RAPID CITY, SD – Facing the possibility of going down 2-0 in the Cup Finals series, the Rapid City Rush played desperation hockey in the closing minutes and again in overtime to even the series in dramatic fashion.
The Rush picked up where they left off from game one in game two of the President’s Cup Finals, showing great speed, pressure and a determination to bury Allen goaltender Chris Whitley under an avalanche of rubber. In the first two minutes the Rush had already notched 5 shots on net in the Americans’ zone but couldn’t get the early tally.
The Americans were a bit slow to test Danny Battochio between the pipes for the Rush again, after being pulled in favor of Miguel Beaudry in period two of game one. Allen registered only 3 shots in the opening 10 minutes but that would quickly change as the Rush would get caught for three straight penalties but Battochio proved much tougher than he did in game one.
Rapid City opened the scoring when Scott Wray, left unattended in front of the Allen net, was able to redirect a pass from the corner over the shoulder of Whitley at 13:45.The Americans answered back with a prolonged and aggressive forecheck that would produce 4 quick shots on Battochio and draw the third penalty from the Rush.
On the power play, Allen moved the puck well making clean, quick passes and not hesitating to take shots on the net. Battochio held the Allen offense at bay with some good saves and the first period ended with the shots tied at 15-15.
The good tempo by both teams continued into the second period, play was end to end with good tries on both ends of the ice. The Americans were given another power play opportunity when the Rush were caught with too many men on the ice and they continued to look good with the man advantage but were unable to score.
The Americans knotted the game when Christian Gaudet tapped in a rebound off a nifty play by Colton Yellow Horn at 9:21. Play resumed its end to end fury and the Rush were given a power play again when Bruce Graham was called for holding at 16:26.
Rapid City wasted no time in utilizing the man advantage and scored the go ahead goal on their first shot of the power play, one minute into it. A one-timer by Derek LaBlanc found the back of the net at 17:28 off a pass by Les Reaney. A pair of matching double minors to Colt King and Mike Salekin in the final minute of play of the second would see the teams playing four a side. At the end of two, Rapid City found an edge in shots at 16-11 and the 2-1 lead.
The third period was an explosive and exciting affair, as five goals were scored by the end of regulation and the teams headed to overtime. The scoring opened at 2:26 when Yellow Horn lit the lamp to tie the game early on and the Americans then got the lead for the first time in the evening when Bruce Graham broke in down the left side and lasered a wrister into the short side, beating Battochio over the stick side at 9:40.
The Rush answered right back just 45 seconds later when they capitalized on a lazy Americans’ backcheck and Dave Grimson eked one past Whitley at the 10:25 mark. The goal seemed to put the Americans off track and the Rush dominated the next four minutes keeping the Americans on their heels in their own end.
Once again the Americans would get the go ahead goal on a poorly played puck by Battochio that had taken an odd bounce off the boards. Nino Musitelli was there to gather in the loose puck and without hesitation drilled it past the Rush netminder at 14:33.
With a two game deficit staring them down, the Rush went into a full frontal assault that proved too much for the Americans. With just 39.2 ticks left on the clock, the Rush tied the game on Grimson’s second tally of the night and the Rush’s 50th shot of the contest. The goal forced overtime.
Just 1:16 into overtime, the Americans went a man down when Nathan O’Nabigon was given the gate for slashing. Allen’s defense went to work and made a big kill but the Rush’s persistent pressure kept the ensuing play in the Americans zone. Whitley made several big saves to keep the Americans in it but in the end, the Rush’s full out assault was successful.
At the 4:17 mark, Blaine Jarvis was the hero for Rapid City as he scored an unassisted goal to win the game and tie the series at one game apiece.
The series now moves to Allen for the next three games, play resumes Wednesday night at 7:30pm.
Contact Maurice.Fitzgerald@prohockeynews.com
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