RUSH COME UP SHORT IN UTAH, 5-2

(WEST VALLEY CITY, Ut.) – Stephen Baylis netted his team-leading fourth goal of the season and Alec Butcher picked up a goal and an assist but the Rapid City Rush were defeated by the Utah Grizzlies, 5-2, Friday night at the Maverik Center.

Rapid City opened the scoring late in the first period while working on a power play. Max Coatta fired a shot from the high slot towards the right post where Baylis had inside position. Baylis deflected the puck past Peyton Jones and the Rush took the lead, 1-0.

But Utah evened things up early in the second as Trey Bradley gathered a loose puck in front of the net and slung it past Lukas Parik. The Grizzlies then cashed in on a 5-on-3 power play with a goal from Andrew Nielsen that made it 2-1.

The Rush tied the game 40 seconds into the third while on another power play when Coatta teed up Alec Butcher for a wrist shot that he darted top shelf on Jones to even the score at two. Utah then cracked back with three unanswered goals to finish the game as Neil Robinson, Brian Bowen and Brandon Cutler all tallied in the third, helping the Grizzlies to a 5-2 victory.

Baylis and Butcher each had a goal and an assist, Coatta picked up two assists and Parik stopped 32 of the 37 shots he faced. The Rush fell to 2-2-1 while Utah won its fifth-straight game and improved to 5-2-0.

Rapid City will complete its weekend road trip by taking on the Grizzlies again on Saturday night. Puck drop at the Maverik Center is scheduled for 7:10 P.M.

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