RUSH WIN SEVENTH STRAIGHT BEHIND HARTIGANS FIRST PRO WIN AND REEDERS TWO GOALS

(PRESCOTT VALLEY, AZ) – The Rapid City Rush concluded their three game in four night set against the Arizona Sundogs Saturday night in Tim’s Toyota Center. Rush rookie goaltender Keaton Hartigan would earn his first pro win, as he would help the Rush win their seventh consecutive game to start the season in a 5-3 decision over the Sundogs. Konrad Reeder would score two goals, one of them shorthanded on the night.

Desperation has been apparent for the Sundogs coming into each contest, as they have been shorthanded in their personnel due to suspensions and injury. That desperate attitude would pay off, as the Sundogs struck 1:32 into the game, as Kevin Baker would score a power play goal on one-timer from the back door to put the Sundogs up 1-0. Dion Campbell would record his first point as a Sundog this season and former Rush forward Damian Surma would lend a hand as well. The hosts from Prescott Valley were not done there, as they would extend their lead to 2-0 thanks to Bryan Cameron’s first goal of the season. Cameron would fire a shot from the Rush blueline and Rush rookie goaltender Keaton Hartigan would give up a rebound that he would be unable to control, which Cameron would cash in on with 11:44 left in the first. Rapid City, facing a 2-0 deficit in the first period for the second time this season, would accept the challenge and roar back. Justin Faryna would start the party for the Rush and cut the deficit in half to 2-1 with 7:06 left in the first. Shortly after Faryna’s goal, Ryan Palmer would be assessed a five minute major for boarding before the period expired, and would also be assessed a 10 minute misconduct penalty on the play as well. That didn’t phase the Rush at all, as Konrad Reeder would follow that up with his first goal of the contest, shorthanded, to tie the game at 2 with 2:10 left in the first period. Scott Brannon would extend his point streak to five games, assisting on the one-time to Reeder. If the shorthanded goal was not a back breaker for the Sundogs, then Eric Giosa’s was, as his goal came with 33 seconds left in the first period. Giosa would take passes from Riley Weselowski and Winston Day Chief to put the Rush up 3-2 going into the first intermission.

The second period saw even back and forth play between both clubs. However, the rhythm initially established would soon be broken, as a fluke play would benefit the Rush late in the period. Konrad Reeder would fire a shot on Sundogs goaltender Andrew Englage, and Englage would mishandle the puck, knocking it back into his own goal to give Reeder his second of the night, extending the Rush lead to 4-2 with 4:17 left in the second. However, exactly 2:10 later, Sundogs rookie Brodie Zuk would get the Sundogs back into the game, taking a pass from Jason Morgan and sniping it top shelf over Keaton Hartigan to make the score 4-3 with 2:07 left in the period.

The third period was all about damage control for both teams. For Rapid City, it was about maintaining the lead, and they did precisely that. After navigating two bouts of 4-on-4 hockey, the Rush would be faced with an extra attacker for the Sundogs late in the period. Justin Sawyer would take advantage of the empty net and seal the win for the Rush, their seventh consecutive, with a 5-3 final score.

Keaton Hartigan would stop 30 shots in his professional debut, and pick up his first win. Scott Brannon extended his point streak to five games, and his assist streak to three games with two assists in the game. Konrad Reeder would score two goals, the most by a single player in a single game this season. Justin Sawyer has scored in two consecutive games for the first time in his pro career. Rapid City has (7-0-0, 14 pts) has won seven in a row to start the season for the first time in franchise history, and is all alone in 2nd place in the CHL behind Allen (7-0-1, 15 pts). The Rush return home to take on the Sundogs twice more next week in Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City.

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Season tickets for the 2013-14 season are available now by calling the Rush office at 716-7825.

Join Mark Binetti and Head Coach Joe Ferras for the return of “The Rush Hour with Head Coach Joe Ferras” brought to you by Miller Lite, official sponsor of the radio show at H2O Bar and Grill. The show returns to 100.3 The Fox, the official radio home of your Rapid City Rush next Monday November 4th at 6 PM.