Grizzlies Gameday: Rubber Match in the Black Hills
January 7, 2023 - ECHL (ECHL)
Utah Grizzlies News Release
It's the rubber match of the three-game series at Rapid City. It's the 5th of 10 meetings this season between the clubs. Utah is 2-2 vs RC this season. Utah split a 2-game set at Maverik Center in the first weekend of the season and they have split the first 2 games this weekend at The Monument.
Cameron Wright scored 2 goals in Utah's 6-4 win last night. Wright leads all Grizzlies forwards with 23 points this season (7 goals, 16 assists).
Games This Week
Thursday, January 5, 2023 - Utah 2 Rapid City 5 - Cameron Wright had 1 goal and 1 assist. Tarun Fizer had 2 assists. Trent Miner saved 36 of 41. Rory Kerins had 2 goals. Ilya Nikolaev and Matt Marcinew each had 1 goal and 1 assist. Rapid City outshot Utah 41 to 31.
Friday, January 6, 2023 - Utah 6 Rapid City 4 - Dylan Fitze had 2 goals and 1 assist. Cameron Wright had 2 goals. Keaton Jameson had 1 goal and 1 assist. Garrett Metcalf saved 26 of 30 in the win to go to 6-1 on the season.
Saturday - Utah at Rapid City. 7:05 pm. The Monument.
- Cameron Wright has 3 goals and 1 assist and 13 shots on goal in the first 2 games of the series. Wright has 6 points (3 goals, 3 assists) in 4 games vs RC this season.
- Dylan Fitze and Keaton Jameson each has 2 goals and 1 assist in the 2 games this series.
- Tarun Fizer has 3 goals and 2 assists in 4 games vs RC this season.
You can catch every game on FloHockey and audio on the Grizzlies YouTube channel.
All times Mountain.
Games Next Week
Friday, January 13, 2023 - Utah at Idaho. 7:10 pm. Idaho Central Arena.
Saturday, January 14, 2023 - Utah at Idaho. 7:10 pm. Idaho Central Arena.
Cameron Wright Has Shined in First Pro Season
Cameron Wright earned his 4th game winning goal of the season on January 6 at Rapid City. Wright leads all league rookies with 107 shots. Wright leads Grizzlies forwards with 9 power play points (2 goals, 7 assists). Wright is tied for the club lead with 6 multiple point games.
Tyler Penner Played in 102th Consecutive Game
Forward Tyler Penner appeared in his 100th consecutive game for the Grizzlies on January 6 at Rapid City. Penner appeared in all 72 games in the 2021-2022 season, scoring 13 goals and 20 assists. This season Tyler has played in all 30 games, scoring 6 goals and 1 assist.
Recent Transaction
January 3, 2023 - Garrett Metcalf Returns to Club, Grizz Release Goaltender Eric Dop - Metcalf appeared in 5 games with San Diego. He got a win on December 23, 2022 for the Gulls at Tucson, where he saved 27 of 29. Metcalf has a record of 6-1 with a .907 save percentage and a 3.29 goals-against-average for Utah this season. Metcalf has previous AHL experience with Lehigh Valley and was in training camp with the Calgary Hitmen.
Grizzlies Player Trends
Cameron Wright - Wright leads all rookies with 107 shots on goal. Wright leads Utah with 4 game winning goals. Wright leads all Utah forwards in points (23) and power play assists (7).
Tarun Fizer - Fizer was a +2 in 4 games in December. He scored 3 goals vs Rapid City in the first 2 games of the regular season. He had 1 goal vs the Rush on October 21st and 2 goals in a 3-2 win vs Rapid City on October 22nd. Fizer has 3 goals and 2 assists in 4 games vs RC this season.
Dylan Fitze - Fitze has a point in 7 of his last 17 games. Fitze got his first multiple point game this season with 2 goals and 1 assist at RC on Jan. 6.
Cam Strong - Strong has a goal in 3 of his last 5 games.
Jordan Martel - Scored his first goal of the season on Dec. 28 vs Idaho. It was his 3rd professional goal as he scored 2 goals for Fort Wayne vs Wheeling on April 16, 2022. Martel has 5 points (1 goal, 4 assists) in 9 games with Utah. Martel has 32 shots in 9 games.
Dakota Raabe - Raabe has a point in 11 of his last 17 games (5 goals, 10 assists). On December 21 Raabe had 2 goals and 1 assist at Idaho. Raabe has an assist in 5 of his last 8 home games.
Keaton Jameson - Jameson has 7 points (5 goals, 2 assists) in his last 9 games. Jameson got the Gordie Howe Hat Trick with 2 goals, 1 assist and 1 fight on December 17 vs KC. It was his first multiple point game since April 16, 2022 vs Idaho in the regular season finale.
Andrew Nielsen - Nielsen has a point in 7 of his last 13 games (3 goals, 8 assists). Nielsen has a point in 13 of his 25 games. Nielsen was named to the 2023 ECHL Western Conference All-Star team.
Johnny Walker - Walker has 4 goals and 3 assists in his last 7 games. He has 9 goals in his last 17 games. Walker leads all league rookies with 85 penalty minutes (2nd most in the league). 5 of his 9 goals have come on the power play. Walker has 2 games with 2 goals this season (November 5 at Kansas City, December 2 at Idaho). Walker is tied among all league rookies with 5 power play goals. Johnny has missed each of the last 7 games due to injury.
Tyler Penner - Penner has 5 goals and 1 assist in his last 15 games. Penner has a goal in 4 of his last 7 home games. Penner appeared in his 100th consecutive game with the Grizzlies on December 31st.
Zach Tsekos - Tsekos made his first appearance for Utah since November 27 vs Trois Rivieres. Tsekos spent most of the month of December in the AHL, where he played in 6 games with Colorado. Tsekos has a point in 4 of his last 5 games for Utah (2 goals, 4 assists). Tsekos leads all forwards in Plus/minus (+3). Zach leads Utah with a 21.1 shooting percentage (8 for 38). Tsekos suffered an injury on December 30 vs Idaho and is expected to miss a few weeks.
Bear Bites: Grizzlies Team Notes
Utah is 27 for 110 on the power play over the last 24 games. Utah is 5-3 in one goal games. Utah is 9-3 when scoring first. Utah is 4-0 when leading after 1 period. Utah is 9-1 when leading after 2 periods. Utah is 2-0 in overtime this season.
Match-Up with Rapid City
Rapid City is led by former Grizzly Scott Burt, who was a teammate with Utah Head Coach Ryan Kinasewich in the 2007-08 season. Both men were tied for the team lead in points that season with 60. Burt had 27 goals and 33 assists and Kinasewich had 23 goals and 37 assists.
Matt Marcinew leads the Rush with 37 points (15 goals, 22 assists). Alex Aleardi has 31 points (11 goals, 19 assists) in 33 games. Rory Kerins is off to a good start in his first pro season with 27 points (13 goals, 14 assists) in 26 games. The starting goaltender for 26 of their 33 games has been Daniil Chechelev, who has a record of 15-8 with a 3.20 goals against average and a .914 save percentage.
2022-2023 Utah Grizzlies Regular Season Totals (league rankings)
Overall record: 12-18
Home record: 5-8
Road record: 7-10
Win percentage: .400
Streak: Won 1
Standings Points: 24
Last 10: 3-7
Goals per game: 2.70 (24th) Goals for: 81
Goals against per game: 3.63 (22nd) Goals Against: 109
Shots per game: 28.83 (25th)
Shots against per game: 34.10 (24th)
Power Play: 29 for 139 - 20.9 % (13th)
Penalty Kill: 97 for 122- 79.5 % (15th)
Penalty Minutes: 408. 13.60 per game.
Shorthanded Goals: 2. Utah had 2 shorthanded goals on Dec. 17 vs Kansas City.
Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 4.
Record When Scoring First: 9-3.
Opposition Scores First: 3-15.
Record in One Goal Games: 5-3.
SCORING 1ST 2ND 3RD OT TOTAL
Utah Grizzlies 20 34 25 2 81
Opposition 34 35 40 0 109
Team Leaders (2022-23 Regular season)
Goals: Johnny Walker (9).
Assists: Andrew Nielsen (20).
Points: Nielsen (24).
Plus/Minus: Zach Tsekos (+3).
PIM: Walker (85)
Power Play Points: Nielsen (15)
Power Play Goals: Walker (5)
Power Play Assists: Nielsen (13).
Shots on Goal: Cameron Wright (107).
Shooting Percentage: Tsekos (21.1 %) 8 for 38.
Game Winning Goals: Wright (4)
Wins: Garrett Metcalf (6)
Save %: Metcalf/Lukas Parik (.907).
Goals Against Average: Parik (3.23)
Active Streaks
Goal Streaks: Keaton Jameson, Cameron Wright (2) Dylan Fitze (1)
Assist Streaks: Jordan Martel (2) Victor Bartley, Fitze, Jameson, Connor McDonald, Dakota Raabe, Christian Simeone (1)
Point Streaks of 2 or more: Jameson, Martel, Wright (2).
ECHL Stories from January 7, 2023
- Grizz Get Standings Point in 3-2 OT Loss - Utah Grizzlies
- Royals Sweep Railers to Take Second Place in North Division - Reading Royals
- Thunder Falls in Overtime to Idaho, 3-2 - Wichita Thunder
- Coatta, Rush, Bury Grizzlies in OT, 3-2 - Rapid City Rush
- 11,813 Bears Rain Down on Throwback Night - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Oilers Rally in the Third to Beat the Americans 3-2 - Allen Americans
- Walleye Stun Komets, 8-2, on the Road - Toledo Walleye
- Jade Miller Scores Overtime Winner In 3-2 Final Over Wichita - Idaho Steelheads
- Kaczperski Is 'Money' for Iowa, 38 Saves in 3-1 Win - Iowa Heartlanders
- Nailers Silence Over 12,000 Fans In 3-2 Win At Cincinnati - Wheeling Nailers
- Oilers Overpower Americans in Front of 14,013 on Autism Awareness Night - Tulsa Oilers
- Wall Posts 40 Saves in Stingrays' Saturday Night Victory - South Carolina Stingrays
- Everblades Take Win Over Orlando On First Responders Night - Florida Everblades
- A Game to Forget - Trois-Rivieres Lions
- Growlers Get Revenge In 7-3 Win Over Lions - Newfoundland Growlers
- Watson Breaks Franchise Records - Indy Fuel
- Grizzlies Gameday: Rubber Match in the Black Hills - Utah Grizzlies
- Late Comeback Falls Short as Rabbits Fall to Jacksonville - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Wichita Plays Rubber Match Tonight vs. Idaho - Wichita Thunder
- ECHL Transactions - January 7 - ECHL
- ECHL Announces Fine, Suspension - ECHL
- Game Notes: vs Utah - Rapid City Rush
- Marcinew, Kerins and Nikolaev Called up to AHL Calgary - Rapid City Rush
- Game Preview: Stingrays at Ghost Pirates, January 7 at 7:00 PM - South Carolina Stingrays
- Blades Battle Solar Bears on First Responders Night - Florida Everblades
- Lions Looking to Make It Two Straight against the Growlers - Trois-Rivieres Lions
- Game Preview: Swamp Rabbits at Lizard Kings, January 7, 2023 - Jacksonville Icemen
- Royals Seek Series Sweep for Second Place in North Division - Reading Royals
- Americans Win Tight Battle in KC - Allen Americans
- Grizz Win 6-4 in the Black Hills - Utah Grizzlies
- Newton Nets OT Goal to Complete Royals' Comeback Win Over Railers, 5-4 - Reading Royals
- Thunder Reels in Steelheads on Friday Night - Wichita Thunder
- Grizzlies Win 6-4 in the Black Hills - Utah Grizzlies
- Coatta's Hat Trick Not Enough in 6-4 Loss to Utah - Rapid City Rush
- Coatta's Hat Trick Not Enough in 6-4 Loss to Utah - Rapid City Rush
- Indy Wins Again in Iowa on Historic Night - Indy Fuel
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