Game #66 vs Allen
4/1/23 | The Monument Ice Arena | 7:05 p.m.
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LAST TIME OUT: Ilya Nikolaev had two goals and an assist and Alex Aleardi scored but the Rush were beaten in overtime by the Allen Americans 4-3 on Friday night at The Monument Ice Arena. Allen’s Jakov Novak had a hat trick and scored the game-winning goal in overtime.
GOALS IN BUNCHES: Alex Aleardi scored in the second period on Friday and now has nine goals in his last eight games and goals in four in a row. He has three two-goal games during that eight-game stretch. Aleardi has 27 goals on the season, giving him the second-most on the Rush. He trails only Matt Marcinew, who leads the team with 28 goals. Aleardi finished March with 10 goals and four assists in 13 games.
THE PLAYOFF PICTURE: Rapid City has seven games remaining on its schedule and currently sits four points out of a playoff spot. Four of the remaining games are at home with three on the road. Entering play on Saturday, second place and sixth place in the Mountain Division are separated by just six points. The Rush have one games remaining with Allen, three against Idaho, two with Wichita and one against Kansas City.
FACING OFF WITH ALLEN: Friday is the seventh game of the season series with the Americans and Rapid City is 3-3-0-0 against Allen thus far. The first five of those games took place in Texas and Thursday’s was the first home game of the season series for Rapid City. Last season, the Rush went 3-1-0-1 in the regular season against the Americans and beat them in the first round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs in five games.
WELCOME BACK: In his second game since his return from injured reserve, Ilya Nikolaev put up two goals and an assist on Friday. It was his third two-goal game of the season and second three-point effort.
IMPROVING SHORTHANDED: Rapid City went 2-for-2 on the penalty kill on Friday and is now 7-for-7 in its last three games. They have raised their PK percentage from 74.9% to 75.5% in those three games.
ODDS AND ENDS: Friday’s game was the ninth Rapid City game this season that has gone past regulation. The Rush are 7-2 in those nine games and 5-2 when it ends in overtime...the Rush have outshot the Americans a combined 83-52 in the past two games...Jakov Novak became the second American to score a hat trick against the Rush this season. Hank Crone had previously done so in a 3-2 Allen win in Texas on March 4.
UP NEXT: The Rush will hit the road on Tuesday for their final game against the Kansas City Mavericks this season. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CT at Cable Dahmer Arena.
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