LATE, UNLUCKY BOUNCE DOOMS RUSH IN ROAD TRIP FINALE

(TULSA, OK) – Dexter Dancs and Giovanni Fiore provided offense for the Rush in the first two periods of play, but Miles Liberati benefitted off of a fluky bounce on a corner stanchion to give the Tulsa Oilers the game-winner with 1:00 left to help lead them to a 4-2 win on Sunday afternoon. The loss concludes a three-game/three-night/two-city road trip for the Rush in which they claimed 1 of a possible 6 points.

Call and response was the theme of the first two periods offensively for both sides, with the Rush scoring first and the Oilers answering before time expired. Dexter Dancs put the Rush on the board when he stick-checked a 50/50 puck at the side of the Oilers net that arced over the shoulder of goaltender Devin Williams, giving the Rush a 1-0 lead at 6:39 of the first period (Alex Rauter and Richard Coyne assisted).  Tulsa struck back towards the back half of the period off of a clean offensive zone faceoff win. With 5:17 left in the first, Ryan Tesink won the draw to Mike McKee, who deferred to Steve Kaunisto on the blue line for a shot from the point. The shot whizzed through traffic and by a screened Tyler Parks in net for the Rush, squaring the game at 1-1 after 20 minutes (McKee and Tesink assisted).

Giovanni Fiore struck quickly in the early stages of the second period to put the Rush back on top. Just 2:36 into the frame, Fiore skated over the Oilers blue line and rifled a shot on net that deflected off of Williams’ shoulder pad and rolled into the net, re-establishing the Rush lead at 2-1 (the goal was unassisted). Exactly two minutes later, the Oilers tied the game, but the goal came with controversy. At 4:36 of the period, Ryan Tesink gloved the puck down in close range of the Rush net, but didn’t play it with his stick. Instead, it rolled to Ian McNulty, who fired the loose change home on a hand pass that squared the game at 2-2 (Tesink and McKee assisted).

Both teams traded grade-A scoring chances in the final period, but the finishing blow came off of a fluky bounce in the Rush zone, dooming the team in regulation. With 1:00 remaining, the Oilers dumped the puck into the Rush zone and it took an awkward bounce off of the corner stanchion and came out into an open area. After the ensuing scramble, Miles Liberati provided just enough leverage on the puck to flick it into the Rush net past Parks, giving Tulsa the eventual game-winner, and a 3-2 lead (Dakota Joshua and Cam Knight assisted). After pulling Parks from the Rush net, Tesink finished the scoring entries with an empty-netter to bring the final score to 4-2.

Tyler Parks suffered his first regulation loss of the season in just his sixth start, stopping 38 of 41 shots in the defeat (3-1-2-0).

The Rush now return home for a three-game series against the division rival Idaho Steelheads beginning Wednesday, November 6th. Puck drop at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Ice Arena is slated for 7:05 p.m. MDT.  On Saturday, November 9th, the Rush will proudly salute our nation’s military on Veteran’s Appreciation Night! The honor guard that evening will feature the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. Veterans from all major conflicts will be present and recognized throughout the evening. Additionally, the first auction for the first-ever Rush "5th Line Club" will take place postgame.

Tickets for all remaining Rush games are on sale now! Visit www.rapidcityrush.com to purchase yours today!

Download the Rapid City Rush App on iTunes and GooglePlay to keep up to speed on all Rush news as we approach the 2019-20 ECHL season!

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