(RAPID CITY, S.D.) – Lukas Parik made 33 saves, Alec Butcher had a Gordie Howe Hat Trick, Logan Nelson scored twice and the Rapid City Rush netted six unanswered goals en route to a 6-1 win over the Allen Americans, Friday night at The Monument Ice Arena.
Allen opened the scoring in the first period while on a power play. Chad Costello put a shot on net that Lukas Parik stopped but Spencer Asuchak poked the rebound between Parik’s legs to make the score 1-0.
Rapid City got itself rolling in the second period as Gabe Chabot was sprung down the right wing and fired a wrist shot on net. Max Coatta was crashing the net and deflected the puck just over the goal line, tying the game at one.
The Rush took the lead for good later in the period as Brett Gravelle gained the zone with Nelson on an odd-man rush. Gravelle fed Nelson at the left circle for a one-timer that he blasted past Hayden Lavigne to give Rapid City the lead.
It added to that lead early in the third period as Butcher grabbed the puck on the boards, skated to the high slot and blasted a slap shot through traffic and in. Later, Nelson deflected a Stephen Baylis shot in front of the net for his second of the game to push it to 4-1.
The third period featured fighting majors for both Butcher and Garrett Klotz and 25 combined penalty minutes between the two teams. Chabot fired home a wrister from the high slot for his first goal of the season and Jake Wahlin capped things off with an empty-netter, his first ECHL goal, to make it 6-1.
Rapid City improved to 4-5-1-1 in the win while Allen dropped to 3-6-2-0. Because the Rush won on a Friday, all fans in attendance receive five dollars of Cadillac Cash to Cadillac Jack’s in Deadwood and because the Rush scored six goals, all fans in attendance get free access to the Watiki Indoor Water Park Resort.
The Rush will again take on the Americans on Saturday night at The Monument Ice Arena. It’s Dances with Wolves Night honoring Native American Heritage, presented by Prairie Edge and 777 Bison Ranch and puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 PM.
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