MAVERICKS TAKE UP-AND-DOWN GAME OVER RUSH

SLAPSHOT POSTGAME COVERAGE PRESENTED BY ASSURANT SOLUTIONS

MAVERICKS TAKE UP-AND-DOWN GAME OVER RUSH

(RAPID CITY, SD) – With equal numbers across the board through four games in the rivalry, the Rapid City Rush and the Missouri Mavericks locked horns for the fifth time this season at Premier Home Mortgage Ice in Rushmore Plaza Civic Center on Friday night. The Rush, winners of three straight, looked to carry the momentum built from last weekend’s road sweep into their house after the holidays, but the Mavericks came out with speed and aggression as the game progressed. Behind a three-point night for Lindsay Sparks, which included the game-Winning%20Goal in the third period, the Mavericks won an up-and-down game over the Rush, 5-3.

After being blanked in their last meeting on Saturday, the Mavericks struck twice less than three minutes apart. The first goal came at the 5:51 mark of the opening period when Dallas Erhardt flung a wrister from the point past Danny Battochio, giving the Mavericks an early 1-0 lead. Exactly 2:43 later, Lindsay Sparks went in on a two-on-zero rush, and eventually deferred to Chris Crane who scored the goal to give the Mavericks a 2-0 lead early in the contest. Towards the end of the period, however, special teams would be in full flight for the Rush. On the first Rush power play of the game, Joey Sides took a Landon Oslanski rebound off of the back kick plate and saw his first shot clank off the post. His rebound came back to him and he made no mistake with the second chance, scoring his first goal in his first game back off of the injured reserve, bringing the Rush within striking distance at 2-1 with 3:16 left in the period. Exactly 1:17 later, Jesse Schultz threaded the needle on a sharp angle shot off of a rebound from Daniel Tetrault, tying the game at 2-2 heading into the middle act of the performance.

The Rush continued to see success from their power play, and eventually gained their first lead with a man-advantage. Former Rush forward Jared Brown was sent to the box for a high-sticking call, and Daniel Tetraul connected with Dylan Clarke on an open back door to give the Rush their only lead of the game at 3-2 just over the midway point of the period. In the closing moments of the frame, Lindsay Sparks would score his first of two goals with 7 seconds remaining in the third Missouri power play of the game, tying the game at 3-3 heading into the third.

Midway through the third period, the Mavericks found some offense and Lindsay Sparks found his second goal. 9:10 into the frame, Sebastien Thinel started a rush with Jack Downing, with Lindsay Sparks finishing on a cross-ice pass to give the Mavericks their final lead of the game at 4-3. In the waning moments of the third, Rush captain Daniel Tetrault was called for a hooking minor, leaving the Rush shorthanded for the remainder of the game. Pulling the goaltender led to even-strength hockey for the Rush, who did not have the luxury of the extra-attacker that the scenario normally presents, which in turn led to Andrew Courtney’s empty-netter with 28.4 seconds left, sealing a 5-3 win for the Mavericks.

Danny Battochio fell for the eleventh time in his twenty-second appearance, stopping 21 shots on the evening (8-11-2). Both Jesse Schultz and Sean Erickson extended their respective point streaks to four games apiece, while Winston Day Chief’s goal-scoring streak ended at three games. Daniel Tetrault recorded a two-point night (2 Ast), and has 4 assists in his last 3 games. The Rush win-streak ends at three games, and they will rematch the Mavericks tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. MST at Premier Home Mortgage Ice in Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

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