RAPID CITY CLOSES PLAYOFF GAP WITH SUNDAY WIN

(RAPID CITY, S.D.) – The Rapid City Rush, proud affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames, went wire-to-wire in a win over the Utah Grizzlies on Sunday afternoon, 4-1.

The Rush opened the scoring in the last stages of the first period when Brett Gravelle nudged a puck to Mark Duarte, but it struck a Utah skate and bounced into the net. The Rush for the second straight night would not give up the lead. 

In the second period, Alex Aleardi snapped a shot off the stick of Brett Davis and by Grizzlies goaltender Dante Giannuzzi to extend the lead to 2-0. Davis now has two goals since being acquired in a trade with the Florida Everblades, and the Rush powerplay would go on to score twice in the game. 

Rookie netminder Christian Propp got the start in net for the Rush after a 55-save showing from Matt Radomksy last night. The Wilfrid Laurier University-product turned aside 25 shots including a highlight-reel pad save on NHL-prospect Alex Beaucage in the third period. Propp recorded his first pro win and first-star honors, with the lone blemish coming on a shot from Beaucage in the second period. 

The play of the game was Propp’s rimmed assist to Gravelle who scored on the breakaway set-up. It’s the first time this season a Rush goaltender has recorded an assist. 

Rapid City would add one more on the powerplay from Aleardi in the third period. Aleardi’s goal marks his 66^th point of the season, his highest professional output in his career, surpassing 65 points last season. 

The Rush now have 25 wins, and are on a two-game home winning streak entering Wednesday’s contest against the Allen Americans. The elimination number for the Rush is still frozen at 10 for the time-being, with Rapid City eight points out of the playoff picture. 

With the fifth-place Americans coming in to town, Rapid City is only four points in back of Allen in the Mountain Division standings. The Rush went 1-2-0 in their only trip to Texas this season. 

Wednesday’s puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at The Monument.