(TULSA, Okla.)—The Rapid City Rush (22-25-4) saw a three-goal lead slip away and the Tulsa Oilers (16-29-5) rallied for a 7-5 victory at the BOK Center on Saturday.
For the second straight night, the Rush came out firing to start the game. This time, they turned their chances into goals. Quinn Olson buried a rebound four minutes in, then Chaz Smedsrud and Blake Bennett widened the lead to 3-0 with goals two minutes apart. The Rush outshot Tulsa 16-5 in the first period and led 3-1 at the break.
Simon Mack sniped home his first professional goal from the right point early in the second period, restoring a 4-2 Rush advantage. The rookie out of Penn State finished with two points.
Things would turn from there. Tulsa’s Andrei Bakanov completed a hat trick with a game-tying power play goal late in the second period. The 4-4 deadlock remained for the next 20 minutes.
With under three minutes remaining, Maurizio Colella had a breakaway chance denied five-hole by Vyacheslav Buteyets. Tulsa retrieved the puck and German Yavas scored on the other end, delivering the Oilers their first lead of the night.
Tulsa hit two empty netters to finish it off. Seth Fyten added one back in the final minute, but it was too little, too late.
All told, the Oilers went on a 7-1 run, including five unanswered goals between the second and third periods.
This victory gives the Oilers their first Mountain Division series win since December and their first three-game winning streak since November.
Nathan Torchia made 25 saves in the loss, while Buteyets stopped 32. Each goaltender allowed five.
The Rush close out the month of February with a 5-5-1 record. They ring in the month of March with the series finale on Sunday afternoon.
Next game: Sunday, March 1 at Tulsa. 2:05 p.m. MST puck drop from the BOK Center.
The Rapid City Rush kick off the month of March at home on March 4th, 6th, and 7th against the Wheeling Nailers! Saturday, March 7th is Military Appreciation Night, presented by AARP South Dakota, featuring specialty jerseys and a Coca-Cola youth jersey giveaway. Head to www.rapidcityrush.com or call 605-716-7825 to secure your seats today.
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