(RAPID CITY, S.D.) - The Iowa Heartlanders jumped out to an early lead and went on to beat the Rapid City Rush 9-1, Sunday afternoon at The Monument Ice Arena.
Iowa opened the scoring in the first when Zach Remers controlled the puck on the left circle and spun and sent a shot toward the front of the net. It bounced off of a Rush defenseman’s skate and caromed past David Tendeck to make the score 1-0.
They’d strike again soon after when Joe Widmar found Cole Stallard alone on the right circle for a wrist shot that he fired home top shelf past Tendeck. Later, Jack Billings snapped a shot low on the blocker side that hit the back of the net, pushing the lead to 3-0.
That would be in for Tendeck, who was pulled in favor of Hayden Stewart following the third goal. Iowa added another one in the final minute of the period after Jake Smith buried a one-timer on the power play.
The Heartlanders kept it rolling in the second, as each Billings, Stallard and Smith struck again to extend the lead to 7-0. Rapid City got its lone goal early in the third period while on the power play when they worked the puck to the point and Gabe Chabot cranked a slap shot through traffic. It sailed through and got past Corbin Kaczperski, cutting the lead to 7-1.
But Iowa would grab two more goals in the third, first with Joe Widmar and then Smith to complete his hat trick. The Heartlanders went on to win it, 9-1.
Rapid City fell to 14-14-3-2 in the loss while Iowa improved to 11-17-3-1. The Rush will return to action on Thursday night on the road in Wichita for the first of three games next week against the Thunder. Puck drop at INTRUST Bank Arena is scheduled for 7:05 PM CST.
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