
Grizzlies Gameday: Final Game of 2024 Calendar Year at Maverik Center
December 28, 2024 - ECHL (ECHL)
Utah Grizzlies News Release
Rapid City Rush (7-14-4-3, 21 points, .375 point %) @ Utah Grizzlies (7-17-3, 17 points, .315 point %)
Date: December 28, 2024 Venue : Maverik Center Game Time: 7:10 pm.
Streaming : FloHockey - https://www.flohockey.tv/events/12620259-2024-rapid-city-rush-vs-utah-grizzlies?nav_id=75
Audio/Radio: Grizzlies YouTube channel. - https://www.youtube.com/@THEUTAHGRIZZLIES
Next Home Game: January 10, 2025 - Kansas City @ 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.
Saturday's Matchup
It's the fourth of ten regular season meetings between the Grizzlies and Rush. Utah swept Rapid City in a two-game series at The Monument, winning 4-3 in a shootout on October 25th and 5-2 on October 26th. Utah is 57-36-14 all-time vs Rapid City and 7-4-1 vs RC since the beginning of the 2023-24 season. Utah has scored a second period goal in 13 straight games. The last time the Grizzlies failed to score in the second period was on November 24 at Tulsa. Utah has 7 power play goals in their last 9 games.
Games This Homestand.
December 18, 2024 - Tahoe 7 Utah 6 - Utah got goals from 6 different forwards. Briley Wood got the tying goal with 3:54 left in the third period. Derek Daschke, Mick Messner and Andrew Nielsen each had 2 assists. Nielsen was a +2 to lead Utah. Utah outshot Tahoe 41 to 36. Utah went 1 for 2 on the power play, Tahoe was 1 for 1.
December 20, 2024 - Tahoe 3 Utah 6 - Vinny Duplessis saved 34 of 37 to earn his first pro win. Keaton Mastrodonato had 1 goal and 1 assist. Luke Manning, Andrew Nielsen and Bryan Yoon each had 2 assists. Craig Armstrong, Derek Daschke, Gianni Fairbrother, Mick Messner and Neil Shea each had 1 goal. Tahoe outshot Utah 37 to 27.
December 21, 2024 - Tahoe 4 Utah 6 - Neil Shea scored 3 goals and 1 assist in the victory. Gianni Fairbrother, Keaton Mastrodonato and Bryan Yoon each scored 1 goal and 1 assist. Tahoe outshot Utah 28 to 22. Utah was 1 for 3 on the power play and 3 for 3 on the penalty kill.
December 27, 2024 - Rapid City 6 Utah 3 - Neil Shea, Craig Armstrong and Dylan Fitze each scored a goal for Utah. Luke Mylymok had 2 goals and 1 assist and Braeden Tuck had 2 assists to lead the Rush. Utah outshot RC 42 to 26. Utah was 1 for 2 on the power play and 3 for 3 on the penalty kill.
December 28, 2024 - Rapid City at Utah - 7:10 pm. Maverik Center.
Grizzlies Star Performers
Derek Daschke has a point in 6 straight games and 11 of his last 12 contests. Daschke has a point or more in 16 of 20 games this season. Daschke leads Utah with 19 assists, 23 points and a +3 rating on the year.
Neil Shea has a goal in 8 of 10 games this season and a point in 9 of 10. Shea has 47 shots in 10 games this season and has a 21.3 shooting %. Shea registered Utah's first hat trick of the 2024-25 season with 3 goals and 1 assist vs Tahoe on Dec. 21, 2024. Shea has 3 or more shots in 9 of 10 games.
Keaton Mastrodonato has a point in 5 straight games and a goal in 4 of his last 5.
Gianni Fairbrother is tied for third for goals among defensemen (8). The captain has a goal in 2 straight games. Fairbrother was not in Utah's lineup on Dec. 27 vs RC.
Cole Gallant leads Utah forwards with 15 assists.
Briley Wood has 5 goals in his last 9 games and 11 points (6g, 5a) in his last 12 games. Wood has a point in 9 of his last 12 games.
Andrew Nielsen has 8 assists in 9 games for Utah.
Cole Fonstad has 7 assists in 9 games.
Utah is 7-5-2 when Bryan Yoon plays.
Grizzlies Team Notes
Utah has scored 21 goals in their last 4 games. Utah is 7-1-1 when they score 4 or more goals. Utah has a second period goal in 13 straight games. Utah is 5-0 when leading after 2 periods. Utah is 3-1 when leading after 1 period. Utah is 4-3-2 when outshooting opponents. Utah is 2-1-3 in one goal games. Utah is 4-3-2 when scoring first. 37 of their 81 goals this season came in the second period(s). Utah has 7 power play goals in their last 9 games.
Games vs Rapid City
October 25, 2024 - Utah 4 Rapid City 3 (Shootout) - Neil Shea, Bryan Yoon and Reed Lebster each scored a goal for Utah. Lebster added the shootout game winner. Utah outshot RC 45 to 35. Utah went 1 for 3 on the power play, Rapid City was 1 for 2. Adam Scheel saved 32 of 35 and 3 of 4 in the shootout.
October 26, 2024 - Utah 5 Rapid City 2 - Kade Jensen had 1 goal and 1 assist, Luke Manning had 2 assists and the Grizz also got goals from Cameron Buhl, Derek Daschke, Mick Messner and Neil Shea. Adam Scheel saved 33 of 35 in the win.
December 27, 2024 - Rapid City 6 Utah 3 - Neil Shea, Craig Armstrong and Dylan Fitze each scored a goal for Utah. Luke Mylymok had 2 goals and 1 assist and Braeden Tuck had 2 assists to lead the Rush. Utah outshot RC 42 to 26. Utah was 1 for 2 on the power play and 3 for 3 on the penalty kill.
Connor Mayer Reassigned to Grizzlies from AHL's Colorado Eagles
Defenseman Connor Mayer was reassigned to the Utah Grizzlies from the AHL's Colorado Eagles.
Mayer had 3 goals, 4 PIM and a +1 rating for Colorado this season.
He made his professional debut with the Grizzlies on April 3, 2024 vs Kansas City, where he had 1 assist. Mayer scored his first pro goal on April 5, 2024 vs KC. Mayer had 1 goal and 2 assists in 5 games with Utah last season.
Mayer played at Colorado College from 2019-2024, where he was a teammate for four seasons with Bryan Yoon. Mayer appeared in 159 games for Colorado College, scoring 7 goals and 25 assists.
Mayer will wear number 7 for the Grizzlies.
Recent Transactions - Connor Mayer Reassigned to Grizzlies
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).
December 12 - Grizzlies sign forward Brayden Nicholetts.
December 12 - Grizzlies release defenseman Kyle Pow.
December 12 - Forward Keaton Mastrodonato reassigned to Utah from Colorado (AHL).
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 (9): Cody Corbett, Derek Daschke, Kabore Dunn, 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: 7-17-3
Home record: 4-8-2
Road record : 3-9-1
Win percentage : .315
Standings Points : 17
Last 10 : 2-7-1
Streak : 0-1-0
Goals per game : 3.00 (14th) Goals for : 81
Goals against per game : 4.74 (29th) Goals Against : 128
Shots per game : 31.04 (12th)
Shots against per game : 34.48 (27th)
Power Play : 14 for 80 - 17.5 % (16st)
Penalty Kill : 41 for 68 - 60.3 % (29th)
Penalty Minutes : 275. 10.19 per game.
Shorthanded Goals : 2.
Shorthanded Goals Allowed : 1.
Record When Scoring First: 4-3-2.
Opposition Scores First : 3-14-1.
Record in One Goal Games : 2-1-3
Games Decided Past Regulation : 2-0-3
Team Leaders
Goals : Neil Shea (10)
Assists : Derek Daschke (19)
Points : Daschke (23)
Plus/Minus : Daschke (+3)
PIM : Andrew Nielsen (34)
Power Play Points : Daschke (7)
Power Play Goals : Shea/Briley Wood (3)
Power Play Assists : Daschke (6)
Shots on Goal : Mick Messner (79)
Shooting Percentage : Neil Shea (21.3 %) - Minimum 40 shots.
Game Winning Goals : Cameron Buhl/Derek Daschke/Gianni Fairbrother/Kade Jensen/Keaton Mastrodonato/Bryan Yoon (1)
Wins : Adam Scheel (5)
Save %: Scheel (.885)
Goals Against Average : Scheel (3.98)
Streaks
Goals: Neil Shea (3) Gianni Fairbrother (2) Craig Armstrong, Dylan Fitze (1)
Assists: Mastrodonato (3) Derek Daschke (2) Cole Gallant, Cade Neilson (1)
Points (2 or more): Daschke (6) Mastrodonato (5) Shea (4) Fairbrother (2)
Multiple Point Games
6 - Derek Daschke
4 - Mick Messner, Briley Wood
3 - Luke Manning, Andrew Nielsen, Neil Shea.
2 - Aaron Aragon, Gianni Fairbrother, Cole Gallant, Reed Lebster, Keaton Mastrodonato, Bryan Yoon.
1 - Cameron Buhl, Dylan Fitze, Cole Fonstad, Kade Jensen, Cade Neilson.
ECHL Stories from December 28, 2024
- Barczewski Earns First Pro Win as Utah Defeats Rapid City 5-3 - Utah Grizzlies
- Bison Surge Late But Lose to Kalamazoo - Bloomington Bison
- Americans Fall to KC in Front of a Sellout Crowd - Allen Americans
- Mavericks Take Down Americans 4-2 to Sweep Weekend Series - Kansas City Mavericks
- John Muse Dazzles for Worcester Crowd One Last Time - Worcester Railers HC
- Cyclones Fall Short Against Komets, Lose 4-1 - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Cody Sylvester Notches 500th Career Point as Glads Win 3-1 Over Norfolk - Atlanta Gladiators
- K-Wings' Special Teams Shine Over Bison, Earn 4th Straight Win - Kalamazoo Wings
- Icemen Blank Swamp Rabbits Behind Close's 32 Saves - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Nailers Hunt Down Heartlanders, 6-2 - Wheeling Nailers
- Fuel Sell Out Saturday Night in Loss to Toledo - Indy Fuel
- Hawkins Tallies Two in Dominant Win in Indy - Toledo Walleye
- Thunder Blanks Steelheads to Close 2024 Home Schedule - Wichita Thunder
- Norfolk Drops Saturday Night Contest Against Atlanta - Norfolk Admirals
- Steelheads Shut Out in Wichita, 5-0 - Idaho Steelheads
- Nailers Defeat Heartlanders in Wheeling, 6-2 - Iowa Heartlanders
- Blades Erupt Early and Slay Bears 4-2 - Florida Everblades
- Mariners Break Attendance Record vs. Thunder - Maine Mariners
- Stingrays Fall 5-1 to Ghost Pirates - South Carolina Stingrays
- Gulka, Smith Propel Thunder to 2-1 Win in Maine - Adirondack Thunder
- Michael Bullion Signs Professional Tryout with Bridgeport Islanders - Worcester Railers HC
- ECHL Transactions - December 28 - ECHL
- Grizzlies Gameday: Final Game of 2024 Calendar Year at Maverik Center - Utah Grizzlies
- Mason Emoff Called up from SPHL Fayetteville - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- ECHL Announces Fines, Suspensions - ECHL
- Justin Gill Returned on Loan to Railers from Bridgeport Islanders - Worcester Railers HC
- Djibril Touré Reassigned by Ottawa Senators to Belleville Senators - Orlando Solar Bears
- Rush Game Notes: December 28, 2024 at Utah Grizzlies - Rapid City Rush
- Wichita Hosts Idaho Tonight in Final Home Game of 2024 - Wichita Thunder
- Eric Neiley Skates Away the Overtime Hero, as Glads Down 'Bits 6-5 - Atlanta Gladiators
- White out Night in Allen as the Americans Host KC - Allen Americans
- Lions Return to Winning Ways - Trois-Rivieres Lions
- Knight Monsters Drop Thriller in OT Against Tulsa - Tahoe Knight Monsters
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