(RAPID CITY, SD) – The Rapid City Rush, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes, announced via a Black Hills Chiropractic Roster Adjustment that goaltender Taran Kozun has been acquired from the Indy Fuel for cash considerations.
Kozun comes to the Rush in the midst of his second season of professional hockey, despite his rookie status due to games played. The 6’1”, 180-pound net-minder began the 2020-21 season with the Kansas City Mavericks, suffering an overtime loss in his only appearance on December 18th against the Indy Fuel. Following his release from the Mavericks, he went to the SPHL’s Pensacola Ice Flyers and suffered a shootout loss in his only appearance on January 15th against Birmingham. Kozun then earned a call-up to the Indy Fuel, and won his only appearance against the Tulsa Oilers on January 23rd, stopping all but two of 43 shots.
A native of Nipawin, Saskatchewan, Kozun returned to professional hockey this season following three seasons of Canadian college hockey with USports’ University of Saskatchewan. As the net-minder of the Huskies, he posted a career record of 41-6-2 in 50 games with 11 shutouts, a 1.85 GAA and .928 SV%. In each of his final two seasons in 2019 and 2020, Kozun was named USports and USports West Goaltender of the Year, and a USports West and USports All-Canadian First Team selection. Additionally, he earned the Adam Kryczka Memorial Trophy in 2019 for having the best team GAA in the West, and in 2020 earned USports West MVP honors, along with the Senator Joseph A. Sullivan Trophy as the USports Player of the Year.
Before beginning his Canadian college career, Kozun originally turned professional with the Utah Grizzlies in 2015-16, going 4-3-0 with 1 shutout in 9 appearances, while also making stops with the Missouri Mavericks, Manchester Monarchs, and the AHL’s Ontario Reign. Prior to his first professional stint, he played parts of four WHL seasons with the Kamloops Blazers and Seattle Thunderbirds, compiling a career record of 64-52-15 in 135 games with 10 shutouts, a 2.73 GAA and a .912 SV%. He is the brother of Tad Kozun, currently in his third ECHL season and first full campaign with the Orlando Solar Bears.
The Rush now transition to their annual “Stock Show Road Trip”, which takes them through three cities for six games over the next two weeks. The trip begins with a “three-in-three” this Friday, January 29th against the Wichita Thunder, with puck drop slated for 6:05 p.m. MDT at INTRUST Bank Arena.
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