RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Rapid City Rush got revenge on the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs Wednesday night, winning 7-3 in the deciding game of the CHL Northern Conference Final. The win, which came one night after being shutout 2-0 by the Mudbugs, moves the Rush into the CHL Ray Miron President’s Cup Final. The seven total goals and four scored in the first period tied franchise records for the second-year club. Brendan Cook struck first in a high-scoring opening period, deflecting a slap shot from Gio Flamminio past Mudbugs goalie Parker Van Buskirk. Simon Mangos got the equalizer for the ‘Bugs at 4:41 when he knocked home a slap shot off of a face-off and sent it past Rush net minder Danny Battochio. From there, Rapid City broke the game wide open with three more goals, including two in a span of 20 seconds. Blaine Jarvis beat Van Buskirk on the backhand at 7:15, and Les Reaney rang a shot off the post and in at 7:35 to give the Rush a 3-1 lead. Jon Pelle circled the net and centered a pass to Rich Hansen who stuffed home a shot at 16:36 to give the Rush a 4-1 lead heading into the break. The Rush offense continued firing on all cylinders in the second period. Brendan Hodge scored his second goal in three games when he sailed a wrist shot that found its way through a screen and into the net at 8:11. Hansen scored his second goal of the night at 10:22 of the middle frame, scoring through Van Buskirk’s five-hole on the power play to expand the Rush lead to 6-1. Hansen’s goal ended the night of Van Buskirk, who finished with a 3-3 mark in the playoffs after being signed as an emergency backup three weeks ago. Bossier-Shreveport veteran Travis Clayton pulled his team back to within four, when he scored a power play goal of his own with 32 seconds remaining in the period. The two teams headed into the locker rooms with Rapid City holding a 6-2 lead. The Mudbugs managed to pull within three goals when Tyrel Lucas scored this third playoff goal 5:52 into the third period. Unfortunately for the Mudbugs, it would not be enough, despite out-shooting the Rush 17-3 in the period. Rapid City would go on to put the proverbial ‘nail in the coffin’ on a Derek Campbell snap shot from the high slot at 16:32 to give the Rush a 7-3 win. The Rush now prepare for the first-year Allen Americans who defeated the Southern Conference’s top-seeded Odessa Jackalopes to advance to the finals. Allen earned their spot in the finals by defeating both the Jackalopes and Laredo Bucks in seven games. The Ray Miron President’s Cup Finals begin Friday night at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Arena. Game two will take place Saturday night, before the series shifts back to Allen for games three, four and five if necessary. Contact the author at: john.hall@prohockeynews.com
You must be logged in to post a comment.