(RAPID CITY, S.D.) – Ilya Nikolaev scored in the third period to put the Rush on the board but Rapid City fell to the Tulsa Oilers 5-1 on New Year’s Eve at The Monument Ice Arena.
Tulsa got on the board first on its first shot of the game. Dante Sherriff fired a wrist shot from the slot that got through traffic and beat a screened Adam Carlson to make the score 1-0.
They added to that lead on their next shot as it was Max Golod loose on the left circle. He flicked a wrister through Carlson on the short side and it was 2-0 Tulsa.
Late in the first, Ethan Stewart shook his way free at the left circle. His wrist shot beat Carlson on the far post and Tulsa extended its lead to 3-0.
The Oilers got another one in the second period off an odd-man rush. Following a Rapid City turnover, Stewart led a three-on-one break. He found Ryley Lindgren for a one-timer that Carlson stopped but Stewart was able to knock home the rebound, pushing the lead to 4-0.
They got another one in the third with a one-timer from Jimmy Soper on a power play. Rapid City got on the board late in the game after Nikolaev deflected a slap shot from Ryan Zuhlsdorf and the score was 5-1.
Rapid City fell to 15-16-0-0 in the loss while Tulsa improved to 9-12-6-0. The Rush will continue their homestand next week with three games against the Utah Grizzlies. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at The Monument Ice Arena.
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