RUSH DROP PRESEASON OPENER TO EAGLES, 3-0

(WINDSOR, CO) – Two goals from the blue line with Giffen Nyren and Jake Marto contributing, as well as another from Nathan Moon, and a combined shutout from Tyler Bunz and Jacob DeSerres powered the Colorado Eagles to a 3-0 preseason over the Rapid City Rush, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes.

As most rivalries do, the game started off with fireworks early, as Colorado’s Darryl Bootland began to mix it up with Rapid City’s Kirill Tulupov. Following the fracas, the game was relatively quiet until the Rush suffered back-to-back penalties within three seconds of eachother at the 17:19 mark of the first frame, with Filip Bjork going to the sin bin for slashing and Zach Cohen joining him after for delay of game. The visitors made it one minute and nine seconds before the Eagle’s Giffen Nyren took a pass off of an offensive zone draw win and rifled it by Rush netminder Nic Riopel to give his side a 1-0 lead on his five-on-three power play goal.

After a silent second period by both sides, the Eagles took over in the final frame. Just 1:10 into the action, Jake Marto sent a wrist shot by Rush net-minder Danny Battochio to double the Eagles advantage to 2-0 with 18:50 left in the game. Over the halfway mark of the period, Nathan Moon would record his second point of the game as he navigated confusion behind the Rush net and slipped the puck over Battochio’s line to triple the Eagle’s lead to 3-0, leading to our final score.

Nic Riopel made 18 saves on 19 shots in 29:01 of playing time, while his counterpart, Danny Battochio, made 15 saves on 17 shots in the remaining 30:59. The Rush power play only had one opportunity and could not capitalize, while the Eagles went 1/2, scoring on a five-on-three advantage.

The Rush are back at it tomorrow night in a rematch with the Eagles which will serve as their final preseason game ahead of their season-opening series against the Idaho Steelheads. Puck drop is slated for 7:05 p.m. at Premier Home Mortgage Ice in Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

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