GAME NOTES: 4/1 at Utah

GAME #65 at Utah

4/1/22 | Maverik Center | 7:10 P.M.

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LAST TIME OUT: Avery Peterson, Brett Gravelle and Gabe Chabot each had a goal and an assist and the Rapid City Rush beat the Utah Grizzlies, 4-3, Wednesday night at Maverik Center.

STILL HOT: After beating Utah, 4-3, on Wednesday night, the Rush now have at least a point in 15 of their past 17 games. Rapid City has gone an impressive 11-2-1-3 during that 17-game stretch.

TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN: With their win over the Grizzlies on Wednesday night, the Rush overtook Utah for first place in the Mountain Division. Rapid City has the edge in points percentage, .594 to .592, and has 76 points in 64 games played as opposed to Utah’s 77 points in 65 games played.

PENALTY ASSASSINS: The Rush went 2-for-2 on the penalty kill on Sunday and have now killed off 28 of the last 29 penalties they have committed, including each of the last 19. Rapid City leads the ECHL in penalty kill percentage at 86%.

MAKING MOVES: Rapid City made its second trade of the week on Thursday, just ahead of the ECHL’s trade deadline. The Rush picked up defenseman Kyle Rhodes from the Norfolk Admirals in exchange for defenseman Elijah Vilio and forward Brett Van Os. Rhodes had played 49 games for the Admirals and had six goals and 11 assists.

BACK IN A BIG WAY: Avery Peterson made his Rapid City debut on Wednesday and had a goal and an assist and was +3 in the 4-3 win over the Utah Grizzlies. Peterson was acquired in a three-team trade from the Florida Everblades on Tuesday. He was a member of the Rush during the 2020-21 season and had 27 goals and 23 assists in 71 games played.

THE MAGIC NUMBER: Rapid City’s magic number to clinch a playoff berth is eight. Any combination of eight points gained by the Rush or possible points lost by the Tulsa Oilers would put the Rush in the Kelly Cup Playoffs. Rapid City has not appeared in the postseason in seven years; it last did so in the 2014-15 season, the first season the Rush competed in the ECHL.

ODDS AND ENDS: In his first game since returning from a stint in the AHL with the Tucson Roadrunners, Quinn Wichers had two assists on Wednesday night. It was his first multi-point game as a pro...Max Coatta leads the Rush with 11 points in 10 games against Utah...Gabe Chabot leads the Rush with six goals in 10 games against Utah...Brett Gravelle now has 22 goals on the season, tied with Stephen Baylis for the team lead...the Rush went 6-1-1-2 in the month of March.

UP NEXT: The Rush and Grizzlies will conclude their week of games on Saturday night. Puck drop at Maverik Center is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.