RUSH STAVE OFF OILERS COMEBACK, GET FIRST WIN OF NEW YEAR

(TULSA, Okla.) – The Rapid City Rush, proud affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames, defeated the Tulsa Oilers at BOK Center Sunday afternoon to earn their first win of the new year, 4-3.

The win for the Rush posits them just one standings point behind the Oilers for third place in the division with the Allen Americans now tied with Tulsa for third place. 

Blake Bennett and Alex Aleardi connected for two goals in the game, including the first goal in the contest from Bennett. The Rush held a 1-0 lead at the end of a first period that saw Brandon Yeamans and Carson Focht drop the gloves. 

Tyler Poulson, a former Rush forward, netted his third goal of the weekend just 1:35 into the game to make it 1-1, but Logan Nelson scored to put the Rush ahead again just 96 seconds later. 

Beyond the halfway point in the game, TJ Fergus fed Mark Duarte for Duarte’s seventh goal of the year. Fergus now has 12 assists and leads all active Rush defensemen in the category. 

Bennett’s second goal from Aleardi came 19:38 into the period, but just eight seconds later Kyle Crnkovic scored for Tulsa to make it 4-2 going into the second intermission. 

While Brayden Sherbinin blasted home a one-timer with under five minutes left, the Oilers were unable to complete the comeback. At the tail end of the game, Tulsa seemed to have tied the game, but the puck crossed the goal line after the final horn, negating the marker and giving the Rush two standings points. 

The Rush head home to start a five-game homestand starting on Wednesday night against the Fort Wayne Komets. Puck drop on Wednesday is 7:05 p.m. at The Monument.