GAME NOTES: 4/6 at Wichita

Game #68 at Wichita

4/6/23 | INTRUST Bank Arena | 7:05 p.m. CT

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LAST TIME OUT: Alex Aleardi and Keanu Yamamoto each had a goal and an assist, Daniil Chechelev made 40 saves and the Rush beat the Kansas City Mavericks 3-2 on Tuesday night at Cable Dahmer Arena.

THE PLAYOFF PICTURE: Rapid City has five games remaining on its schedule and currently sits three points out of a playoff spot. Three of the remaining games are at home with two on the road. Entering play on Thursday, second place and sixth place in the Mountain Division are separated by just four points and there is a three-way tie for third place in the division.

HOUSE OF HORRORS: Rapid City has played five games at INTRUST Bank Arena thus far this season and is 0-5-0-0. In six games at home against Wichita, the Rush are 4-2-0-0. During their games in Kansas, the Rush have allowed an average of six goals per game. Rapid City last won in Wichita on January 15, 2022, when it beat the Thunder 5-3.

HE’S HOT: Alex Aleardi scored the game-winning goal and added an assist on Tuesday. In his last 10 games, Aleardi now has 10 goals and two assists. He has tied Matt Marcinew for the team lead with 28 goals and is second on the team with 61 points. Since February 24, Aleardi has 14 goals and six assists in 18 games played. Prior to that day he had gone the previous seven games with no goals and one assist.

SCOUTING THE THUNDER: Wichita enters play on Thursday in a three-way tie for third place in the Mountain Division, three points clear of Rapid City. The Thunder played on Wednesday morning and beat the Tulsa Oilers 3-1, which snapped a three-game losing streak. Wichita is led offensively by Michal Stinil who has 28 goals and 47 assists and is eighth in the ECHL with 75 points. In nine games against the Rush, Stinil has six goals and 14 assists.

GETTING A WORKOUT: Daniil Chechelev made 40 saves on 42 shots in Rapid City’s 3-2 win at Kansas City on Tuesday. It was the ninth time this season Chechelev has faced 40-plus shots in a game. He is now 7-2-0-0 when seeing 40 or more shots

ODDS AND ENDS: The Rush enter Thursday with a three-game point streak...Rapid City is now 15-7-3-0 in one-goal games...Matt Marcinew has two goals and eight assists in 11 games against Wichita…Rapid City went 2-for-4 on the power play on Tuesday night and now has power play goals in five of its last seven games. The Rush are 7-for-33 on the power play in those seven games.

UP NEXT: Rapid City will play its final road game of the regular season on Friday night in Wichita. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CT at INTRUST Bank Arena.