GAME NOTES: 3/4 vs Utah

GAME #55 vs Utah

3/4/22 | The Monument Ice Arena | 7:05 P.M.

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LAST TIME OUT: The Rush put up four goals in the second period to take control as they eventually beat the Tulsa Oilers, 5-2, Sunday afternoon at the BOK Center. Brett Gravelle had two goals, Max Coatta had a goal and an assist and Callum Fryer scored his first ECHL goal in the win.

HOME SWEET HOME: The Rush return home this weekend after playing their last six games and 12 of their last 15 on the road. The Rush went 4-1-0-1 in the last six games. Rapid City is now beginning a stretch of nine consecutive games at home and 12 of its final 18 games will be played on home ice. Overall this season, the Rush are 12-9-3-1 at home and 16-11-1-2 on the road.

CARVING ‘EM UP: Alec Butcher assisted on a Max Coatta’s goal in the second period on Sunday and now has points in nine straight games. Butcher’s streak is the longest by a Rush this season. He has three goals and ten assists in his last nine games and is tied for third on the team with 36 points on the season. Butcher has matched his career-high with 15 goals and both 36 points and 21 assists are new career-highs for the third-year pro.

GRABBING GOALS: Max Coatta scored in the second period on Sunday afternoon and now has goals in each of his last four games. Coatta is tied for second on the team with 18 goals, he and Brett Gravelle trail only Logan Nelson who has 20. Coatta’s streak is tied for the longest of the season for the Rush. Nelson also has a four-game goal streak in the books this season.

ON THE ROSTER: The Rush swapped NHL contracted goaltenders with the AHL Tucson Roadrunners this week as Josef Korenar was sent to Tucson and David Tendeck was reassigned to the Rush. Tendeck went 1-1-0-0 with a 2.49 goals against average and .915 save percentage in three games for Tucson and Korenar was 2-0-0-0 with a 1.50 GAA and .957 save percentage in two games for the Rush. Rapid City also signed defenseman Jay Powell to a contract on Thursday. Powell is in his first season as a pro and has two assists in 13 games played for the SPHL Huntsville Havoc.

ODDS AND ENDS: Gabe Chabot is the only Rush who has played in all 54 games this season...Rapid City is 2-3-1-0 this season against Utah, including a 2-1-1-0 mark in four games at The Monument Ice Arena...the Rush are 1-for-13 on the power play in their last five games...Rapid City has points in eight of its last ten games and has gone 6-2-1-1 in that stretch…the Rush have the second-most goals in the ECHL in second periods this season and have outscored opponents, 65-52, in the middle frame….Utah leads the ECHL in second period scoring and has outscored its opponents, 72-49, in the second period this season.

UP NEXT: Rapid City will once again host Utah on Saturday night. It’s the second of three scheduled games this weekend between the Rush and the Grizzlies. Puck drop at The Monument Ice Arena is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.