REGULAR SEASON GAME TWO - 10/12/2019
Rapid City Rush @ Wichita Thunder - 6:05 p.m. MDT
INTRUST Bank Arena
THIS SEASON/LAST GAME
Wichita: 1gp, 0-0-1-0, 1pts (T-4th Mountain)
- 10/11 vs Indy (5-4 OTL)
Rush: 1gp, 0-0-1-0, 1pts (T-4th Mountain)
- 10/11 @ Allen (3-2 OTL)
HEAD TO HEAD (8 Games Played 2018-19)
Wichita: 5-2-0-1 (11pts)
Rush: 3-5-0-0 (6pts)
NOTES
BIG POINT OFF THE START: The Rush salvaged a point to start the 2019-20 ECHL season in their season-opening loss to Allen last night. While the Rush losing streak on opening night continues for a fifth straight year, the team did manage to earn a point on opening night for the first time since their last win at the start of the 2014-15 season, their first in the ECHL. That night, they beat the former rival Colorado Eagles by a 5-1 score at home. Since then, the Rush are 0-4-1-0 on opening night of a new season, losing twice to Allen in that span.
PERFECTION: Perfection accurately describes the Rush penalty-kill on opening night against Allen to start the season. For the first time since the 2017 season-opener, coincidentally enough against Allen, the Rush held their opponent off the scoreboard on the man-advantage, stopping all 6 Allen power plays last night. It’s just the seventh time in now a dozen season-opening games that the Rush have held their opponent scoreless on the power play.
ROLL A SIX: Six different players hit the scoresheet for the Rush last night, kicking the season off in good form. Alex Rauter kicked things off with the fastest goal scored in a season-opening game 4:26 into the season (beating Scott Wray’s previous mark of 4:58 in the 2012 opener at Bloomington), followed by Tyler Poulsen in the goal column. Peter Quenneville and Giovanni Fiore represented the new blood on the team with assists, while familiar faces Cedric Montminy and Myles McGurty also notched helpers.
WHERE HAVE WE SEEN THIS BEFORE?: It took exactly ONE GAME for the Rush to make their way back to overtime, something they made a common occurrence of in the 2018-19 season. The Rush played in 21 overtime/shootout games last year, which marked an ECHL-high, as well as a new franchise record. In the 21 post-regulation appearances, the Rush went 5-5 in overtime and went 7-4 in shootouts. As a matter of fact, the Rush went past 60 minutes so much, that when you add up their total time played after 60 minutes, it comes out to 61:42 of additional hockey. That’s over a full extra game!me extra!
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