GAME NOTES: 12/3/21 at Tulsa

GAME #19 at Tulsa

12/3/21 | BOK Center | 7:05 P.M. CST

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LAST TIME OUT: Max Coatta matched the team lead with his ninth goal of the season and Alden Weller netted his first professional goal but the Tulsa Oilers got the better of the Rapid City Rush, 4-2, Thursday night at the BOK Center. David Tendeck made 29 saves on 33 shots in net for the Rush in the loss.

OUT OF OFFICE: Rapid City is six games into an eight-game road trip that will take place in four cities over the span of 12 days. The Rush have made stops in Wichita and Kansas City before arriving in Tulsa, and will also play in Allen before returning home. Friday’s game is the second for the Rush against the Oilers; Tulsa beat Rapid City, 4-2, in the first on Thursday. Rapid City is 3-2-0-1 on the trip thus far and 4-4-1-1 on the road overall.

NEVER FORGET YOUR FIRST: Rush defenseman Alden Weller scored his first professional goal in the third period on Thursday. It was also Weller’s first pro point; he had not found the scoresheet in the first nine games he appeared in. Weller began his career with the Rush this season after playing four years at the University of New England. Over 79 collegiate games at the NCAA Division III program, he had three goals and 18 assists.

COATTA CRUISING: Max Coatta led the Rush with a goal and an assist on Thursday, and his goal was his ninth of the season, tying Stephen Baylis for the team lead. It also represents a new career-high for Coatta, surpassing the eight goals he recorded in 13 games for Tyringe SoSS in Sweden in the 2020-21 season. Coatta had already set a new ECHL career-high, eclipsing the seven goals he had in 42 games for Idaho in the 2019-20 campaign. He now has points in five-straight games, with three goals and three assists during that streak.

ON THE OTHER SIDE: Tulsa’s win on Thursday was its second straight on the heels of a four-game losing streak. The Oilers got two-point nights from Logan Coomes, Jack Doremus and Alex Gilmour, regular contributors to their offense. Gilmour is tied for the team lead with 12 points and Doremus is second with six goals.

ODDS AND ENDS: The Rush have played 18 of their scheduled 72 games and in turn are one quarter of the way through their season...Rapid City is 5-1-0-0 on Fridays this season, its best record on any day of the week...the Rush went 0-for-3 on the power play on Thursday, the first time in six games they failed to score on a power play. Rapid City’s power play is still the third-best in the ECHL at 24.2%...the Rush went 2-for-2 on the penalty kill on Thursday and are now 10-for-10 on the PK in their last three games.

UP NEXT: Rapid City will head to Texas for a Sunday matinee matchup with the Allen Americans. Puck drop at the Allen Event Center is scheduled for 2:05 PM CST.