GAME NOTES: November 6, 2024 - Rush vs. Kansas City Mavericks

(RAPID CITY, S.D.)—The Rapid City Rush, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames, welcomes in the Kansas City Mavericks for its only trip to the Black Hills. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. MST on Wednesday at The Monument Ice Arena.

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LAST TIME OUT
A third-period offensive push was not enough as the Rush failed to crack the Wichita Thunder in a 3-0 defeat on Sunday in Kansas. Rapid City put 38 shots on goal in the game—including 23 in the third period alone—but Thunder goaltender Gabriel Carriere stopped everything that came his way. In a bounce-back performance, Matt Radomsky made 34 saves on 36 shots.

NO QUIT
The Rush has shown a flair for the dramatic in the third period all season. Three games have already featured a third-period game-tying goal, including last Friday’s game in Wichita when Mason McCarty scored to force overtime and give the Rush a standings point.

STRENGTH BETWEEN THE PIPES
The Rush used the entirety of its trio of goaltenders in Wichita, and all three of them performed well. Christian Propp, Connor Murphy, and Matt Radomsky combined to make 91 saves on 98 shots for a .929 save percentage.

JONI JURMO JOINS THE RUSH
The Rush picked up some assistance from its affiliate club this week. The Calgary Wranglers assigned Joni Jurmo to the Rush on Tuesday. A 22-year-old defenseman, Jurmo is a 2020 third-round draft pick of the Vancouver Canucks. He was traded to Calgary in January of 2024. Jurmo also brings some size to the defensive side of the puck at 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds.

THE CAPTAIN GETS HIS FIRST
After racking up four assists last weekend against Utah, Rush captain Ryan Wagner delivered his first goal with Rapid City Saturday. The 28-year-old is tied for the team’s points lead with five in his first seven games. It is not Wagner’s first ECHL goal, though: in a 23-game stint with Utah five years ago, he scored nine times and averaged nearly a point per game.

CHAZ CHIPPING IN
The Rush has greatly enjoyed the services of Chaz Smedsrud through just two games. After impressing on the fourth line on Friday, Scott Burt moved him up to the top line on Saturday and Smedsrud produced two primary assists. The 26-year-old rookie picked up seven points in nine games as an Allen American in the spring.

DRAWING PENALTIES
The Rush power play had not seen much ice time until last night. After only seven opportunities in its first five games, Rapid City picked up eleven power plays combined between Saturday and Sunday.

The Rapid City Rush returns home to take on the Kansas City Mavericks on November 6, 8, and 9! Veterans Appreciation Night, presented by FourFront Design and Bluepeak Internet, is Saturday, November 9^th. Secure your seats today and be a part of the action. Check out the 2024-25 promotional schedule for a list of all themed nights. Call the Rush front office at 605-716-7825 or visit www.rapidcityrush.com for more information.