GAME NOTES: December 22 - Rush at Allen Americans

(ALLEN, Texas) - The Rapid City Rush, proud affiliate of the NHL's Calgary Flames, faceoff vs. the Allen Americans tonight in Texas at 6:10 p.m. MT

The Rush blitzed the Americans for 10 goals in Wednesday's win and now occupy the final playoff seed in the Mountain Division. The Rush have won five of their last seven games. 

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RUSH LOOK FOR SERIES WIN VS. ALLEN

The Rapid City Rush would clinch the week’s series over Allen with a win in tonight’s game. With aF victory, the Rush will have garnered at least a 50-50 split of possible points in their last three series. The Rush have won five of their last seven and taken points in six of their last seven games. The Rush win over the Americans last night was the 24^th ECHL victory for the Rush against their Texas rivals.

THE TEN-SPOT

For the second time in the Scott Burt-era, the Rush exploded for 10 goals in Wednesday’s win. The last time Rapid City hit double-digits was in March 2022 against Utah in a 10-2 drubbing of the Grizzlies. It ties the franchise record for most goals in ECHL history. The Rush have now scored 17 goals in their last two games of hockey. 

BACK TO BUILDING

While the Rush are 2-1-1 in their last four games, the team has averaged allowing 4.5 goals-per-game in the stretch. Rapid City has outscored opponents 22-18 in the four-game stretch, but those 18 goals allowed are the most in any four-game span this season.

THE HARDIE BOY

James Hardie was a prolific scorer last season with the Mississauga Steelheads, tallying over 80 points in his last year of OHL play. His hat trick on Wednesday is his first professional hat trick and catapults him to six goals this season. The Rush had to wait from March of last season to December 16 for the most recent Rush hat trick, prior to Hardie’s (four days between his and Brett Gravelle’s). 

BURT COLLECTS WIN 80

Scott Burt is now just 20 wins shy of 100 as an ECHL head coach in only his third season behind the bench. 

POWERPLAY POP

The Rush are now 8-3-0 on the season when scoring on the powerplay. However, when the Rush score twice on the powerplay the offensive has rocketed for seven-or-more goals in each of the three showings this season. The Rush have scored seven-plus in four games this season.

TEXAS-SIZED KERFUFFLE

With 20 seconds to go in the game on Wednesday, the Rush and Americans came together for the largest altercation of the season for Rapid City. Matt Radomsky and Rhett Kingston were both assessed fight majors just moments after Jimmy Soper fought Colby McAuley. The three fighting majors in the game stand as the most assessed in a single game this season for the Rush. No suspensions were levied after the dust settled. 

MURPHY RETURNS

The Rush received G Connor Murphy yesterday on assignment from the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers. Murphy has slid up and down the goaltending ladder this season, but saw his first career AHL start last week. While the Wranglers did not win, Murphy will become the first Rush player to see AHL-game action and return to Rapid City this season. Murphy has logged four wins between the pipes this season for the Rush. 

LOGAN GOIN’

Logan Nelson has a three-game point streak going and has scored points in now eight of his last nine games. The Rush co-captain is three points shy of the team lead in points and is tied for the team lead in assists with fellow veteran Alex Aleardi. Nelson has been a 25-plus assist scorer in each year since 2017 and on pace for a career-high in assists and points this season. 

SHOOTING GALLERY

The Rush are 6-3-0 this season when outshooting their opponents after Wednesday’s win. The Rush are 4-0 in their last four games when putting more shots on net than their opponents. On average, the Rush have increased their shots on net by 4.4 shots over the last four weeks. 

CLIMBING THE MOUNTAIN

Rapid City has erased a seven-point deficit to Wichita for the final playoff spot in the division by winning five of their last seven and taking 11 standings points compared to only two for the Thunder in the same time span. The Rush are 2.5 games back of the Tulsa Oilers for third place in the division and will face Tulsa to start the new year at BOK Center in Tulsa. 

PUTTING IN THE BEN-“NET”

Blake Bennett raced out to seven goals before the middle of November before going a month without a goal. However, since his game-winner in overtime vs. Wichita on December 8, Bennett has potted four more to bring him to a team-leading 11 goals on the season. Bennett is only a rookie who got his first taste of ECHL action last season, but has flourished in his first full year as a pro. 

SHAKING THE FRI-DAZE

The Rush are only 2-6-0 on Friday this season, and one of those wins was the second game of the year. Both Friday wins have come in overtime. Rapid City earned their first Wednesday victory just a couple days ago and will look for their first Friday regulation win tonight.