ROOKIE LEADS RUSH TO FIRST VICTORY IN OVERTIME

SLAPSHOT POSTGAME COVERAGE PRESENTED BY ASSURANT SOLUTIONS

ROOKIE LEADS RUSH TO FIRST VICTORY IN OVERTIME

(MOLINE, IL) – Cody Ferriero notched including the game-winner in overtime, as the Rapid City Rush defeated the Quad City Mallards 4-3 to start off the second half of the regular season with a major divisional win. The victory places the Rush in a tie for fifth place in the Central Division of the Western Conference with the Missouri Mavericks, whom they face tomorrow night.

For the fourth game in a row, the Rush surrendered the first goal, with this one coming in the midst of their first man-advantage. Exactly 16 seconds into the first Rush power play of the game, Rush defenseman Sean Erickson’s intended pass for his defense partner behind the net went off of the back of the goal, bouncing right to the Mallard’s leading scorer, Mario Lamoureaux. Lamoureaux caught the puck on his forehand tape and wrapped around Rush net-minder Danny Battochio, tucking the puck past him for the shorthanded tally and a Mallards 1-0 lead 12:32 into the game.

The newcomers of the Rush powered their new club through the middle frame, with Patrick Cullen leading the charge on a backhander in front of the Quad City net. After the puck took numerous skips and hops around the crease of Mallards goaltender Parker Milner, Cullen settled the puck and buried his off-hand shot, tying the game at 1-1 with his second goal in a Rush uniform at 7:03 of the second. Exactly 1:21 later, on a dazzling display of stickhandling and footwork, Rush rookie Cody Ferriero danced around each oncoming assailant, created space, and ripped a turnaround shot past Milner, giving the visitors from the Black Hills a 2-1 advantage over the Mallards heading into the final period of regulation.

With his team trailing, Lamoureaux found the back of the net again, sending a shot from the high slot skipping past Battochio to even things at 2-2 with just 1:02 gone by in the third. Just past the midway point of the final period, Antti Pusa rifled a Logan Nelson pass through a very thin needle up high on Battochio to re-establish the Mallards positioning over the Rush at 3-2 on the scoreboard with 10:47 left in the game. With 4:01 remaining, Jeff Lee errantly sent the puck out of play, putting the Rush on what would be their fourth, and most important, power play of the contest. With 2:19 to play in regulation, and 18 seconds remaining in the man-advantage, the newest Rush defenseman, Dallas Ehrhardt, unloaded a shot through traffic from the far wall of the offensive zone past Milner to even things up at 3-3, forcing overtime for the sixth time this season for the Rush.

The puck bounced oddly all night long, and eventually bounced in favor of the visiting side. With 2:06 gone by in the free period of hockey, Cody Ferriero capitalized on a bounce right at the blue line of the Mallards zone and zinged it by Milner for the win, 4-3 after 62:06 of play against the Flock.

Danny Battochio (11-14-2) made 26 saves in his twenty-ninth appearance of the season. With his heroic goal in overtime, Rush rookie Cody Ferriero now has 9 points (5 g, 4 ast) in 7 games played in the ECHL, and inked himself on the goal column of the scoresheet multiple times for the second time this season as well. Daniel Barczuk (2 ast) registered his fourth multi-point game this season.

Continuing their grueling road swing, the Rush now turn their sights to the Independence Event Center and the Missouri Mavericks tomorrow night, with puck drop slated for 6:05 p.m. MST.

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