RUSH SPUTTER IN THIRD, FALL 6-3 TO UTAH

(WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah) – The Rapid City Rush, proud affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames, fell to the Utah Grizzlies 6-3 at Maverik Center on Friday night. 

Aaron Aragon opened the scoring for Utah just 1:52 into the game with his first of two goals on the night. However, the two teams would trade goals for the better part of two periods.

Logan Nelson hit Brett Gravelle for his 12^th goal of the season in the final minutes of the first period to tie the game. The assist marked Nelson’s 400^th career professional point, and he would go on to score a goal in the second period. 

33 seconds after Gravelle tied the game, Ryan Sandelin drove the far-side post  and buried a Cole Gallant pass. The Grizzlies took a 2-1 lead to the first intermission.

Nelson’s goal tied the game for the Rush, and Rapid City garnered momentum through the frame. Keanu Yamamoto made a superb play in the near corner on the penalty kill to find Will Riedell for a shorthanded goal and the lead. Riedell now has a point in three of the last four games, and the Rush have scored five shorthanded goals this season. 

At 13-1-2 this season heading into the third period ahead, the Rush nearly escaped to the second intermission with the lead, but an Alex Beaucage shot creeped through the pads of Connor Murphy and Josh Wesley smacked home the rebound to tie the game with 14 seconds left in the second period. 

In the third, Aragon gave the Grizzlies the lead for good, with Sandelin and Brandon Cutler adding insurance markers. The Rush peppered Trent Miner with 17 shots in the final period, but could not get another by the Utah netminder.

The Rush fall to 17-21-2-0 on the season and are out of the playoff picture after Allen’s win over Kansas City. The Grizzlies and Rush are separated by only two standings points, with a chance for Utah to climb the mountain and tie the Rush with a win tomorrow night.

Rapid City and Utah square off again tomorrow at Maverik Center at 7:10 p.m. to close the week’s series.