(RAPID CITY, SD) – Tonight marks the conclusion of the Rapid City Rush’s first-ever season in the ECHL, as the Rush take on the Allen Americans at 6:05 p.m. MST. With the excitement of their 72nd game of 72 being played tonight comes the looming playoff scenarios for their first Kelly Cup Playoff run. Here are those scenarios:

The Rush will CLINCH HOME-ICE ADVANTAGE TONIGHT IF:

• The Rush record a single point against the Americans in their last regular season game.

The Rush have not clinched home-ice advantage just yet. There is an extremely astronomical chance that the Tulsa Oilers could earn home-ice advantage, but the scenario has play out perfectly for the Oilers. When it comes to playoff tie-breakers, the first one is wins in regulation + overtime (ROW). The Rush currently hold 33 wins in that category, while the Oilers, with 2 games left, hold 31. Should the Oilers win their last 2 games in regulation or overtime, they will tie the Rush at 33 ROW. The next tie-breaker comes to goal differential. Currently, the Rush posses a goal differential of +16 to Tulsa’s +4, for a difference of 12 between both teams. Essentially, it would come down to the final scores of the Rush’s game against the Americans tonight, and Tulsa’s final scores in their last 2 games.

In the playoffs, the Rush will play the QUAD CITY MALLARDS in Round 1 IF:

• Tulsa loses to Wichita in regulation tonight OR wins in a shootout tonight against the Thunder OR Mallards tomorrow night, OR

• Tulsa, as long as they record a point at minimum tonight against Wichita, loses to Quad City tomorrow.

The Rush have secured home-ice advantage against the Quad City Mallards.

Should the Rush play the Mallards in the opening round, the games would be played as follows:

• Game 1: Friday, April 17th, 7:05 p.m. at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center

• Game 2: Saturday, April 18th, 7:05 p.m. at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center

• Game 3: Wednesday, April 22nd, 6 p.m. at iWireless Center

• Game 4: Friday. April 24th, 6 p.m. at iWireless Center

• Game 5*: Saturday, April 25th, 6 p.m. at iWireless Center

• Game 6*: Tuesday, April 28th, 6:35 p.m. at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center

• Game 7*: Wednesday, April 29th, 6:35 p.m. at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center

*-if necessary. All times are MST. Home games are in Bold

The Rush will play the TULSA OILERS in Round 1 IF:

• Tulsa wins tonight against Wichita in regulation AND against Quad City tomorrow in regulation, OR

• Tulsa records, at minimum, a point tonight against Wichita AND defeats Quad City tomorrow.

There is still a remote chance that the Oilers can earn home-ice advantage against the Rush.

Should the Rush play the Oilers in the opening round with home-ice advantage, the games would be played as follows:

• Game 1: Friday, April 17th, 7:05 p.m. at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center

• Game 2: Saturday, April 18th, 7:05 p.m. at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center

• Game 3: Wednesday, April 22nd, 6:05 p.m. at BOK Center

• Game 4: Thursday, April 23rd, 6:05 p.m. at BOK Center

• Game 5*: Sunday, April 26th, 3:05 p.m. at BOK Center

• Game 6*: Tuesday, April 28th, 6:35 p.m. at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center

• Game 7*: Wednesday, April 29th, 6:35 p.m. at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center

*-if necessary. All times are MST. Home games are in Bold

If the Rush do not have home-ice advantage in the opening round against the Oilers, then the games would be played as follows:

• Game 1: Wednesday, April 15th, 6:05 p.m. at BOK Center

• Game 2: Friday, April 17th, 6:35 p.m. at BOK Center

• Game 3: Sunday, April 19th, 4:05 p.m. at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center

• Game 4: Monday, April 20th, 6:35 p.m. at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center

• Game 5*: Wednesday, April 22nd, 6:35 p.m. at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center

• Game 6*: Thursday, April 23rd, 7:05 p.m. at BOK Center

• Game 7*: Sunday, April 26th, 3:05 p.m. at BOK Center

*-if necessary. All times are MST. Home games are in Bold

The Rush close out the regular season tonight in a rematch against the Americans, with puck drop slated for 6:05 p.m. MST at the Allen Events Center.

Other Rush News:

Join Rush Nation for only $10 per game! Call the Rush office at 716-7825 for details, and stay informed on all Rush happenings this summer through the official Rapid City Rush team website, www.RapidCityRush.com, and the Rapid City Rush mobile app, available on iTunes and Google Play.

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