GAME NOTES: November 18 - Rush at Wichita Thunder

(WICHITA, Kan.) - The Rapid City Rush, proud affiliate of the NHL's Calgary Flames, will square off against the Wichita Thunder tonight at 6:05 p.m. MT. 

The Rush are on their second four-game losing streak of the season and are averaging just two goals per game in their last six outings. 

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OFFENSE STILL LACKING

Despite the Rush outshooting Wichita in last night’s 4-2 loss, the Rush are on a slide where they’ve averaged just two goals per game over the last six games. The streak comes immediately on the heels of the second-largest offensive explosion of the Scott Burt-era (8-4 in Kansas City). Rapid City has only two ten-point scorers now 12 games into the season (Aleardi, Yamamoto) and still averages the fewest shots on net of any team in the ECHL. 

POWERPLAY STREAK ENDS

After waiting eight games, Jarrod Gourley finally scored a powerplay goal for the Rush, breaking an 0-for-20 streak. Rapid City was tied for the worst powerplay in the league entering last night’s contest and the goal ties them with Florida for the fewest powerplay goals in the league. 

THOSE WHO FALL BEHIND, GET LEFT BEHIND

Rapid City finds themselves on the difficult end of history this season when it comes to coming back in games. The Rush are 0-4-0 in games where they have not scored first this season. The team is 0-4-1 when trailing at the end of the first period and 0-5-0 when trailing at the end of the second period. In every Rush win they have scored first and entered the third period tied or better. The only time the team has come from behind this season was when they trailed 3-2 in Iowa on Oct. 20 before Jarrod Gourley tied and then won the game in overtime. 

THE MOUNTAIN ONLY GETS STEEPER

Rapid City and Wichita are tied for the fewest in-division wins of the seven teams in the Mountain Division. The Rush have wins over Kansas City and Tulsa, but have a losing record against every division team they’ve faced this season. Despite the lackluster statistics, the Rush are only two points behind Wichita for the final playoff seed in the division. 

THE HOFF BATTLES HIS OLD TEAM

Zack Hoffman got his coveted ECHL start last season with Bruce Ramsay and the Wichita Thunder. Now returning in the red-and-black, Hoffman has three assists this season with 15 penalty minutes and one fight to his name. On the flip side, the Rush are facing their former player Jake Wahlin in the weekend’s series.

RAD-ICULOUS

Entering the weekend, Matt Radomsky had posted a .913 save percentage in his 2-4-1 record. However, his 229 saves on the season led all ECHL goaltenders in total saves. Radomsky, as of last night, started five straight games for the Rush, the longest start-streak of the year by any Rush goaltender. With Connor Murphy returning on assignment from Calgary (AHL), expect to see Murphy shoulder some action this weekend. 

PLAYING ON DIVISIONAL TURF

Now six of the next nine games will be against Wichita for the Rush. The team will not see a non-divisional opponent until December 29 when Iowa comes to town. The Rush will see Wichita, Idaho for six games, and Allen for three before the holiday break will separate the schedule up some more. The Rush will only play five divisional games in February and into early March playing on the road in Maine and Greenville before hosting Savannah for the first time at The Monument.

‘ARDI YOU SERIOUS?

Co-captain Alex Aleardi is chasing history this season as he nears his 100^th ECHL goal and assist to eclipse 200 ECHL points. The balanced forward from Ft. Wayne, Ind. is the only Rush player who has won the Kelly Cup (Florida, 2022) and is currently the team co-leader in points and assists. Aleardi is the acting captain when the team plays away from home. 

WIRE-TO-WIRE

Between their three wins, Rapid City has never trailed in three of them and trailed for only four minutes in the other. Meanwhile in each of the last four losses, the Rush have led for less than 12 minutes combined (all of the time coming in last Friday’s 5-2 loss to Tulsa). The Rush lead the ECHL in game-opening goals with eight.

OH BARRACUDA

Will Riedell accounted for 32 AHL games with the San Jose Barracuda last year, the AHL affiliate of the Wichita Thunder. While Riedell was not assigned to Wichita last season, his 15 ECHL games came in Savannah, Riedell is skating against a handful of former teammates with the Barracuda last year. 

A QUICK TRIP TO THE BANK

The Rush/Thunder series will take place in two distinct segments this season, four games at INTRUST Bank Arean and six games at The Monument. After this weekend, R.C. will travel to Wichita for a single-game on Dec. 2 and then will return home to host the Thunder during a Thursday, Friday, and Saturday set. The two teams will closes the season against each other at The Monument in April. 

OH, BABY

Logan Nelson and his wife Storm announced that they’re expecting their first child last week. The expectant father had six points in nine games prior to being forced out of action after sustaining a bad check from Tulsa’s Luka Profaca. Nelson is entering his 10^th ECHL season and is the most veteran ECHL player on the roster this season.