RUSH SWEPT FOR FIRST TIME THIS SEASON, LOSE TO SUNDOGS 4-2

(PRESCOTT VALLEY, AZ) – Saturday night concluded the three game in four night set between the Arizona Sundogs and the Rapid City Rush. The Sundogs, the hottest team in the Central Hockey League having won four in a row and nabbing points in eleven straight, looked to become the first team to sweep the Rush out of a set of games. On their “Pink at the Rink” night, the Sundogs would complete the sweep over the Rush, winning 4-2 behind three first period goals.

The Sundogs jumped on the board early in the game, taking the initial lead for the third consecutive game in the series. While shorthanded, Alex Tuckerman would split the Rush defense and get a good jump into the Rush zone, finishing for the shorthanded tally and a 1-0 lead just 3:09 into the game. The Rush would get quality chances on early power plays, but would be unable to capitalize on their opportunities early. Ten minutes after Tuckerman’s shorthanded goal, newest Sundog Riley Emmerson would deflect a shot past Tim Boron to extend his team’s lead to 2-0. On their third power play of the game, Arizona closed out the period with a bang, as Kevin Baker scored his third power play goal of the series, giving the Sundogs a dominant 3-0 lead after twenty minutes of play.

The tide turned in the second period, as the Rush fought back early in the middle frame. On their fifth power play of the game, a five-on-three power play, Sean Erickson would rifle a shot from the point past Andrew Engelage to put the Rush on the board just 54 seconds into the fame, making the score 3-1. The Rush would see countless opportunities again in the offensive zone, but would not be able to capitalize on their chances, taking their two-goal deficit into the third period. The Rush carried that momentum into the final frame, but the Sundogs would find a way to extend their lead late in the frame. Arizona captain Jason Morgan would score on the final Arizona power play of the game, re-establishing his team’s three-goal lead at 4-1 with 4:48 left in regulation. Despite their large deficit, the Rush answered swiftly, with Kyle Stroh scoring his fourth goal in five games to cut the deficit in half to 4-2 with 3:53 left in the game. Almost thirty seconds later, the Rush would earn their ninth power play of the game, marking a crucial moment in the contest. Even with the aid of the extra attacker, the Rush would be unable to even the game up, and would fall for their third consecutive game to the Sundogs 4-2, their first sweep faced this season.

Tim Boron stopped 27 shots in the loss for the Rush (19-7-0). The Rush power play went 2/20 (10%) in the three game set, with the Sundogs countering with 7/19 (36.8%). Sean Erickson scored his second goal in the series on a five-on-three power play, recording his 8th goal of the year, also marking his 30th point this season with the Rush in just 33 games played. This is the third straight loss for the Rush, their longest losing streak of the season overall, as well as on the road. The Rush are back in action on Tuesday night, continuing their road trip against their archrivals, the Denver Cutthroats, at 7:05 MST.

.

Other Rush News:

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

Don’t forget to join Mark Binetti, “Voice of the Rush”, and Head Coach/GM Joe Ferras for “The Rush Hour with Coach Ferras”, presented by Miller Lite. The show returns to the air next year on Wednesday, February 19th, and will be held at 6 PM at Boston’s Restaurant and Sports Bar. The show is broadcast on 100.3 The FOX, the official radio home of 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 Google Play.

###