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    Stephen Kerr
    Stephen Kerr
    Feb 11, 2025, 19:55

    Utah's left winger has scored the overtime game-winning goal in each of the past two Saturdays.

    Utah's left winger has scored the overtime game-winning goal in each of the past two Saturdays.

    Photo Courtesy of Utah Grizzlies - Grizzlies' Neil Shea Is 'Mr. Saturday'

    Neil Shea has a serious case of Saturday night fever, and he’s not looking for a cure.

    The Utah Grizzlies left winger has turned the last two Saturday games into his personal playground, scoring the overtime game-winner in each for a pair of 4-3 Utah victories.

    In the Grizzlies’ overtime win over Idaho at the Maverik Center Feb. 1, Shea notched the game-winner 2:46 into the extra frame.

    A season-high crowd of 9,375 went home happy when the Marshfield, Mass. Native scored from the right wing to give Utah its first OT game-winner since Nov. 16, 2024 in Allen. That night, Derek Daschke tallied the GWg against the Americans.

    Shea delivered again the following Saturday, this time potting the overtime winner on the road in Tulsa against the Oilers.

    The 6-foot-1, 201-pound left-shot forward raced past two Tulsa defenders and sent a rocket past goaltender Vyacheslav Buteyets just seven seconds into the bonus period, helping Utah take two of three games at the BOK Center.

    In 28 games with the Grizzlies this season, Shea has 18 goals, matching his career high. He scored 18 in 64 games for the Newfoundland Growlers during the 2023-24 season.

    Shea earned Inglasco ECHL Player of the Week honors for Dec. 1622, 2024. That week, he scored four goals and added two assists to help Utah take two of three games from a red-hot Tahoe Knight Monsters team.

    During his ECHL career, Shea has recorded 71 points (36-35-71) over 92 games. In 15 career AHL games with Colorado, Toronto and Chicago, he tallied five points (2-3-5).

    Before turning pro, Shea posted 67 points (27-40-67) in 123 career collegiate games with Sacred Heart University and Northeastern University.

    Shea played junior hockey in the USHL with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders and Chicago Steel, totaling 45 points (16-29-45) over 62 games.

    The Grizzlies (16-24-5) finish a four-game road swing Tuesday night in Wichita against the Thunder (26-16-4). It’s the only Tuesday game for the Grizzlies all season.

    The game is the seventh of nine meetings between the two teams, with the Grizzlies going just 1-4-0-1 in the previous six matchups. However, they are 11-8-1-1 over their last 21 games and have averaged 3.72 goals over the last 22 contests.

    The Thunder return home for the first time since mid-January to start a four-game homestand. Puck drop for Tuesday is set for 7:05 Pm CT.