Rush Game Notes: January 23, 2026 vs. Utah Grizzlies
Published on January 23, 2026 under ECHL (ECHL)
Rapid City Rush News Release
(RAPID CITY, S.D.)- The Rapid City Rush, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Calgary Flames, face the rival Utah Grizzlies for the first time this season. This game marks the statistical halfway point for Rapid City. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. MST on Friday at The Monument Ice Arena.
LAST TIME OUT
The Rapid City Rush scored twice in the third period, but could not complete the comeback in a 3-2 loss to the Cincinnati Cyclones at Heritage Bank Center on Saturday. Cincinnati scored in the opening first period on a power play, but the scoring remained quiet until early in the third when the Cyclones struck twice in a span of 16 seconds, building a 3-0 lead. Rapid City started the comeback effort from there. Chaz Smedsrud deflected home a power play goal, his third tally of the season. Then, on a 6-on-5 opportunity with two minutes remaining, Brett Davis one-timed a Ryan Wagner cross-ice pass into the net. The Rush pulled Jack Bostedt again, but failed to equalize.
OUR GOALIE OF THE WEEK IS BACK
Connor Murphy was reassigned back to the Rush on Monday after his second stint up in Calgary this season. The transaction comes as Wranglers' #1 goaltender Ivan Prosvetov was upgraded to day-to-day over the weekend. Rico DiMatteo and Jack Bostedt split duties for Rapid City's series in Cincinnati, and both played well. DiMatteo is staying on to back up for Murphy this weekend. Murphy comes back after having won Warrior Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week honors on January 12th.
ON THE WRONG SIDE
After winning three consecutive tight matchups- all of which were one-goal games in the third period- the Rush have now dropped three straight one-goal finals, including one in overtime. Rapid City played on both sides of the equation in Cincinnati, as they did not trail for one second on Friday, but did not lead for one second on Saturday.
UTAH'S FINAL HUNT HERE
The Rush and the Grizzlies have met over 100 times since the 2015-16 season, including a 2022 Kelly Cup Playoffs series. It is a rivalry that always has something up its sleeve. With Utah set to relocate to Trenton, N.J. for the 2026-27 season, this is the Grizzlies' final trip to Rapid City. The Rush will be the last visiting team to face the Grizzlies at the Maverik Center in April.
WE'RE HALFWAY THERE
Monday marked the ECHL's All-Star Classic in Allen, Texas, and tonight is the statistical midway point of the season. The Rush enter their 36th game at hockey .500, and look for a second-half push like what we saw last season.
OVER THE LAST 29...
The Rush have put so much effort into improving their special teams after a poor start, and they have seen the fruits of their labor since the holiday break. In their last 29 chances on each side, the power play has scored six times for a 20.7% success rate, while the PK is 26-for-29, just under 90%.
FACING THEIR OLD FRIENDS
Rush forwards Briley Wood and Cameron Buhl both played for the Grizzlies last year and are facing their former teams this weekend. Both men suited up for their first professional games in this building, and Buhl scored his first pro goal here against Connor Murphy in October 2024.
HOPING FOR MORE OF THE SAME
Ryan Wagner- a former Grizzlie- and his linemate Blake Bennett torched Utah last season. Wagner put up 16 points in 10 games head-to-head, while Bennett scored five goals in just six games, including a hat trick at the Maverik Center. After a few weeks on separate forward lines, Dave Smith put the two back together last week in Cincinnati.
THE END OF AN IMPOSSIBLE STREAK
As we have long discussed, the Rush have had the toughest strength of schedule in the Mountain Division. While others have gone months without seeing a top-four team, Rapid City has done the opposite: this is the first time the Rush are facing a Mountain Division opponent outside the current top four since October 25th, their first home series of the season.
WE WON'T BE HERE MUCH
This is the most road-heavy stretch of the Rush season, with eight away games in a span of 11. With the upcoming Black Hills Stock Show taking over the arena, this three-game series is the only home weekend for the Rush in a one-month span.
The Rapid City Rush face the Utah Grizzlies on January 23rd, 24th, and 25th at The Monument Ice Arena! Saturday, January 24th is Rodeo Night, presented by Western Legacy Foundation, with specialty jerseys and a pregame party in the Cowboy Bar. Call the Rush office at 605-716-7825 or visit www.rapidcityrush.com to learn more and secure your seats today.
ECHL Stories from January 23, 2026
- Grizzlies Win, 5-2, in the Series Opener at Rapid City - Utah Grizzlies
- Americans Fall Late in Idaho - Allen Americans
- Mavericks Defeat Tahoe 5-3, Extend Win Streak to 13 - Kansas City Mavericks
- Steelheads Stave off Americans in 6-4 Triumph - Idaho Steelheads
- Rush Stunned by Utah - Rapid City Rush
- Everblades Fall, 4-3, to Swamp Rabbits - Florida Everblades
- Lewandowski Scores in Third to Give Walleye a 2-1 Win over Kalamazoo - Toledo Walleye
- Kansas City Wins Thirteenth-Straight in 5-3 Win over Knight Monsters - Tahoe Knight Monsters
- Scarfone, Rheaume Shine in 5-1 Victory over Bison on Friday Night - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Bison Fall to Cyclones - Bloomington Bison
- Strong Second Period Powers Swamp Rabbits to Win over Florida - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Stingrays Hand Gladiators First Overtime Loss of the Season - Atlanta Gladiators
- Frasca Scores Lone Goal, Royals Drop Opener to Nailers, 3-1 - Reading Royals
- Admirals Outlasts Railers; Extend Winning Streak to Seven - Norfolk Admirals
- Preview: Royals vs. Nailers, January 24th - Game 40/72 - Reading Royals
- Heartlanders Suffer Defeat in First Game Down South, 3-1 - Iowa Heartlanders
- Worcester Falls, 5-3, in Weekend Opener to Admirals - Worcester Railers HC
- K-Wings Edged in Defensive Slugfest with Walleye Friday - Kalamazoo Wings
- Nailers Come Back for Sixth Straight Home Win - Wheeling Nailers
- Fuel Earn Point in Close Overtime Battle with Komets - Indy Fuel
- Lions Power Through Mariners - Maine Mariners
- Komets Get Hard Fought Road Win - Fort Wayne Komets
- Ghost Pirates Fall, 4-2, to Icemen in Jacksonville - Savannah Ghost Pirates
- Thunder Fall to Gargoyles, 5-2 - Adirondack Thunder
- John Fusco's Overtime Winner Lifts South Carolina Past Atlanta, 3-2 - South Carolina Stingrays
- Anthony Beauregard Plays the Hero in Key Lions' Victory - Trois-Rivieres Lions
- Nailers Announce New Time Change for Saturday - Wheeling Nailers
- Mariners Sign Rosek, Gallatin Loaned to Hartford - Maine Mariners
- ECHL Transactions - January 23 - ECHL
- Nailers Announce Schedule Changes - Wheeling Nailers
- Ghost Pirates-Swamp Rabbits Games Postponed, Rescheduled Due to Weather - Savannah Ghost Pirates
- Swamp Rabbits Announce Game and Promotional Date Changes - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Defenseman Aidan Hreschuk Loaned to Steelheads - Idaho Steelheads
- Grizzlies Gameday: Weekend Series Opener in the Black Hills - Utah Grizzlies
- Sunday's Maine Mariners Game Moved to 1 PM - Maine Mariners
- Weiss Reassigned to Greensboro - Greensboro Gargoyles
- Chasing the Dream - South Carolina Stingrays
- Rush Game Notes: January 23, 2026 vs. Utah Grizzlies - Rapid City Rush
- Railers Sign Forward Khristian Acosta to ECHL Contract - Worcester Railers HC
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