GAME NOTES: Rodeo Night vs Idaho

GAME #38 vs Idaho

1/22/22 | The Monument Ice Arena | 7:05 P.M.

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LAST TIME OUT: Jake Wahlin scored twice, Brett Gravelle had a goal and two assists and Logan Nelson and Ryan Valentini each had a goal and an assist as the Rapid City Rush cruised to a 5-2 win over the Idaho Steelheads, Friday night at The Monument Ice Arena. Dillon Kelley did not allow a goal for the first 55 minutes of the game and made 32 saves on 34 shots to help Rapid City to its fourth straight win.

WE’RE GOING STREAKING: Rapid City’s 5-2 win on Friday night was its fourth in a row, giving the Rush their longest winning streak of the season to date. The Rush now have points in nine of their last 11 games, having gone 7-2-2-0 during that stretch.

NEW CALCULATIONS: The ECHL announced on Friday that the final determining factor for playoff qualification for the 2022 postseason will be based on points percentage in the event that teams do not play all 72 of their scheduled games. Health and safety precautions have caused postponements throughout the league but to date, no games have been officially cancelled. Despite the Rush being second in the ECHL Mountain with 41 points, their .554 points percentage has them in fourth place. Idaho and Tulsa are both fractionally ahead of Rapid City with fewer standings points due to having played fewer games.

DK’S CREASE: Dillon Kelley made his second appearance for the Rush and his first on home ice on Friday and stopped 32 of the 34 shots he faced in Rapid City’s 5-2 win. Kelley did not allow a goal until there was 4:15 remaining in the game with the Rush leading, 4-0. The fourth-year pro is now 3-0-0-0 with a 1.67 goals against average and .948 save percentage in three games combined between Kansas City and the Rush this season.

TENDECK RETURNS: David Tendeck was reassigned to the Rush by the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday morning and subsequently placed on the reserve list. Tendeck had been with the AHL Tucson Roadrunners since January 12 but did not appear in a game. He is 4-10-1-0 with a 3.31 GAA and .907 SV% in 15 games for the Rush this year.

GRAVELLE ROCKS: Brett Gravelle had a goal and two assists on Friday, extending his point streak to six games. Gravelle has five goals and five assists during the life of the streak and the Rush have gone 4-1-1-0 in the six games. The first-year pro now has 13 goals on the season, the second-most on the team, trailing on Stephen Baylis’s 14.

ODDS AND ENDS: Stephen Baylis has points in his last five games, having recorded one assist in each of them...the Rush have not lost a home game on a Friday this season; Friday’s 5-2 win over Idaho improved their record to 7-0-0-0 on home Fridays...that success has not translated to Saturdays as the Rush are just 1-4-1-0 during Saturday home games.

UP NEXT: The Rush and Steelheads finish out their three-in-three on Sunday. Puck drop at The Monument Ice Arena is scheduled for 4:05 PM.