(RAPID CITY, S.D.) - Tristan Thompson had a goal and an assist and David Tendeck made 36 saves as the Rapid City Rush weathered a late push from the Iowa Heartlanders and came away with a 3-2 win, Friday night at The Monument Ice Arena.
Rapid City opened the scoring in the second period when Kenton Helgesen carried the puck below the goal line and spun away from pressure. He sent a backhanded pass to Thompson, who was pinching in from the blue line. Thompson fired a shot from the left circle that snuck through the short side of Corbin Kaczperski and the Rush took a 1-0 lead.
Iowa answered late in the second period while on a power play. Joe Widmar fired a pass across the attacking zone to Cole Stallard, who snapped a shot from the left circle that got through Tendeck, tying the score at one.
The Rush grabbed the lead back just 18 seconds into the third period when Thompson cranked a slap shot from the blue line that Alec Butcher deflected at the right circle. The puck ramped off his stick and went in top shelf past Kaczperski, putting Rapid City on top, 2-1.
They extended that advantage just past the halfway point of the third period when Jake Wahlin saucered a pass to the front of the net where Zach Court was crashing. Court chipped a backhander past Kaczperski’s blocker and the Rush led, 3-1.
The Heartlanders fought back and got themselves within one with another power play goal late in the third. A pass was fed in front that Bryce Misley snuck past Tendeck, cutting the lead to 3-2.
Thompson had a goal and an assist and Tendeck made 36 saves on 38 shots. Rapid City improved to 14-13-2-2 in the win while Iowa dropped to 9-17-3-1. The Rush will again host the Heartlanders on Saturday night for Hockey Day in South Dakota, presented by Renewal by Andersen. Puck drop at The Monument Ice Arena is scheduled for 7:05 PM.
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