(TULSA, Okla.) – The Rapid City Rush exploded for five goals in the second period and eight unanswered goals in total as they hammered the Tulsa Oilers 9-1 on Saturday night at the BOK Center. Seven different Rush skaters scored in the blowout victory.
With the game tied at one in the second, Alex Aleardi nudged a pass to Calder Brooks who sped down the left wing. He loaded up a snap shot that beat Colten Ellis top shelf and the Rush grabbed the lead.
Later, Tyson Helgesen carried the puck down the left boards, turned a corner and skated toward the net. He dragged the puck from his forehand to his backhand and slid it five hole to make the score 3-1.
Rapid City kept pouring it as Rory Kerins snapped a pass to the back post where Matt Marcinew was charging for a tap in. Later, Jon Martin gained the zone following a successful penalty kill and buried a top-shelf wrist shot. Finally, with less than 30 seconds to play in the second, Keanu Yamamoto glided down the left wing and blasted a wrist shot through Ellis on the blocker side. His first professional goal extended the lead to 6-1.
The Rush kept the good times rolling in the third period. Just over a minute into the frame, with Rapid City skating 5-on-3, Aleardi buried a wrist shot from the short side to make it 7-1. Later, Aleardi teed up Brooks for a one-timer that he darted past Eric Dop. Finally, Yamamoto grabbed his second of the game on a rebound from an Aleardi shot that pushed the score to its 9-1 final.
Kerins opened the scoring in the first period with a rebound goal and Eddie Matsushima snagged Tulsa’s lone tally on a deflection later in the first.
The five-goal second period was a season-high for goals in a period and the nine goals were one shy of the franchise record for goals in a game of 10, set in a 10-2 win over Utah on March 5, 2022. Aleardi led the way with a goal and three assists, Brooks and Yamamoto each had two goals and eight different Rush recorded multi-point games.
Rapid City improved to 5-7-0-0 in the win while Tulsa dropped to 3-5-2-0. The Rush and Oilers will meet again on Sunday afternoon. Puck drop at the BOK Center is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. CT.
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