GAME NOTES: 1/15 at Wichita

GAME #36 at Wichita

1/15/22 | INTRUST Bank Arena | 7:05 P.M. CST

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LAST TIME OUT: Calder Brooks scored the eventual game-winning goal with 3:20 to go in the third period and the Rapid City Rush beat the Wichita Thunder, 3-2, Friday night at INTRUST Bank Arena. Brett Gravelle had a goal and an assist, Derek Perl picked up two assists and Dillon Kelley made 30 saves on 32 shots to earn the win in net in his Rush debut.

ANYTHING BUT ROCKY FOR GRAVELLE: Brett Gravelle has three goals and an assist in Rapid City’s two games in Wichita this weekend and is now tied for second on the team with 12 goals this season. In five games against the Thunder, Gravelle leads the Rush with four goals and is second with five points.

CHABOT SAYS HELLO: Gabe Chabot scored in the first period on Friday night and now has goals in three straight games. The second-year pro is now fourth on the team with 22 points and sixth with nine goals.

NEW GUYS IN NET...NOT BAD: Dillon Kelley made his Rapid City debut in net on Friday night and stopped 30 of the 32 shots that he faced in Rapid City’s 3-2 win. Kelley had previously played one game for the Kansas City Mavericks and made 29 saves on 30 shots. He was picked up by the Rush in a trade on Wednesday. Each of the goalies on Rapid City’s active roster were added this week; Bailey Brkin made his Rush debut on Thursday and stopped 28 of 29 shots in the 4-1 win.

THE SEASON SERIES: Saturday’s game is the sixth matchup this season between the Rush and the Thunder, all of which have taken place in Wichita. The Rush are 3-1-0-1 against the Thunder thus far and the two teams will meet three more times. Wichita is scheduled to visit Rapid City for three games in three nights from February 10-12.

MARCH TO THE BOX: The Rush have committed at least five penalties in four of their past five games and have been shorthanded 25 times over those five games. Rapid City went 5-for-5 on the penalty kill in the win on Friday, snapping a streak of five-straight games with a power play goal against.

ODDS AND ENDS: Derek Perl matched a season high with two assists on Friday night. It was his second two assist game of the season and both of them have come against Wichita...the Rush have now won on back-to-back nights for only the second time this season after winning on Thursday and Friday. They last did it with back-to-back home wins on December 10 and 11 against Kansas City...Rapid City is now 8-7-1-1 on the road this season...Saturday’s game is the third in three nights for both the Rush and the Thunder but is also the fourth in five nights for Wichita, who played at Kansas City on Tuesday before returning home.

UP NEXT: Rapid City will head home for three games in three nights against the Idaho Steelheads next weekend. That series begins on Friday night with puck drop scheduled for 7:05 PM.