LATE GOAL GIVES RUSH KEY 2 POINTS ON THE ROAD IN SEASON OPENER

(WICHITA, KS) – Friday night in Kansas marked the return of the CHL season, with 6 teams in action. The Rapid City Rush and the Wichita Thunder picked up from where they left off last season and renewed their rivalry in the INTRUST Bank Arena. After 60 minutes, and a thrilling 5 minute sequence to end the game, the Rush would take the 2 points on the road by 2-1 decision, thanks to Konrad Reeder’s game winner with 4:57 left in the contest, and Tristin Llewellyn’s two helpers.

The game started off with a racing pace, with both teams trying to keep up with each other shift for shift. Both team’s power plays would see sufficient action in the first period, but it would be the Thunder scoring the first power play goal of the season off the stick of former Rapid City Rush forward R.G.Flath exactly four minutes into the new year. The Rush would counter with five power play opportunities of their own with 1:33 carrying over to the second period on a penalty from Wichita’s Matt Summers for roughing, but would be unable to capitalize on the chances going into the second period.

After firing 20 shots on net to the Thunder’s 5 after 20 minutes elapsed, the Rush looked to start the second frame of action with just as much tenacity and offensive firepower as in they did in the beginning of the game. After six unsuccessful chances on the man advantage, Jesse Schultz would ignite the goal lamp and tie the game up on the seventh Rush power play of the night with 2:46 remaining in the second act, with Jared Brown lending a hand and Tristin Llewellyn notching his first of two assists on the evening. The offense kept up the ferocity going into the final 20 minutes of play, which would shape up to be the most memorable sequence of the contest.

The final frame of action summed up the tense nature of tonight’s matchup. Rapid City would gain their first lead of the game, and the CHL season for that matter, thanks to a top-shelf goal courtesy of Konrad Reeder with 4:57 left in the game, to allow the Rush to secure their first two points of the 2013/2014 season. The win, however did not come without controversy. Before Reeder’s breakaway and game-Winning%20Goal, Rush captain Scott Wray engaged in a scrum with former Rush forward and lone Wichita scorer R.G. Flath. In an effort by the referees to break up the fracas, the puck actually went out of play in the netting behind Tim Boron’s goal in the Rapid City zone, but the referees did not call the stoppage, leading the Tristin Llewellyn notching his second assist on the night, along with Scott Brannon lending a hand, in Reeder’s effort to win the game.

Tristin Llewellyn led the Rapid City points column with assists on each goal in tonight’s contest. The penalty kill did let one by the goal-line of Tim Boron, but shut the door on the other four Thunder powerplays in the game to boast an 80% success rate on the PK. While the power play was slow to start for the Rush, they did net one off the stick of Jesse Schultz, which seemed to turn the tide of the game within the final three minutes of the middle frame of action. Tim Boron saved the game numerous times in the 3rd period, finishing with 16 saves on 17 shots, 6 of them coming in the final act of tonight’s game.

Tomorrow night the Rush take on the Quad City Mallards in the iWireless Arena. Puck drop is set for 7:05 CST, so make sure to tune into the game on 100.3 The Fox, the official radio home of your Rapid City Rush.

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 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.

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