(CINCINNATI, OH) – Cody Milan banked his own rebound in close range of the net midway through the third period to help push the Cincinnati Cyclones to a 3-1 win over the Rapid City Rush on Sunday afternoon. The game ends a stretch of four games/five nights/three cities for the Rush, in which they earned a 2-2-0-0 record.
Cincinnati struck for the only goal of the first period between both combatants within the final minutes of the frame. With just 61 seconds left, a Frank Hora shot was denied by Rush net-minder Alex Sakellaropoulos, but the rebound came to Jesse Schultz, who tapped the puck home to give the Cyclones a 1-0 lead heading into the locker room (Hora and Justin Vaive assisted).
The Rush counterpunched in the second period, leading to a deadlock for the final 20 minutes of the week. With 8:37 played in the second, Tanner Karty, in similar fashion to Schultz, buried the rebound off of a Jalen Smereck shot past Cincinnati goalie Michael Houser, squaring the game at 1-1 (Smereck and Chris Leibinger assisted).
Cincinnati broke the deadlock in the third period on a net front scramble, and never looked back from there. With 8:33 left in the game, Cody Milan knocked in his own rebound from in front of the Rush crease and squeaked a shot by Sakellaropoulos, giving Cincinnati a 2-1 lead (Pascal Aquin and Brady Vail assisted). With Sakellaropoulos pulled for the extra attacker, the Rush mounted a final assault on Cincinnati, but Nate Mitton slipped the puck into the empty net, giving Cincinnati a 3-1 win.
Alex Sakellaropoulos, starting in back to back games, stopped 20 of 22 shots in the defeat (3-6-0-0 with the Rush, 5-10-0-0 total).
The Rush will now enjoy the All-Star Break this week before resuming play on home ice this weekend against the Wichita Thunder for a “three-in-three”. Puck drop for Friday, January 24th, is slated for 7:05 p.m. MDT. On Friday and Saturday, the Rush will host its annual “Military Appreciation Weekend”, presented by Ebelution Heating and Cooling and Liberty Superstores, in which the Rush will pay homage to those who have served, and continue to serve, in the United States Armed Forces. The team will wear specialty military themed jerseys for both games on January 24th and 25th against the Thunder, sponsored by Ebelution Heating and Cooling, and will be auctioned off following the January 25th contest.
Tickets for all remaining Rush games are on sale now! Visit www.rapidcityrush.com to purchase yours today!
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