THIRD PERIOD SPUTTER STOPS COMEBACK FOR RUSH

(WICHITA, Kan.)– The Rapid City Rush, proud affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames, dropped their fourth-straight game on Friday night after losing to the Wichita Thunder 4-2 at INTRUST Bank Arena.

Michal Stinil scored in the first period to open a stretch of three unanswered goals. After leading 1-0 at the end of the first, Peter Bates and Aaron Miller scored less than four minutes apart to vault Wichita to a 3-0 lead. 

Not panicking, the Rush saw Jarrod Gourley score off a pass from Keanu Yamamoto on the powerplay to get on the board in the second period. Gourley’s third goal of the season in his third appearance snapped an 0-for-20 streak on the powerplay and gave the Rush their third powerplay marker of the year. 

Maurizio Colella would get credit for his third goal of the season late in the second period when Nick Nardella backhanded the puck into his own net. However, the Rush would never tied the game

Despite 15 shots in the third period (the second-highest single-period shot total all year), Eetu Makiniemi held the fort for the Thunder. Lleyton Moore added an insurance marker 15:02 into the third period for Wichita, who advances ahead of Rapid City in the standings to 5-7-1. 

The Rush will take on the Thunder again tomorrow, looking to snap their second four-game losing skid of the season. Puck drop is set for 6:05 p.m. MT from Wichita.