GAME NOTES: 12/27/21 vs Utah

GAME #27 vs Utah

12/27/21 | The Monument Ice Arena | 7:05 P.M.

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LAST TIME OUT: Lukas Parik made 26 saves on 28 shots but the Rush offense never got going as Rapid City was shut out by the Idaho Steelheads, 3-0, on Sunday, December 19 at the Idaho Central Arena.

SPRINT TO 2022: After taking an eight-day holiday break, the Rush return to action on Monday night for the first of four games in six days, culminating on New Year’s Day on Saturday night. Rapid City will play Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night, all at home and all against the Utah Grizzlies.

BACK AND FORTH: Rush center Logan Nelson was called up by the AHL Tucson Roadrunners on December 18 and then returned to the Rush on December 21 without having appeared in a game. Nelson is the ECHL’s league leader in assists with 22 and leads the Rush and is third in the league with 31 points.

A TOUGH TEST: Utah enters Monday night’s game having won six consecutive games and sitting alone in first place in the ECHL Mountain Division. The Grizzlies have outscored their opponents, 26-10, during their winning streak. Utah has been paced offensively by Trey Bradley, who has four goals and 14 assists in 13 games around appearances in the AHL with the Colorado Eagles, and Brandon Cutler, who has ten goals and 17 assists in 23 games.

THE MATCHUP: Rapid City and Utah have met twice thus far this season, with the Rush dropping a pair of games at the Maverik Center in West Valley City, 5-2 and 4-3. Monday’s game is the third of 12 scheduled meetings between the Rush and the Grizzlies this season and the first of seven that will be played in Rapid City.

BANGED UP: Rapid City placed defenseman Chase Harrison on injured reserve on Monday morning and activated winger Zach Court off the reserve list. Harrison has appeared in 23 games for Rapid City and has three goals and five assists. The fifth-year pro is third among Rush defensemen with eight points.

ODDS AND ENDS: Rapid City will play on a Monday for the first time this season tonight and will have played at least one game on every day of the week...Stephen Baylis leads the Rush with two goals and one assist against Utah this season and scored in both of Rapid City’s games against the Grizzlies in November...the Rush went 0-for-6 on the power play in their three games against Idaho before their holiday break...Lukas Parik is tied for fourth in the ECHL with a .930 save percentage.

UP NEXT: The Rush return to action following an eight-day break on Monday, December 27 at home against the Utah Grizzlies. Puck drop at The Monument Ice Arena is scheduled for 7:05 PM.