WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah – Brett Gravelle scored on the power play in the second period to tie the game at one, but the Utah Grizzlies struck for four goals in the third and beat the Rapid City Rush, 5-1, in Game 6 on Monday night at Maverik Center. Utah took the best-of-seven series, 4-2, and the Rush’s season ended in the loss
The Grizzlies opened the scoring in the first period while on a power play. Benjamin Tardif fed Charle-Edouard D’Astous for a one-timer from the right circle. He cranked a shot through traffic and past Lukas Parik, giving Utah a 1-0 advantage.
Rapid City answered in the final minute of the second period while on a power play of its own. Max Coatta hit Calder Brooks at the right circle who then sent a pass to Gravelle at the back post. Gravelle tapped it in past Trent Miner and the game was tied at one.
The third was all Utah, however, as the Grizzlies regained the lead early in the period on a D’Astous shot from just inside the blue line. They added to that shortly after that when the Rush turned the puck over on a power play, leading to a shorthanded breakout. Trey Bradley hit a trailing Luke Martin for a one-timer that leaked through Parik, pushing the lead to 3-1.
Utah scored again with less than eight minutes to play after Tyler Penner fed Dakota Raabe cutting to the net. It tacked on one final goal late in the third, with the Rush on a power play and Parik lifted for an extra attacker. Kyle Betts won a race to a loose puck and tucked it into the empty net, pushing the score to its 5-1 final.
Parik made 27 saves on 31 shots faced and Gravelle’s goal was his third of the postseason. Utah advances to the Western Conference Final, where it will face the Toledo Walleye. Rapid City lost the series, 4-2, and saw its season come to an end. Information regarding a season-ending party will be announced in the coming days on all Rush social media channels and via rapidcityrush.com
