RUSH DROP A WILD ONE IN A SHOOTOUT, 6-5

(RAPID CITY, S.D.) – Colton Leiter scored twice and the Rush set a season high with 45 shots on goal but ultimately fell in a shootout to the Allen Americans, 6-5, Wednesday night at The Monument Ice Arena.

Rapid City opened the scoring early in the first period as Max Coatta carried the puck through center and gained the zone. He fired a wrist shot that snuck through Antoine Bibeau on the blocker side to put the Rush on top, 1-0.

Allen answered just past the halfway point of the first when Ben Carroll took a shot from the blue line that D-Jay Jerome deflected past Cole Kehler to tie the game at one.

The Rush grabbed the lead back after Jake Wahlin forced a turnover on the forecheck and fed Leiter in the slot for a wrist shot that beat Bibeau to put Rapid City back on top.

The Americans evened the score again on a power play goal as Jared Bethune shoved home a rebound. Rapid City took it back in the second period while shorthanded when Stephen Baylis poked a loose puck free at the blue line and sped in on a breakaway. He flicked a wrist shot through Bibeau and pushed the score to 3-2.

After Allen tied it up again at the end of the second period, the Rush went ahead with a power play tally when Alec Butcher deflected a Tristan Thompson slap shot from the slot. Rapid City then extended its lead to two on Leiter’s second of the game.

The Americans again answered though, first with a Spencer Asuchak goal, and then when Jackson Leppard tallied on the power play, evening the score at five.

Rapid City dominated the overtime period, outshooting Allen 9-3 in the extra frame but couldn’t crack Bibeau again. Chad Costello netted the lone shootout goal for the Americans and Bibeau stopped the Rush on all three of their attempts to hang on for the 6-5 victory.

Leiter scored twice, Wahlin had two assists and Baylis netted his team-leading sixth goal of the season. Rapid City picked up a point and moved to 3-5-2 with the shootout loss while Allen improved to 3-5-2. The Rush and Americans will meet again on Friday night in Rapid City. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 PM at The Monument Ice Arena.

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