BROOKS AND MARCINEW LIFT RUSH PAST UTAH IN OT, 4-3

(RAPID CITY, S.D.) – Matt Marcinew scored twice and assisted on Calder Brooks’ game-winning goal in overtime as the Rapid City Rush beat the Utah Grizzlies 4-3 on Saturday night at The Monument Ice Arena.

The Rush scored first in the first period when Brooks won a faceoff in his attacking zone. Marcinew fired a shot that got through traffic and beat a screened Trent Miner to make the score 1-0.

Utah tied the game three minutes later after it forced a turnover in the attacking zone. Brandon Cutler hit the trailing Aaron Thow who snapped a shot top shelf past Adam Carlson’s glove and the game was tied at one.

The Grizzlies then took the lead with a power play goal. While skating with a two-man advantage, Andrew Nielsen bombed a slap shot from the blue line that snuck past Carlson, giving Utah a 2-1 lead.

But the Rush tied it again later in the second period. Keanu Yamamoto stepped into a one-timer that was turned aside but Marcinew pounced on the rebound. After his first shot was stopped by Miner, he poked his second chance home and tied the game at two.

Rapid City then regained the lead late in the second when Carter Robertson crashed the net in the attacking end. Following a Jimmy Soper shot attempt that Miner stopped, Robertson flipped the rebound over his pad, putting the Rush on top 3-2.

Utah evened the score in the third with another power play tally. Cameron Wright charged toward the net, deked from his backhand to his forehand and slid the puck around Carlson to make it 3-3.

In overtime, Marcinew gathered the puck in his own end and sped up the left wing. He turned the corner on the Utah defense and slid a pass to the back side where Brooks was crashing. He hammered the puck past the lunging Miner for the game-winning goal.

Marcinew finished with three points, Brooks had a goal and an assist and Carlson made 35 saves on 38 shots. Rapid City won for the second consecutive night and improved to 22-23-1-0 in the win while Utah moved to 19-24-2-0.

The Rush will stay at home for three games next week against the Toledo Walleye. It begins on Wednesday morning with the annual School Day game. Puck drop is scheduled for 10:35 a.m. at The Monument Ice Arena.

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