WRAY'S 2-POINT EVENING CONCLUDES A PERFECT RUSH PRESEASON

(RAPID CITY, SD) – Saturday night marked the return of the Rapid City Rush and CHL hockey to the Black Hills, as the Rush squared off in a rematch of last night’s preseason tussle against the Denver Cutthroats. The pace of the game escalated slightly from last night’s contest, but at the end of 60 minutes, it was the Rush chalking up the win by a 4-2 score, led by Scott Wray’s 2-point evening, and Phil Mangan’s go-ahead goal with 16:49 remaining in regulation. The game started off just as fast and physical as the previous evening’s showdown. Unlike last night, however, the Cutthroats inked themselves on the scoresheet first, as Dan Barnes found the back of Keaton Hartigan’s net just under 3 minutes into the contest. The following faceoff saw the first fight of the game, as Justin Sawyer challenged Dan Barnes for the second time in as many nights, which seemed to change the tide of the game. Following the fisticuffs, Rush captain Scott Wray would ignite the goal lamp to tie the game with 10:17 left in the first frame. The momentum felt from Sawyer’s bout, and the captain’s tying goal led the Rush to an offensive fury, outshooting Cutthroats 16-5 in the opening period alone. After an unsuccessful 5-on-3 Rush powerplay, the Boys from the Black Hills would be put on their heels going into the locker room, having to kill of a double-minor high sticking penalty assessed to Justin Sawyer that carried over 2:35 of a Denver powerplay to the 2nd period. That didn’t seem to phase the Rush at all entering the middle frame. Not only did they successfully kill off the remaining time on the Cutthroat powerplay, but Cody Keefer would give the Rush a 2-1 lead with 17:02 left in the 2nd. Their first lead of the game, however, would be short lived. Thirty seconds after the conclusion of simultaneous roughing penalties assessed to Rush forward Jesse Schultz and Cutthroat defenseman Michael Trebish, Trebish would score right out of the penalty box, thanks to heads up passing from J.P. Chabot and Nik Polaski, to tie the game with 9:20 left in the second frame. Consecutive Rush penalties to Sawyer (18 PIMs this preseason) and Shaun Jameson left the Rush shorthanded once again going into the locker room session, however down two men this time. Starting off the final act of the game, the Rush would once again avoid a crisis, killing off the Cutthroat’s 5-on-3 powerplay. Shortly after that, the Rush would regain the lead on a goal from Phil Mangan, who stuck with the play started by Kyle Stroh and Scott Brannon, and flipped the rebound over the shoulder of Denver net-minder Kent Patterson just 3:11 into the 3rd. Not finished, a pinpoint passing play from Rush defenseman Brett Kostolansky and Rush captain Scott Wray saw Jared Brown finish for the score (2nd preseason, 5 preseason points) making it a 4-2 game with 15:25 remaining in the contest, capping off a night that saw both he and Wray as the #2 and #1 stars respectively. The Rush outshot the Cutthroats by a 35-22 margin, concluding an offensively powered evening for the team from the Mt. Rushmore State. The penalty kill was impeccable, and remained untarnished, going a perfect 4/4 on the evening, and 7/7 on the preseason. Rapid City finishes (2-0) on the postseason, while Denver, conversely, finishes (0-2). In less than a week’s time, the 2013/2014 Central Hockey League season will officially commence, with Denver facing the Tulsa Oilers, and the Rush traveling to Wichita to take on 2013 President’s Cup finalist Thunder. Other Rush News: Other Rush News: Season tickets for the 2013-14 season are available now by calling the Rush office at 716-7825. The CHL season begins on October 18th, when the Rush play the Wichita Thunder in Kansas. The game will be broadcast on CHL TV and 100.3 FM, “The FOX”, the official radio home of your Rapid City Rush. The home opener will take place on October 25th, as the Rush take on the CHL’s first ever expansion team from Canada, the Brampton Beast.