SIX GOAL PERFORMANCE HELPS RUSH FILET THE FISH

(RAPID CITY, SD) – Saturday night marked the rubber match of the three game in four night rivalry set between the Denver Cutthroats and the Rapid City Rush. Rushmore Plaza Civic Center played host to one of the best home efforts this season, as the Rush, powered by yet another dominant team performance, won 6-2 over the Cutthroats to take the three-game series, and create even further separation in the CHL standings.

The ferocity of the rivalry picked up last night, as whistles were in abundance in the opening twenty minutes. Rapid City would deal with the adversity of the whistles, and end up finding the scoresheet first for the third time in this series, scoring late in the period. Scott Brannon would tip in a shot through traffic and give the Rush a 1-0 lead with 2:40 left in the first. The Rush were not done there, as one of the frequent whistles would go their way and give them a power play opportunity in the waning moments of the frame. Jesse Schultz would extend his point streak to a league high 12 games, and score a power play goal to give the Rush a 2-0 lead heading into the locker room session.

The Rush would take the momentum from the first period and find the scoresheet once more in the middle frame. Rush captain Scott Wray would score a power play goal, Rapid City’s second of the game, tipping a shot from Sean Erickson to extend the Rush lead to 3-0 with 7:26 left in the second. Denver would push back, and would get on the board themselves exactly 1:24 later. Cutthroats forward T.J. Fox would take a centering pass from Mike Schumacher right in Rush goaltender Tim Boron’s crease, cutting the Rush lead to 3-1. Rapid City would have to kill off a power play over the period break heading into the third period.

Coming into the third period, the Rush penalty kill unit looked to stifle the Cutthroats once more, but Denver would break through to open the frame. J.P. Chabot would score a power play goal for the Cutthroats to narrow the gap to 3-2 just a minute and a half into the final period of regulation. After playing some solid defense for a stretch of the third, the Rush offense would unload. Matt Larke would score his first goal in a Rush uniform, rifling home a rebound on a shot taken from Tristin Llewellyn to extend the Rush lead to 4-2 with 16:44 left in regulation. Moments later, Kyle Stroh would take a long pass from Llewellyn and Justin Sawyer and burn Cutthroats goaltender Kieran Millan to give the Rush a 5-2 lead with 11:29 left in the period. Exactly 1:07 later, Sean Erickson, for his third assist, would dish the puck to Rush captain Scott Wray, feeding Justin Faryna the puck in the crease, five-holing Millan to put the Rush up 6-2. Despite a late Rush power play to end regulation, the 6-2 score would hold, giving Rapid City its second straight win, and earning the three-game series win in the rubber match.

Tim Boron stopped 32 shots tonight for his thirteenth win of the year (13-2-0), in his ninth consecutive start and his fifteenth appearance this season. Five players recorded multiple-point outings for the Rush: Sean Erickson (3 Ast), Eric Giosa and Tristin Llewellyn (2 Ast), and Kyle Stroh, and Scott Wray (G, Ast each). Matt Larke picked up his first goal in a Rush uniform. The Rush registered 43 shots on the Cutthroats net as well. The Rush travel to Texas next week to take on the defending CHL-champion Allen Americans on Friday and Saturday.

Other Rush News:

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

Join Mark Binetti, “Voice of the Rush”, and Head Coach/GM Joe Ferras for “The Rush Hour with Head Coach Joe Ferras”, sponsored by Miller Lite on Wednesday, December 11th. Show starts at 6 PM at H2O Bar and Grill, and will be broadcast on 100.3 The FOX, the official radio home for your Rapid City Rush.

Stay informed on Rush happenings through the official Rapid City Rush team website, www.RapidCityRush.com, and the Rapid City Rush mobile app, available on iTunes and GooglePlay

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