GAME NOTES: Game 5 vs Utah

2022 Kelly Cup Playoffs | GAME 5 vs Utah

Utah leads series, 3-1

5/11/22 | The Monument Ice Arena | 7:05 P.M.

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LAST TIME OUT: Logan Nelson scored the game-winning goal in overtime, capping off a hat trick as the Rush came from behind and beat the Utah Grizzlies in OT, 6-5, in Game 4 on Tuesday night at The Monument Ice Arena. Rapid City erased a 5-2 deficit with four unanswered goals to win the game.

WE’RE NOT DONE YET: The Rush staved off elimination with the 6-5 overtime win on Tuesday and now trail the best-of-seven series, 3-1. Rapid City trailed the game, 5-2, in the second period and rattled off four unanswered goals en route to the victory. It equaled the largest come-from-behind win of the season for the Rush, who had previously erased a three-goal deficit in a 6-5 overtime win over the Wichita Thunder during the regular season on February 12.

THE LOGAN NELSON GAME: Logan Nelson factored in all three of Rapid City’s four unanswered goals in Tuesday’s win, scoring three of them and assisting on one more. It was Nelson’s first hat trick of the season and extended his point streak to seven games. He leads the Rush with eight goals and his 13 points also pace the team. Nelson is tied for seventh in the Kelly Cup Playoffs in points and is fifth in the postseason in goals.

THE SEASON SERIES: Rapid City went 6-4-1-1 against Utah during the regular season. Gabe Chabot and Max Coatta finished the regular season series tied for the team lead with 13 points against Utah and Trey Bradley stung the Rush for 14 points in nine games. Lukas Parik started seven games and went 3-2-1-1 with a 2.68 GAA and .920 save percentage.

D’ASTOUS IS DANGEROUS: Utah defenseman Charle-Edouard D’Astous leads the league with 15 goals in the postseason. He is also second in the Kelly Cup Playoffs with 22 points, two behind his teammate Benjamin Tardif, who has 24. D’Astous was named the ECHL’s Defenseman of the Year, and during the regular season he registered 26 goals and 31 assists over 52 games played. In four games so far during the series, he has six goals and four assists.

ODDS AND ENDS: Tuesday night’s game was the second Rush playoff game to go to overtime in this postseason. Rapid City is now 1-1 in overtime games...Zach Court scored in the first period on Tuesday night, good for his first playoff goal in just his second playoff game...in order to win the series and advance to the Western Conference Finals, the Rush will need to win four games in a row. Tuesday’s game was the first of those necessary wins. Rapid City won four-straight games twice during the regular season...Kyle Rhodes scored the game-tying goal in the third period on Tuesday night, his first career playoff goal.

UP NEXT: Should the Rush win and extend the series, Game 6 would be on Monday night in West Valley City. Puck drop at Maverik Center is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.