GAME NOTES: 12/30 vs Tulsa

GAME #30 vs Tulsa

12/30/22 | The Monument Ice Arena | 7:05 p.m.

Watch | Listen

LAST TIME OUT: The Rush exploded for six goals in the first period and cruised to a 7-4 win over the Tulsa Oilers on Wednesday night at The Monument Ice Arena. Logan Nelson recorded four assists and Alex Aleardi had a goal and two assists. Seven different players scored for the Rush who snapped a season-long seven-game losing streak with the victory.

RECORD-BREAKING PERIOD: Six goals in the first period on Wednesday night was the most the Rush have scored in a single period in franchise history. Rapid City had matched the previous record of five goals in a single period twice thus far this season, most recently doing so in the third period of an 8-2 win at Allen on December 3.

ALEARDI SCORES: Alex Aleardi’s goal in the first period on Wednesday extended his goal-scoring streak to four games. He is second on the team with 11 goals. Aleardi recorded 31 goals in 61 games for Florida in the 2021-22 season and for his ECHL career, he has 64 goals in 129 games.

STREAKING: Ilya Nikolaev had a goal and an assist on Wednesday and now has points in seven consecutive games. It is tied with Alex Aleardi for the longest point streak for the Rush this seaosn. The rookie center did not record a point in his first eight games of the season but, since then, has eight goals and 14 assists in 17 games. Since going scoreless in those first eight games, Nikolaev has not gone more than a game without finding the score sheet.

HOME SWEET HOME: Friday’s game is the second of six in a row the Rush will play on home ice over the next two weeks. Rapid City is 8-4-0-0 at home this season as opposed to 6-11-0-0 on the road.

APPLES: Logan Nelson handed out four assists in the 7-4 Rush win on Wednesday, setting a new career-high in the process. He had previously recorded three assists on three separate occasions in his ECHL career. It was also the first time the Rush had a four-assist game from a player since Ryan Walters handed out four assists in an 8-6 win over Fort Wayne on March 4, 2016.

ODDS AND ENDS: In his first game back from injured reserve, Colton Leiter recorded a goal and an assist. Leiter had missed the previous 15 Rapid City games...the Rush are now 9-2-0-0 when wearing their white jerseys. They are 5-13-0-0 when wearing anything else...Wednesday was the fourth time this season the Rush have scored at least seven goals...Rapid City went 2-for-3 on the penalty kill on Wednesday. The Rush have now allowed a power play goal in six straight games.

UP NEXT: The Rush and Oilers finish their three game week and close out 2022 on New Year’s Eve on Saturday night. Puck drop at The Monument Ice Arena is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.