RUSH TAKE OUT MAVERICKS, 5-4

(RAPID CITY, S.D.) – Logan Nelson had a goal and two assists, and the Rapid City Rush never trailed as they beat the Utah Grizzlies, 5-4, Friday night at The Monument Ice Arena. The Rush extended their point streak to five games with the win.

Rapid City got the scoring started in the first period when Alec Butcher carried the puck below the goal line and fed a pass to the slot where Zach Court couldn’t connect on a one-timer. Nelson grabbed the loose puck in the slot and slung it past Matt Greenfield to make it 1-0.

The Rush struck again late in the opening period while skating with a man advantage. Nelson fed Ryan Zuhlsdorf at the point and Zuhlsdorf fired a shot on net. Keegan Iverson deflected it at the top of the crease and the puck bounced into the net, pushing the score to 2-0.

Kansas City got two goals early in the second to tie the game. First, Bailey Conger knocked in a loose puck in front of the net and later, Anthony DeLuca fired home a one-timer that evened things at two.

Rapid answered later in the same period however, first when Brett Gravelle shook himself free to the left wing and fed Calder Brooks in the high slot. Brooks stepped into a one-timer that went top shelf past Greenfield to give the Rush the lead, 3-2.

They then added to that lead as Colton Leiter took a pass at the blue line and carried the puck to the right circle. Leiter snapped a wrist shot on net that went in on Greenfield’s glove side, making the score 4-2.

In the third, the Mavericks again cut into the Rapid City lead as Mike Lee beat Lukas Parik with a wrist shot from the point on a power play. The Rush swung back again though with a power play goal of their own. Nelson carried the puck through center and found a trailing Jake Wahlin for a one-timer in front of the net. He beat Greenfield high and it was 5-3.

Kansas City got one more later in the third, a Brendan Soucie goal that brought the Mavericks back within one, but the Rush held from that point and took the win, 5-4.

Nelson had a goal and two assists and now has 52 points on the season, crossing the 50-point plateau for the first time in his professional career. Butcher and Court each recorded two assists in the winning effort.

The Rush now have points in five consecutive games and in 10 of their last 11 and improved their record to 30-20-4-4 in the win. Kansas City dropped to 28-30-3-1 in the loss.

Rapid City will again host Kansas City on Friday night for the second of three games between the two teams this weekend. It’s Military Appreciation Night, presented by Ebelution Heating and Cooling, and puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at The Monument Ice Arena.

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