(INDEPENDENCE, Mo.) – The Rapid City Rush, proud affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames, allowed a late third period goal to fall 3-2 to the Kansas City Mavericks.
The Rush scored first for the fifth straight game as Maurizio Colella netted his first of the year from Tyson Helgesen and Charles Martin just 2:30 in to the game.
The lead was short-lived and Kyle Jackson scored his third goal of the season, beating Rush goalie Connor Murphy through a screen. Kansas City would take the lead with only 1:50 left in the second period when Jake Jaremko scored his first of the year from Patrick Curry and Theo Calvas.
Rapid City kept pace in shots on goal with the Mavs through the first and second period, and held a powerful attack in check for most of the game. Mark Duarte capitalized on a breakaway set up by Keanu Yamamoto to tie the game with five minutes to go in the second period.
Once again, the game came down to the third period. Rapid City was outshot 11-5 in the final frame and the 10th shot of the period from Cole Coskey beat Connor Murphy with 4:19 to go in the game.
Despite a hard charge late, the Rush lost their third-straight game and their third-in-a-row to K.C.
The Mavericks have beaten the Rush by a single goal in each of their three wins with the game winner being scored with less than five minutes left in the game each time.
Kansas City will host Rapid City on Friday night from Cable Dahmer Arena. Puck drop is at 7:35 p.m. local time, 6:35 p.m. MT.