RUSH FALL, GAIN CRUCIAL POINT IN SHOOTOUT LOSS

(ALLEN, TX) – Garrett Klotz’ fourth goal of the season tied the game up on the power play late in the third perid, but Adam Miller clinched the game-winner in the bottom of the fourth shootout round for the Allen Americans, who defeated the Rapid City Rush by a 3-2 score after 65+ minutes of play on Tuesday morning.  The crucial point gained by the Rush not only gives the team a four-game point streak dating back to November 28th against Utah (2-0-1-1), but, heading into the evening’s ECHL action, puts the Rush in a three-way tie for third place in the Mountain Division with Idaho and Kansas City at 25 points.

Only one goal was scored to kick off the morning’s festivities, and it belonged to the Rush for a second consecutive game.  Scoring early in the morning showdown was Andrew Radjenovic, who took a Dylan Quaile pass into the Americans zone, cut down “Main Street” towards the net, and rifled a shot by Allen goalie Kyle Hayton to give the Rush a 1-0 lead at 2:18 into the contest (Quaile and Tyler Poulsen assisted).

Special teams seemed to be the story of the second period, and the Americans used a five-on-three power play to square the game heading into the final period.  With 8:36 gone by, the Rush penalty-kill came an inch away from clearing the zone and going on a potential breakaway, but Allen contained and Adam Miller encroached the net with virually no defense in front.  Miller feigned a maneuver, then dished to Alex Breton, who buried his shot behind Rush net-minder Adam Carlson to tie the game at 1-1 (Miller and Dave Makowski assisted).  The Rush had three power plays in the second period, including a five-minute major power play, but the latter was virtually wiped out with a questionable goaltender interference call on Carlson that evened things to four-on-four hockey heading into the third.

Mitch Maloney, on just his second goal as both a professional and on the season, gave Allen its only lead of the game just shy of the midway point of the final period.  With 11:25 left in the game, Dante Salituro, from behind the Rush goal line, fed the puck to Maloney in front of the net, who batted it by Carlson to put Allen on top with a 2-1 advantage (Salituro and Adam Miller assisted).  To the surprise of no one, however, the Rush got a clutch game-tying goal on their final power play of the game to force “free hockey”.  With 4:18 left in the game, Josh Elmes zipped a blue line shot into Pierre-Luc Mercier in traffic, who fired the puck on net, deflected Garrett Klotz over Hayton’s shoulder to square the game at 2-2 (Mercier and Elmes assisted).

Allen outshot the Rush 5-1 in overtime, but neither team could find the game-winner in the extra five minutes allotted, so a shootout would decide the winner.  Tyler Poulsen started off the Rush in the top of the first round with a backhander by Hayton, but Allen’s Braylon Shmyr answered with his own tally to tie things up after one round.  Andrew Radjenovic and Cedric Montminy couldn’t convert on their opportunities, but neither could Zach Pochiro and Greg Chase.  In the fourth sudden death round, Pierre-Luc Mercier was denied on his opportunity, and Adam Miller finished with a fake by Carlson to give the Americans the second point with a 3-2 shootout win.

Adam Carlson, in his fourth consecutive start, stopped 26 of 28 shots, and two of four shooters in the shootout loss, suffering his second loss past overtime this season (7-3-2-2).  Carlson is responsible for the points earned for the Rush in this recent stretch dating back to November 28th vs Utah, going 2-0-1-1 in that timespan.

The Rush continue their two-week road trip in which they play 8 games in 12 nights tomorrow against the Americans in a rematch, slated for 6:05 p.m. MST at the Allen Event Center.

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