Game #45 vs Utah

2/10/23 | The Monument Ice Arena | 7:05 p.m.

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LAST TIME OUT: Calder Brooks and Max Coatta each had a goal and an assist but the Rush could not overcome a 4-0 first period deficit as they were beaten by the Wichita Thunder 6-3 on Sunday afternoon at INTRUST Bank Arena.

SKIDDING: Rapid City has now lost five consecutive games. The Rush dropped three games two weeks ago in Utah against the Grizzlies and two last week in Wichita. Rapid City’s last win was on January 21 against Idaho, its last home game.

ROSTER MOVEMENT: Over the last four days, the Rush have officially added forward Jimmy Soper, who they acquired on February 4 from the Norfolk Admirals, to the roster, placed center Ilya Nikolaev on injured reserve, had goaltender Daniil Chechelev recalled by the AHL Calgary Wranglers and signed goaltender Nicholas Latinovich to a contract.

HOME SWEET HOME: Rapid City returns to home ice on Friday after playing its last five games on the road, clearing out of town during the Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo Rapid City. The Rush went 0-5-0-0 on their road trip and are now 8-16-1-0 on the road this season. Rapid City is 12-7-0-0 at home and has won two of its last three and five of its last eight games on home ice. The Rush will play their next five games at home.

WHILE SHORTHANDED: The Rush have allowed at least one power play goal in each of their last six games. Rapid City is 18-for-28 on the penalty kill during those six games, a 64.3% success rate. For the season, the Rush penalty kill sits at 74.7%, 24th in the ECHL. In eight games against the Grizzlies this season, the Rapid City penalty kill is 72.1%.

SCOUTING THE GRIZZLIES: Utah enters the weekend with 39 points, two fewer than the Rush, and sitting in sixth place in the Mountain Division. Rapid City has faced Utah eight times and is 3-5-0-0, including a 2-1-0-0 mark on home ice. The Rush fell three times to the Grizzlies in Utah two weeks ago. Utah’s Tarun Fizer has five goals and six assists in eight games against the Rush. 11 of his 25 points this seasons have come against Rapid City.

ODDS AND ENDS: The Rush now have four players on injured reserve, three of whom (Jon Martin, Ilya Nikolaev and Rory Kerins) are on AHL or NHL contracts...during its current five-game losing streak, Rapid City has been outscored 26-13...Max Coatta has five of his 10 goals this season against Utah...former Rush goaltender Lukas Parik is serving a one-game suspension and will not be available for Utah on Friday night.

UP NEXT: The Rush and Grizzlies will play the second half of their back-to-back on Saturday night. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at The Monument Ice Arena.