SAULNIER ADDED TO 2020 WESTERN CONFERENCE ALL-STAR TEAM

(RAPID CITY, SD) – The Rapid City Rush, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes, in conjunction with the ECHL on Monday announced roster changes for the 2020 Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic presented by Toyota, to be hosted by the Wichita Thunder on Wednesday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. CT at INTRUST Bank Arena. The game will air LIVE exclusively on NHL Network.

Brennan Saulnier of the Rapid City Rush will replace his teammate, Rush Captain Peter Quenneville, in the 2020 Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic presented by Toyota. Quenneville is currently loaned to the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL.

Saulnier is tied for seventh among ECHL rookies in scoring with 28 points (14g-14a) in 36 games this season. Additionally, he’s tied for the ECHL rookie lead with 3 shorthanded goals, and holds the third-best shooting percentage among ECHL rookies at 21.9%, scoring his 14 goals on 64 shots.

In addition to Saulnier, Kansas City’s Zach Osburn will replace teammate Justin Woods, who is injured. Idaho’s Brady Norrish will replace Quenneville in the Hardest Shot Competition in the Kansas Star Casino/ECHL Skills Competition.

Following the format established last season, the Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic presented by Toyota will feature a 3-on-3 tournament with four teams competing for the top spot. The host Wichita Thunder will make up two of the four teams and face-off against the other two teams made up of All-Star players from the Eastern and Western Conference. These four teams will compete in a 3-on-3 tournament with rally scoring in order to crown a winner. The 2020 Kansas Star Casino/ECHL All-Star Skills Competition will take place in between rounds of the tournament, with results counting towards the cumulative score.

The 13th class of the ECHL Hall of Fame will be officially inducted at a banquet, presented by BFL CANADA and Sutton Special Risk, on Tuesday, January 21 at 5:30 p.m. at the Drury Plaza Hotel Broadview, the Official Host Hotel of the 2020 Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic presented by Toyota.

For more information on the 2020 Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic presented by Toyota and to purchase tickets, please visit www.echlallstarclassic.com.

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.

About the ECHL

Began in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 26 teams in 19 states and two Canadian provinces for its 32nd season in 2019-20. There have been 671 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL, including nine who have made their NHL debuts in the 2019-20 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 25 of the 31 NHL teams in 2019-20, marking the 23rd consecutive season that the league had affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com.

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

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