RUSH TO RECOGNIZE THUNDER VARSITY TEAM

(RAPID CITY, SD) – The Rapid City Rush, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes, announced today that the team will recognize the Rushmore Thunder Varsity Boys hockey team for qualifying for the 2017 Toyota USA Hockey National High School Tournament to be held in Cleveland, Ohio from March 30th to April 3rd. This is the second time in program history that the team has qualified for this tournament.

The Rushmore Thunder Varsity Boys have a league regular season record of 16-1-1, and an overall record of 25-4-2. They will compete for the South Dakota State Championship next weekend in Brookings, South Dakota, and seek their fourth state championship and third in the last four years.

The team is seeking donations to help offset player costs associated with travel and participation in the 2017 National High School Tournament.

The Thunder will sell raffle tickets for a chance to win four (4) tickets to the Colorado Avalanche vs. Minnesota Wild game on Sunday, April 2 in St. Paul, Minnesota, and a separate drawing for a chance to win four (4) tickets to the Justin Bieber concert on Saturday, August 12, 2017, in Denver, Colorado. All tickets have been donated by Coca-Cola Bottling Company High Country. Tickets are 1 for $5 or 3 for $10. In addition, Coca-Cola and the Rapid City Rush have donated Rushmore Thunder preseason specialty jerseys, including a jersey of Marek Langhamer (first Rush player to ever play in the National Hockey League), together with autographed sticks to be auctioned off following the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle jerseys on Saturday, March 4.

Tickets for the raffle can be purchased in each of the next four Rush home games: Friday March 3rd, Saturday March 4th, Friday March 10th, and Saturday March 11th. The drawing will take place at the start of the third period in the March 11th game against the Alaska Aces.

Below are the players being honored for their outstanding accomplishment:

2 Dante Heredia

4 Samuel Delvaux

5 Zach Bender

11 Seth Dikoff

12 Luke Ferdinand – Captain

13 Damon Leier

15 Gavin Gary

17 Kasey Miller

18 Brian Petereit - Captain

20 Hunter Stewart - Captain

21 Ryan Nolan

22 Tanner Good

23 Zachary Neset

25 Parker Sundby

34 Grant Wolthuis

39 Jacob Lindblom

41 Austin Stiles

45 Macintyre Braun

30 John Young - goalie

33 Alex Robin - goalie

Coaches:

Dick Novak, head coach

Paul Ferdinand, assistant coach

Tim Lindblom, assistant coach

Congratulations Rushmore Thunder Varsity Boys and GOOD LUCK!

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