GAME NOTES: 3/27 vs Atlanta

GAME #63 vs Atlanta

3/26/22 | The Monument Ice Arena | 4:05 P.M.

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LAST TIME OUT: Brad Arvanitis made 45 saves on 46 shots in his professional debut, Alec Butcher had two goals and an assist and Logan Nelson scored his 100th ECHL goal as the Rush handled the Atlanta Gladiators, 5-1, Saturday night at The Monument Ice Arena.

WHAT A DEBUT: Rush goaltender Brad Arvanitis arrived in town on Saturday and made his pro debut just hours later, stopping 45 of 46 shots in Rapid City’s 5-1 win over Atlanta. Arvanitis joined the Rush from the NCAA DIII ranks, where he just finished his senior season at Babson College. For Babson this season, he appeared in 20 games and was 11-4-2 with a 2.52 GAA and .918 SV%.

HOME COOKIN’: Sunday’s game is the final game of a stretch on nine straight at home for Rapid City. The Rush are 5-1-0-2 during the homestand so far and, overall, are 16-10-3-3 on home ice this season. After Sunday’s game, Rapid City will play its next six games away from home.

STILL HOT: With their 5-1 win over Atlanta on Saturday night, the Rush now have points in 13 of their past 15 games. They have gone an impressive 10-2-0-3 during that 15-game stretch. Rapid City kept pace with the division leading Utah Grizzlies on Saturday, who beat Tulsa, 1-0. The Rush are four points out of first place with two games in hand on the Grizzlies.

GONE STREAKING: Ryan Zuhlsdorf had two assists on Saturday night and, in doing so, extended his point streak to 11 games. Zuhlsdorf has two goals and 13 assists during the life of the streak, which is the longest active streak in the ECHL and the longest for any Rapid City skater this season. Since being acquired from the Indy Fuel, Zuhlsdorf has two goals and 14 assists in 14 games.

THIS IS 100: Logan Nelson scored twice on Saturday night, his 99th and 100th career ECHL goals. Nelson has set ECHL career highs this season with 54 points on 21 goals and 33 assists. His previous career high in points was 41, in goals was 16 and assists 29. Nelson leads the Rush in points and assists and is tied for second on the team in goals.

PENALTY ASSASSINS: The Rush went 4-for-4 on the penalty kill on Saturday and have now killed off 25 of the last 26 penalties they have committed, including each of the last 16. Rapid City leads the ECHL in penalty kill percentage at 85.8%.

ODDS AND ENDS: Keegan Iverson had three assists on Saturday, a new career-high for points in a game...in his last five games, Alec Butcher has three goals and five assists...Brett Gravelle is on a five-game point streak. He has two goals and five assists in his past five games.

UP NEXT: The Rush hit the road for the next six games, beginning on Wednesday night in Utah for the first of three next week against the Grizzlies. Wednesday’s puck drop is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. at Maverik Center.