RUSH SALVAGE POINT IN SHOOTOUT LOSS TO ICEMEN

(EVANSVILLE, IN) – Spencer Pommells helped his team force an eventual overtime and shootout round with his second period goal, but the Evansville IceMen outlasted the Rapid City Rush in 65+ minutes of hockey, winning in three shootout rounds by a 2-1 score on Saturday night.

Evansville opened up scoring entries just shy of the midway point of the opening frame. With 6:38 gone by in the first, Andrew Himelson was the third man in on an odd-man rush down the ice, and finished a cross-ice pass from Danny Hobbs by Rush net-minder, Danny Battochio. The resulting goal put Evansville up 1-0, with Hobbs receiving the lone assist.

Spencer Pommells evened the game up in the opening moments of the second, registering his 11th goal of the season. Through neutral ice, Danick Gauthier hit Pommells with a pass, and the rookie sniped a shot by IceMen goaltender, Christoffer Bengtsberg, drawing the game level at 1-1 with 2:12 played in the second period (Gauthier earned the lone assist).

The third period featured 29 combined shots by both sides and multiple opportunities on the man-advantage, but neither goaltender would budge. With over a minute left in the game, Cody Ferriero was assessed a two-minute minor for hooking, which carried over into overtime.

The Rush were shorthanded twice in overtime, at the start and end of the period, but would not concede a game-winning tally. Danny Battochio withstood both barrages, and eventually helped the Rush force a shootout. Unfortunately for the visiting side, Spencer Pommells and Cody Ferriero would be denied on their opportunities towards Christoffer Bengtsberg’s net, while Alex Wideman and Daultan Leveille scored on theirs to secure the second point for the IceMen in what was a 2-1 win.

Danny Battochio stopped 39 of 40 shots in regulation, suffering the loss in his first shootout appearance of the season (12-13-3).

The Rush finish out their seven-game road trip with a showdown against the Colorado Eagles next Wednesday night. The February 10th tilt is slated for a puck drop of 7:05 p.m. MST.

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