RUSH FALL IN OVERTIME IN PRESEASON FINALE

(WINDSOR, CO) – Nick Miglio scored his first of the preseason and Brenden Walker struck twice, including the game-tying goal to force overtime, but the Rapid City Rush fell with 0.5 seconds left in overtime to the Colorado Eagles on the road by a 4-3 score at the Budweiser Events Center.

Two nights in a row it was Colorado that opened scoring in the contest. On their second power play of the game, Giffen Nyren fired a shot from the blue line that was initially stopped by Rush net-minder Austin Lotz. Lotz made the kick save, but Ryan Harrison grabbed the rebound in front and backhanded it by the rookie goaltender and put the Eagles up 1-0 (Nyren and Justin Bernhardt assisted). However, with 79 seconds remaining in the frame, the Rush evened the score. There was a congregation of players in front of the Colorado net, and Rush rookie Nick Miglio came out with the puck to square the game up at 1-1 for his new squad (Evan Dixon earned the lone helper).

The Rush earned their first lead of the preseason thanks to Brenden Walker’s tally into the first three minutes of play. With 2:27 gone by in the second, Nathan Moon and Ryan Misiak completed a passing play to Walker in the low slot. Walker walked in and froze Mason with a move to his backhand that he finished by the NHL veteran to push the Rush on top to a 2-1 lead (Moon and Misiak earned the assists). Colorado would tie things up over three minutes later on an odd man rush. After Ryan Misiak was hit viciously by Sean Zimmerman deep in the zone, Casey Pierro-Zabotel and Johnny Lazo joined Giffen Nyren on a break up the ice. Nyren finished a shot by Austin Lotz, even though there were bodies in his crease, to even the game up at 2-2 (Pierro-Zabotel and Lazo earned the helpers). Moments following the goal, Andrew Hare came in net to play the remainder of the game for the Rush, and Clarke Saunders would replace Chris Mason in the Colorado goal.

Colorado jumped ahead to start the third period, with Casey Pierro-Zabotel knocking a loose puck in front of Hare’s net just 23 seconds into the frame to give the Eagles a 3-2 lead. Four minutes later though, the Rush evened things up and forced overtime for a second consecutive night. Nathan Moon rotated the puck down to Ryan Misiak, who sent a nifty back-handed pass to a wide open Brenden Walker on the back door. Walker slammed home his shot by Saunders to even the game at 3-3 with 15:17 left in the game.

Both teams went to overtime for a second consecutive night, and the Eagles once again came out with the victory. With 0.5 seconds left on the clock, Justin Bernhardt sent the puck by Andrew Hare in the middle of a traffic jam in front of the net, giving the Eagles the win at 4-3 (Spencer Galbraith and Casey Pierro-Zabotel earned the assists).

Austin Lotz got the start and stopped 17 of 19 shots, while Andrew Hare was the goaltender of record with the overtime loss, stopping 18 of 20 shots.

The Rush begin the regular season against the Eagles this Friday at 7:05 p.m. The October 14th season-opener features magnetic schedules provided by Stuart Martin and energy-efficient light bulbs from game-night sponsor Black Hills Energy will be handed to fans at the game. Additionally, the “Fur Circus” mascot group will be in attendance for all the family fun. Get your tickets by calling the Rush office at 716-PUCK.

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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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