RUSH EARN THIRD STRAIGHT WIN TO START WEEKEND AGAINST KC

(RAPID CITY, SD) – Hunter Garlent roofed the eventual game-winning goal home in the early stages of the second period, and with the goal and assist of Andrew Sturtz, a pair of helpers from Stephen Baylis, and 37 saves from Adam Carlson lifted the Rapid City Rush to a 3-1 win over the Kansas City Mavericks on Friday night. The win gives the Rush three in a row dating back to last Saturday against Greenville, and gives them the series opening victory to start three straight matchups against the Mavericks.

For a third straight game, the Rush opened up the scoring entries for the evening. On the first Rush power play of the game, Stephen Baylis tightroped the blue line and barely contained the zone, then threaded the needle to Kevin Spinozzi at the point. With 9:46 gone by, Spinozzi, with a shooting lane right down “Broadway”, rifled a shot that deflected off of Andrew Sturtz and in past Mavericks goalie Matt Ginn, putting the Rush on top 1-0 (Spinozzi and Baylis assisted). The Mavericks, however, got the last word prior to the intermission break. With 1:08 remaining in the frame, Zach Osburn fired a shot from just inside the blue line that deflected off of a Rush skater, past net-minder Adam Carlson, and in, squaring the game at 1-1 (Tommy Muck and Darik Angeli assisted).

The Rush controlled the low scoring affair from thereon out, with Hunter Garlent quickly re-establishing the Rush advantage. Just 77 second into the frame, Sturtz collected a Baylis shovel pass behind the goal line, delivered a no-look backhand pass to Garlent in the slot, and watched Garlent roof it over the head of Ginn to vault the Rush to a 2-1 lead (Sturtz and Baylis assisted). Both Carlson and Ginn exchanged a plethora of game-breaking saves throughout the last two periods of play, but the game was officially iced by Gabriel Chabot late. With exactly 1:00 left in the game, with the Mavericks on their last power play and with Ginn pulled for the extra attacker, Chabot launched a “Hail Mary” from inside his own blue line and into the empty net, sealing a 3-1 Rush win to start the series (the goal was unassisted).

Adam Carlson, making his fourth consecutive start, stopped all but one of 38 shots on his net to earn his third straight win (8-5-1-0).

The Rush continue their eight-game homestand and “three-in-three” series against the Kansas City Mavericks tomorrow night. Puck drop for the rematch on Saturday, March 13th, is slated for 7:05 p.m. at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Ice Arena. Saturday’s second game is “Pirates and Princesses Night”, presented by Black Hills Energy. A different spin to one of the most highly-anticipated promotions of the year, get ready to have a royally argh-some time with Captain Jack Sparrow and Ariel!

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