GAME NOTES: Game 6 at Utah

2022 Kelly Cup Playoffs | GAME 6 at Utah

Utah leads series, 3-2

5/16/22 | Maverik Center | 7:05 P.M.

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LAST TIME OUT: Lukas Parik made 43 saves on 43 shots and Gabe Chabot scored twice as the Rush shut out the Utah Grizzlies, 3-0, in Game 5 on Wednesday night at The Monument Ice Arena. Rapid City staved off elimination for the second consecutive game and cut the series deficit to 3-2 in the win.

STILL PLAYING: After falling into a 3-0 hole after three games of the best-of-seven series, the Rush have now won back-to-back games and cut the Utah series lead to 3-2, forcing the series back to West Valley City in the process. Should Rapid City win on Monday night, the decisive Game 7 would be played on Tuesday night at Maverik Center. For the Rush to win the series, they will need to win four consecutive games in total, a feat they accomplished twice during the regular season.

HOW DO YOU SAY BRICK WALL IN CZECH? “PARIK”: Rush rookie goaltender Lukas Parik made 43 saves on 43 shots on Wednesday night in Game 5 in Rapid City, good first his first career playoff shutout. Parik had one shutout during the regular season; he stopped all 46 shots in a 3-0 win over Utah at home on December 27. Parik’s last goal against came in the second period of the 6-5 OT win in Game 4. He stopped the final 21 shots he faced in that game and has now not allowed a goal in the last 64 shots he has seen.

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 23 points, one behind his teammate Benjamin Tardif, who has 24. D’Astous was named the ECHL’s Defenseman of the Year, and during the regular season. In five games so far during the series, he has six goals and five assists.

ODDS AND ENDS: Two of the four second round series in the Kelly Cup Playoffs have been completed; Florida swept Jacksonville and Toledo swept Wheeling. The Reading and Newfoundland series is tied, 3-3, and the two teams play Game 7 in Reading on Monday night...since going down, 5-2, in the second period of Game 4 on Tuesday, the Rush have outscored the Grizzlies, 7-0, in the last 101 minutes of gameplay...16 shots on goal in Game 5 on Wednesday were the fewest the Rush have had in a win this season...in their three losses in the series, the Rush are a combined 9-for-15 on the penalty kill. In their two wins, they are 4-for-4.

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