GAME NOTES: 10/29/21 at Idaho

GAME #3 at Idaho

10/29/21 | Idaho Central Arena | 7:10 P.M.

Watch | Listen

LAST TIME OUT: Ryan Valentini had a goal and an assist and Tristan Thompson scored his first ECHL  goal but the Rush fell to the Tulsa Oilers, 4-3, Saturday night at The Monument Ice Arena.

UP THEY GO: Rush goaltender David Tendeck was reassigned by the Arizona Coyotes to the AHL Tucson Roadrunners on Monday and the Roadrunners recalled center Hudson Elynuik on Tuesday. Tendeck started both games for Rapid City during their opening weekend against Tulsa and went 1-1-0 with a 3.01 GAA and .918 SV%. He made a career-high 42 saves during the Rush’s 4-2 win over Tulsa on Friday night. Elynuik had a goal and an assist in that win on Friday and heads back to Tucson after recording a goal and two assists during the opening weekend. Rapid City also activated winger Zach Court off the reserve list on Tuesday.

THE OLD STOMPING GROUNDS: Rush head coach Scott Burt arrives in Boise for the first time as a head coach on Friday. Burt  was Idaho’s assistant coach during the 2019-20 season, working alongside current Steelheads head coach Everett Sheen, to coach the Steelheads to a 36-18-7 record in the pandemic-shortened season. Burt also played seven seasons for Idaho, appearing in 403 games with 111 goals and 139 assists. He was a member of Idaho’s 2004 and 2007 Kelly Cup Championship teams and his number 12 is one of four numbers retired by the Steelheads.

THE OTHER GUYS: Idaho took two out of three games off the Utah Grizzlies during the season’s opening weekend. The Steelheads won the only game they played in Boise, 7-3, on Friday night. A.J. White recorded a hat trick on Friday and leads Idaho with four goals. He is also tied for the league lead in goals. White, Yauheni Aksiantsiuk and Zack Andrusiak are tied for the team lead with four points each.

PENALTY ASSASSAINS: Neither the Rush or Steelheads have allowed a power play goal yet this season. Rapid City killed off seven power plays over its first two games and Idaho went 4-for-4 in its first three.

ODDS AND ENDS: Friday is the first of 11 meetings between the Rush and Steelheads and the first of five that will take place in Boise…Friday is also Rapid City’s first road game of the season. The Rush went 14-19-2 on the road during the 2020-21 season...Ryan Valentini, Tristan Thompson and Alec Butcher provided the Rush’s three goals on Saturday night. Thompson’s and Valentini each netted their first ECHL goals and Butcher got his first as a member of the Rush.

UP NEXT: The Rush and Steelheads complete the weekend set on Saturday night. Puck drop at the Idaho Central Arena is scheduled for 7:05 PM.