RECAP: TUCSON TRADES PETERS AND HACHE TO TEXAS

(TUCSON, AZ) – The Tucson Roadrunners, AHL affiliate of the Rapid City Rush, announced today that the team has acquired forwards Brendan Ranford and Branden Troock from the Texas Stars in exchange for goaltender Justin Peters and defenseman Justin Hache. Additionally, goaltender Marek Langhamer was called up to the Tucson Roadrunners.

“We feel that we have two very good young goaltenders in Adin Hill and Marek Langhamer and want to give them both a chance to play more,” said Doug Soetaert, Tucson Roadrunners General Manager. “Justin is a quality person who needed more ice time. Acquiring Ranford gives us a top-six forward who can score and Troock is a big, hard-working winger who can help us and add depth to our roster.”

“Marek belongs at the AHL level. He’s such a high-quality goaltender and now he’s getting rewarded for all of his hard work heading to the Roadrunners organization for the rest of the season,” said Rush Head Coach Mark DeSantis. “We are so proud of both Adin and Marek for not only how well they played for the Rush, but how they carried themselves has outstanding human beings when they were in Rapid City. Again, they both belong in the AHL and are so deserving of this great opportunity with Tucson.

“For us, that means that Coach Tetrault and I will rely on Adam Morrison and Austin Lotz the rest of the way in goal, and I am fully confident that both gentlemen will bring us to where we want to go as an organization,” Coach DeSantis continued. “Both players have such a strong work ethic and the ability to get the job done in net. Adam has such a calm presence and Austin battles hard every minute he protects our goal. I’m looking forward to this home stretch, as well as our team battling for the last 29 games of the season starting tomorrow night in Fort Wayne.”

The Rush road trip concludes this weekend tomorrow night against the Fort Wayne Komets (6 p.m. MST), and Saturday against the Quad City Mallards (6:05 p.m. MST). When the Rush come back home, they will take on the defending champion Allen Americans in a three-game set, starting Wednesday night on February 8th. The second game of the series, February 10th, is our 9th Annual “Pink at the Rink” showdown brought to you by SHE 106.3, which, since the organization’s inception, has been our way of doing our part in the fight against breast cancer. The Rush will once again don specialty pink jerseys, sponsored by ASI, which will be auctioned off after the game, with a portion of those proceeds going to the Cancer Care institute. Heading into this ninth edition of the game, the Rush are approaching $300,000 of total donations that STAYS LOCAL in our community of Rapid City for cancer care and research alike. Come out on February 10th to welcome the Rush back home, and help contribute to the battle against such an insidious disease. Call 716-7825 for more information.

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