GAME NOTES: Game 1 at Utah

2022 Kelly Cup Playoffs | GAME 1 at Utah

Series tied, 0-0

5/6/22 | Maverik Center | 7:10 P.M.

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LAST TIME OUT: The Rapid City Rush scored five goals in the third period and came from behind to beat the Allen Americans, 6-3, in Game 5 of their opening round series, Saturday night at the Credit Union of Texas Event Center. Calder Brooks and Colton Leiter each had a goal and an assist and Gabe Chabot scored the go-ahead goal in the third. Rapid City took the best-of-seven series, 4-1.

ROUND ONE RECAP - RAPID CITY: The Rush dispatched of the Allen Americans in five games during their opening round Kelly Cup Playoff series. Rapid City split the first two games at home before winning three consecutive games in Texas, knocking the Americans out on their home ice. Calder Brooks led Rapid City in the first round with nine points (4 G, 5 A), and Brett Gravelle was right behind him with eight (1 G, 7 A). Gravelle’s seven assists were the most for Rapid City. Logan Nelson had four goals in the first round, tied with Brooks for the team lead. Lukas Parik started each game in net and went 4-1 with a 2.11 GAA and .925 save percentage.

ROUND ONE RECAP - UTAH: The Grizzlies needed seven games to defeat the Tulsa Oilers in the first round and clinched the series win with a 5-2 win in Game 7 at home on Wednesday night. The Grizzlies went 2-2 on home ice and 2-1 on the road in the opening round. Benjamin Tardif leads the Grizzlies with 13 points (2 G, 11 A), which also has him tied for the league-lead in points. He also paces both the Grizzlies and the ECHL with 11 assists. Charle-Edouard D’Astous leads both the Grizzlies and the league with nine goals. Trent Miner started five of the seven games in net and was 3-2 with a 2.42 GAA and .937 save percentage. Peyton Jones played the other two and went 1-1 with a 2.42 GAA and .891 SV%.

THE SEASON SERIES: Rapid City went 6-4-1-1 against Utah during the regular series and was 2-3-0 at Maverik Center. The Rush won two of three in a three-game trip to Utah from March 30-April 2. Gabe Chabot and Max Coatta finished the regular season tied for the team lead with 13 points against Utah and Trey Bradley stung the Rush for 14 points in nine games.

THIS LINE IS HOT: Rapid City’s line of Calder Brooks, Brett Gravelle and Max Coatta was red-hot throughout the first round series with Allen, combining for eight goals and 16 assists. Each Brooks, Gravelle and Coatta have recorded points in every postseason game to date. Brooks leads the team with nine points, Gravelle is second with eight and Coatta is third with seven.

ODDS AND ENDS: The winner of the Rapid City-Utah series will meet the winner of the Toledo-Wheeling series in the Western Conference Final...the Rush have not played in six days. Utah played Game 7 against Tulsa on Wednesday and had one day off in between...Utah leads all postseason teams in power play percentage at 37.5%. Conversely, Rapid City has the second-best penalty kill at 94.7%.

UP NEXT: Game 2 of the best-of-seven series between the Rush and the Grizzlies is scheduled for Saturday night at Maverik Center. Puck drop is set for 7:10 p.m.