PARKS STOPS 39 TO HELP RUSH SALVAGE A POINT AGAINST ALLEN

(ALLEN, TX) – Tyler Poulsen scored with 11:17 remaining in regulation to force overtime for the Rapid City Rush, but Gabriel Gagne fired home the game-winner with 2:44 left in overtime to claim the second point for the Allen Americans, who defeated the Rush by a 3-2 score on Friday night. While the overtime loss snaps the Rush’s winning streak at five games, the point earned in the overtime loss extends the team’s point streak to six games dating back to October 13th.

For the first time since October 12th, the Rush surrendered the first goal of the game, with Allen’s Alex Guptill providing the tally in four-on-four hockey. With 3:02 left in the first period, Guptill and Tyler Sheehy went down the ice on a break that ended in Guptill slamming Sheehy’s rebound past Rush net-minder Tyler Parks to give the Americans an early 1-0 lead (Sheehy had the lone assist).

Tyler Coulter countered quickly for the Rush in the second period in a similar fashion to Guptill’s tally.  With just 99 seconds played in the second, Ryker Killins delayed entering the Americans zone, and fired a shot that was initially stopped by Allen goaltender Jake Paterson. Coulter was in the area code of the rebound and knocked it home, squaring the game at 1-1 (Killins had the only assist).  The deadlock didn’t last long, as over four minutes later it was Dmitry Sokolov on an individual effort in front of the Rush net that pushed Allen back in the lead. At the 5:57 mark of the second, Sokolov identified a rebound off of Parks, navigated traffic, and snuck it by him to give the Americans a 2-1 lead (Gabriel Gagne and Guptill assisted).

Tyler Poulsen, a one-time Allen American, scored for a second time in the head-to-head series, and was responsible for forcing overtime in the final period. With 11:17 remaining in the game, Poulsen was sprung on a break by Ryker Killins and Stephane Legault, and motored into the Allen zone all alone behind the defense. Poulsen faked Paterson and finished with a backhand shot to square the game at 2-2 (Killins and Legault assisted).  Despite numerous chances in a chaotic final minutes of regulation, neither team could break the deadlock. Overtime was necessary for a second time in as many meetings between the rivals.

Gabriel Gagne sealed the win for the Americans to give them the second point with 2:44 left in overtime, completing a two-on-one break with Spencer Asuchak to give the Americans a 3-2 win.

Tyler Parks stopped 39 of 42 shots, including 17 of 18 in the second period, suffering the overtime loss (3-0-2-0). Despite the defeat, Parks remains undefeated in regulation through five starts this season.

The Rush rematch the Americans tomorrow night, Saturday, November 2nd, with puck drop at the Allen Event Center slated for 6:05 p.m. MDT.

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

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