MISSOURI EDGES RUSH 2-0 IN A PHYSICAL BATTLE

SLAPSHOT POSTGAME COVERAGE PRESENTED BY ASSURANT SOLUTIONS

MISSOURI EDGES RUSH 2-0 IN A PHYSICAL BATTLE

(RAPID CITY, SD) – Facing each other for the second time in the last three games, the Rapid City Rush played host to the Missouri Mavericks in their fourth matchup of the season. The Rush looked to shake off their Saturday night loss to Wichita, but the Mavericks would slowly edge the Rush out of another two points. Behind Jared Brown’s and Andrew Courtney’s tallies late in the second and halfway through the third, respectively, coupled with a 31 save performance from Maxime Lagace, the Mavericks blanked the Rush 2-0, their second consecutive shutout loss.

It took 38:39 of playing time, but eventually, the Mavericks would get on the board. With 1:21 left in the second period, Jared Brown and Sebastien Thinel would charge the Rush zone on an odd-man rush. Brown took a pass from Thinel and sniped home a wrister to give the Mavericks the early 1-0 advantage heading into the locker room. The Rush physically dominated the opening eight minutes of the period, but a defensive zone turnover would lead to another Mavericks tally. Chris Crane intercepted a pass along the far boards of the Rush zone and found Andrew Courtney who put his shot past Danny Battochio to extend the Mavericks lead to 2-0 with 11:30 to play in the game. With just under seven minutes remaining, the Rush were awarded a penalty shot, and Coach Joe Ferras gave Winston Day Chief the one-on-none nod. Day Chief’s shot did not get past Maxime Lagace, and the Mavericks held onto their two-goal lead. The Rush pushed the pace, and even tried to convert a power play late in the game, but the Mavericks edged the Rush out late, taking the rubber match of the series by a 2-0 score.

Danny Battochio, in his seventh consecutive start, fell for the tenth time this season, making 33 stops on 35 shots faced (6-10-2). The Rush went 0/3 on the power play, the first game against Missouri this season that they have been held scoreless on the man-advantage. For the first time this season, the Rush have been shutout in back-to-back games, and have been outshot for five consecutive games as well. The busiest week in the season for the Rush continues, as they head to Tulsa to take on the Oilers on Friday night at the BOK Center, with puck drop slated for 6:35 MST.

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