against: 16
Shots per game: 30.20 (16th)
Shots against per game: 34.00 (19th)
Power Play: 2 for 16 - 12.5 % (25th)
Penalty Kill: 10 for 12 - 83.3 % (Tied 8th)
Penalty Minutes: 31. 6.20 per game. (fewest in the league)
Shorthanded Goals: 1
Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 1.
Record When Scoring First: 2-0. Utah was 24-7-1 last year.
Opposition Scores First: 0-3. Utah was 11-26-3 last year.
Record in One Goal Games: 1-1. Last year Utah played in 23 one goal games and had a 13-6-4 record.
SCORING 1ST 2ND 3RD OT/Shootout TOTAL
Utah Grizzlies 3 4 6 0 13
Opposition 4 5 7 0 16
Team Leaders
Goals: Nathan Burke (3)
Assists: Kyle Betts (4)
Points: Betts/Burke/Brandon Cutler (5).
Plus/Minus: Many at +1
PIM: Cory Thomas (5)
Power Play Points: Many tied with 1
Power Play Goals: Mayhew/Texeira (1)
Power Play Assists: Betts/Cutler/Gianni Fairbrother/Fitze (1).
Shots on Goal: Cutler (23).
Shooting Percentage: Kyle Betts/Kyle Mayhew (25.0 %)
Game Winning Goals: Cutler, Mayhew (1)
Wins: Garrett Metcalf/Trent Miner (1)
Save %: Metcalf (.931)
Goals Against Average: Metcalf (2.52)
Shutouts: Metcalf (1)
Multiple Point Games
Kyle Betts: 2
Nathan Burke: 1
Brandon Cutler: 1
Gianni Fairbrother:1
Jordan Martel: 1
Streaks
Goals: Nathan Burke/Jordan Martel (1)
Assists: Brandon Cutler/Martel/Dakota Raabe/Bryan Yoon (1)
Points - 2 or more: 0
Images from this story
![]() Utah Grizzlies face off with the Wichita Thunder (Lauren Henwood) |
ECHL Stories from November 10, 2023
- Rush Fall at Home 5-2 to Tulsa - Rapid City Rush
- Game Notes: November 10 - Rush vs. Tulsa Oilers - Rapid City Rush
- Heartlanders win another vs. Wings, 2-1 - Iowa Heartlanders
- Americans Fall a Little Short in Loss to KC - Allen Americans
- Thunder Can't Hold Lead in Loss to Utah - Wichita Thunder
- Oilers Secure Second Consecutive Road Win Over Rush - Tulsa Oilers
- Stingrays Fall to Gladiators in Overtime - South Carolina Stingrays
- Craggs, Fish Ride High-Powered Offense to Fourth Straight Win - Toledo Walleye
- Norfolk Fend off Adirondack in 6-3 Victory After Hot Start - Norfolk Admirals
- The Wind's in the Lions' Sails - Trois-Rivieres Lions
- Fuel Earn Point in High Scoring OT Thriller - Indy Fuel
- Steelheads Rally Back with Five Unanswered to Take Opener - Wheeling Nailers
- Ingham Stops 40, as Rabbits Remain Unbeaten at Home in 5-1 Win Over Florida - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Steelheads Score Five Unaswered in Victory for Seventh Straight Win - Idaho Steelheads
- Cyclones Top Fuel in OT, Extend Win-Streak to Three - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Rookie Forward Dominick Mersch Loaned to AHL Rochester - Jacksonville Icemen
- Mariners Fall Just Short Against Lions - Maine Mariners
- Growlers Shut Out Railers 4-0 - Worcester Railers HC
- Growlers Blank Railers 4-0 - Newfoundland Growlers
- Isley Scores First Pro Goal in Loss to Admirals - Adirondack Thunder
- Will Zmolek Reassigned to Reading by Philadelphia, Solag Bakich Traded to Allen for Future Considerations - Reading Royals
- ECHL Transactions - November 10 - ECHL
- Rookie Forward Dominick Mersch Loaned to AHL Rochester - Jacksonville Icemen
- Thunder Looks for Second Road Win Tonight in Utah - Wichita Thunder
- Winter Wonderland Free Ice Skating Returns to Santander Arena Starting November 17 - Reading Royals
- Friday Night Showdown at Maverik Center - Utah Grizzlies
- Goaltender Mitchell Gibson Re-Assigned to Hershey Bears - South Carolina Stingrays
- Zach O'Brien Returns with Growlers - Newfoundland Growlers
- Swamp Rabbits Game Preview: Swamp Rabbits vs Florida Everblades (7:05pm) - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent Utah Grizzlies Stories
- Utah Grizzlies 2024-25 Season in Review
- Grizzlies Finish 2024-25 Season with a 6-3 Road Victory
- Connors Scores Twice, Friesen Gets First Pro Goal in 5-2 Utah Win
- Utah Grizzlies Defenseman Derek Daschke Named First Team All-ECHL
- Fitze and Manning Scored for Utah in 3-2 Loss at Rapid City

