(WEST VALLEY CITY, UT) – Destry Straight may have scored the game-winner, and Taylor Doherty provided insurance late in the game, but Rapid City Rush rookie goaltender Marek Langhamer stopped all 36 shots the Utah Grizzlies threw at him, earning his first professional shutout in a 2-0 win against Utah on Saturday night. With the win, the Rush claimed 3 of a possible 4 points in the road trip, and ended their three-game skid.
For just the fourth time this season, the Rush got the early jump and got the lead first. With 11:17 gone by in the first period, Scott Brannon tipped the puck off of his faceoff draw to Destry Straight on the wing. Straight made no mistake with the puck and buried it past the blocker side of Utah goaltender Ryan Faragher to give the Rush a 1-0 lead on his second goal in as many nights (Brannon received the lone assist). The goal remained the lone tally through 40 minutes of play heading into the final frame.
Utah threw everything and the kitchen sink at the Rush, throwing 22 of their 36 shots at the net of Rush rookie Marek Langhamer in the third period. The Rush defense and the Czech net-minder would have none of it, and would seal the game on an empty-netter. With 62 seconds remaining in the contest, Taylor Doherty attempted to clear the puck out of the Rush zone and it rolled up on its edge in the neutral zone, curving into the empty Grizzlies net to give the Rush a 2-0 advantage. Langhamer stopped the remainder of his shots after the tally, hanging on for his first win and first shutout as a professional.
Marek Langhamer stopped all 36 shots Utah had, improving to 1-1-0 on the season.
The Rush and the Grizzlies will play the third of their five consecutive matchups next Wednesday night, November 18th, at Premier Home Mortgage Ice in Rushmore Plaza Civic Center, with puck drop slated for 6:35 p.m. MST.
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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