GAME NOTES: 12/6 vs UTAH

REGULAR SEASON GAME  TWENTY-THREE - 12/6/2019

Rapid City Rush vs Utah Grizzlies - 7:05 p.m. MDT

Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Ice Arena

THIS SEASON

Utah: 19gp, 8-8-2-1, 19pts (6th Mountain)

• Last Game - 11/30 vs Florida (5-4 W/SO)

Rush: 22gp, 14-5-3-0, 31pts (T-2nd ECHL)

• Last Game - 11/30 @ Idaho (4-2 W)

HEAD TO HEAD - 2 of 13 Games Played

Utah: 0-1-1-0 (1pt)

• Power Play: 2.00% (3/15)
• Penalty Kill: 84.6% (11/13)
• Leading Scorer(s): Taylor Richart (2gp, 1g-1ast-2pts)

Rush: 2-0-0-0 (4pts)

• Power Play: 15.4% (2/13)
• Penalty Kill: 80.0% (12/15)
• Leading Scorer(s): Fiore/Phillips* (3pts Each)

NOTES

NOVEMBER IS DONE!: November proved to be quite a successful month for the Rush, allowing them to separate from the bottom of the Mountain Division just a slight bit. In 15 games in November, the Rush went 9-4-2-0, with 6 of those wins coming on home ice. The power play went just under 20% at 19.4% (13/67), and the team vaulted itself to sole possession of 1st in the entire ECHL at the conclusion of the month.

AWARD-WINNING PLAY: Earlier this week, it was announced that Giovanni Fiore was named Inglasco ECHL Player of the Week, while Tyler Coulter collected Howies Hockey Tape Rookie of the Month honors for his stellar play in November. Fiore doubled his point streak to six games with 4 goals, 3 assists, and 7 points in all three games with the Steelheads last week, while Coulter led all rookies with 7 goals, 9 assists, and 16 points in 15 November contests. Fiore is the first player to earn a weekly recognition since Adam Carlson earned Goaltender of the Week in early March of last season. Coulter, on the other hand, is the first player in Rush history to win a monthly ECHL award.

A CHANCE FOR HISTORY: Tonight, the Rush enter their first of two games against the Utah Grizzlies on an 8-game home winning streak, which tied the longest stretch in team history set in the 2011-12 CHL season. If the Rush win tonight, they’ll not only remain the last undefeated team in the ECHL on home ice, but they’ll also set a new record for most consecutive wins in Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Ice Arena.

CONTINUED SUCCESS: Against the Grizzlies, the Rush have had great success, regardless of their finish in the standings over the last two-plus seasons. With a win tonight, Rush Head Coach Daniel Tetrault will improve to a record of 20-7-0-1 against Utah since being named the Head Coach in the 2017-18 season. Additionally, the Rush are on an active 11-game point streak and 6-game winning streak in Rapid City, only suffering a loss ONCE in those games by virtue of a shootout on November 30, 2018 with a 4-3 final score.

WE’RE GOING STREAKING!: Four players carry statistical streaks into the start of December against Utah

• Peter Quenneville - has points in eight straight games, and assists in five straight (8gp, 7g-8ast-15pts)
• Giovanni Fiore - has points in six straight games (6gp, 4g-6ast-10pts)
• Tyler Coulter - has points in five straight games (5gp, 4g-3ast-7pts)
• Stephane Legault - has assists and points in three straight games (3gp, 2g-3ast-5pts)