(RAPID CITY, SD) – Peter Quenneville struck twice in the final 20 minutes of regulation, but the damage had already been done as the Allen Americans staved off a late Rapid City Rush rally to win 3-2, sweeping the Rush in a three-game series on Sunday afternoon.
Allen jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first, beginning with Corey Mackin. At 6:49 of the first period, Mackin roofed a rebound in close range of the net during a scramble past Rush net-minder Adam Carlson, giving Allen an early 1-0 advantage (Sam Ruopp and Zane Franklin assisted). Despite the early tally, the Rush hammered the Americans in their zone, but a quick flick of the wrist on their second power play sprang Dyson Stevenson uncontested in the Rush end. Stevenson was caught up to before the Rush net, but managed to squeak a shot past Carlson to extend the Allen lead to 2-0 lead on a shorthanded tally with 5:18 left in the first (the goal was unassisted).
Allen struck again on special teams, but this time hit pay dirt on the power play to extend the lead further. With 5:50 left in the second period, Scott Conway deflected a Zane Franklin slap pass down the center lane past Carlson to triple the lead to 3-0 (Franklin and Terrance Amorosa assisted).
The Rush rallied late, thanks to Peter Quenneville. His first of two tallies came on the power play, a rocket of a one-timer from the left wing side that blitzed by Allen goalie C.J. Motte to get the Rush on the board, trailing 3-1 at 5:18 of the final period (Ian Edmondson and David Quenneville assisted). The older Quenneville struck again when he buried a centering east-west pass from Avery Peterson that ricocheted past Motte to put the Rush within striking distance down 3-2 with 7:54 left in the game (Peterson and Tyler Coulter). The Rush continued their rally and pulled Carlson for the extra-attacker. David Quenneville had a shot with two seconds remaining in the game, but Motte denied the shot and Allen hung on for the 3-2 win.
Adam Carlson suffered the loss, stopping 23 of 26 shots on net (13-13-2-1).
The Rush now conclude their season with a pair of games against the Allen Americans next week. Puck drop for both games on Friday, June 4th and Saturday, June 5th is slated for 6:05 p.m MDT at the Allen Event Center.
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