KASHIRSKY'S TWO GOALS HELP THUNDER EARN SPLIT OVER RUSH

SLAPSHOT POSTGAME COVERAGE PRESENTED BY ASSURANT SOLUTIONS

KASHIRSKY’S TWO GOALS HELP THUNDER EARN SPLIT OVER RUSH

(RAPID CITY, SD) – Wednesday night saw the Rapid City Rush and the Wichita Thunder square off for the third time in their last four games. The Rush, winners of 10 straight over the Thunder for parts of the last three seasons, looked to improve their streak to 11, and their head-to-head record in the ECHL to 3-0. Instead, the Thunder came out with high energy, and because of Nikita Kashirsky’s two-goal night, took a split with the Rush in a 3-2 decision.

The Wichita Thunder came out hot to start the game, and for the first time in this season series struck first. With open space, Nikita Kashirsky notched his second goal of the season on passes from Kenton Miller and Ian Lowe, giving the Thunder an early 1-0 lead just 1:42 into the game. It would take almost the whole period, but eventually the Rush would get back in the game and even things up. With 49.9 seconds left, Kyle Stroh skated around his oncoming assailant and rifled a wristshot past Tyler Bunz to knot the game up at 1-1 heading into the second.

Rush special teams got on the board again in the second period to give the Rush their only lead in the game. Jesse Schultz and Sean Erickson teamed up on a pass with 10 seconds left in the second power play of the game, leading to Landon Oslanski’s fourth goal of the season, giving the Rush a 2-1 lead 10:25 left in the second frame. Unfortunately for the Rush, Nikita Kashirsky and Ian Lowe would connect for a second time on a two-on-one rush, leading to Kashirsky’s second goal of the night to even the contest at 2-2 heading into the third.

Hockey is a game of bounces and deflections at times, and tonight that proved to be true in favor of the visitors from Wichita. With 10:11 left in the game, Stephen Schultz threw a puck in front of Danny Battochio’s net, and the puck deflected off of the skate of a Rush skater and in Battochio’s cage, giving the Thunder the go-ahead goal and a 3-2 lead. Despite a power play late in the game, Nick McParland clanking the post, and an extra-attacker at the end, the Rush would fall to the Thunder 3-2 after 60 minutes.

Danny Battochio received his third loss of the year, while stopping 28 shots thrown his way (4-3-1). With their win, Wichita defeats Rapid City for the first time since their second-to-last meeting of the 2012-13 CHL season, ending a 10 game losing streak over the span of three seasons to the Rush. Landon Oslanski and Nick McParland each record their second points in as many nights, with Oslanski tallying a power play goal and McParland registering his second helper. Continuing their busy week, the Rush head to Tulsa to take on the Oilers Friday night at the BOK Center, with puck drop slated for 6:35 MST.

Other Rush News:

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