Rush tie series 2-2

ALLEN, Texas – The Rapid City Rush were given a rude wake up call by the Allen Americans in the opening twenty minutes of play Friday night. Finding themselves down 2-0 on the first four shots of the game and Allen looking hungry for more, things didn’t look good for the boys in black. A loss in game four would have given Allen the chance to win the President’s Cup on home ice, but the Rush weren’t going to be so accommodating.
 
Allen opened up the scoring impressively and in rapid-fire fashion, scoring two back to back special teams goals on what looked like a new and much improved power play. Just 1:55 into the contest, Luke Fritshaw was given the gate for boarding and Rich Hansen quickly followed for hooking to give the Americans a two-man advantage.
 

Allen went to work and moved the puck smartly around the ice with crisp passing and a good flow that led to a beautiful tic-tac-toe goal by Justin Bowers from Bruce Graham and Colton Yellow Horn at 2:43. Still with the man advantage, the Americans didn’t relent and 30 seconds later Graham would get the second marker off a wrist shot from between the circles at 3:12. A strong forecheck frustrated the Rush’s attempts to move up the ice and generate some offense, with the best display in the closing minutes as the play stayed in Rapid City’s end almost the entire last five minutes of the period.
 
The second period would be the polar opposite of the first; the Rush completely dominated a lethargic Americans team through the middle frame. Notching three unanswered goals, the Rush took the lead and never look back. Derek LeBlanc opened the scoring for Rapid City redirecting a wrister by Gio Flamminio on the point at 9:21.
 
Four minutes later, the Americans found themselves in a bad predicament due to an uncharacteristic lack of discipline from what has been the backbone of this playoff run. Already down a man with Yellow Horn in the box for hooking, Americans goaltender Chris Whitley earned a slashing call when he took umbrage to the presence of the Rush’s Colt King in his crease. Stepping way outside his normal presence on the ice, Whitley took a very foolish penalty at a critical time and it would come back to haunt him.
 
With the two-man advantage in their favor, Rapid City worked hard to bring the game level and just seconds after the first penalty expired, Rapid City’s Brendon Hodge buried the equalizer at the 13:12 mark.
 
With the momentum solidly in their favor, the Rush continued to move the puck at will across the ice and another Allen misstep would once again cost the home team. Allen’s Ryan Fairbarn was caught out of position, leading to a two-on-one rush for Rapid City where Les Reaney beat Whitley with a wrister at 17:10, giving the Rush the 3-2 lead.
 
The third period saw a marked improvement in the Americans play. Their strong forecheck was winning the battles along the boards but the Rush’s stingy defense denied them many chances. Momentum seemed to be going the Americans way until they were once again put two men down when Nino Musitelli was caught for interference and Mike Salekin was given an unsportsmanlike conduct at 10:20. Once again, the penalties would prove costly for the Americans when Jon Pelle gave the Rush a two-goal cushion just 19 seconds into the two-man advantage.
 
Two more times the Americans would find themselves on the penalty kill, bringing any opportunities to get back in the game to a screeching halt. With just 1:12 to go in the game a Rapid City player went after Allen’s Nino Musitelli in front of the Americans bench and a large scrum ensued. When it was all tallied up, the Americans received an additional seven penalties to the Rush’s four including two game misconducts on Justin Bowers for slashing and third man in for coming to the aid of Musitelli.
 
Game five of this intense series is scheduled for Saturday night at the Allen Event Center at 7:30pm CST.
 
Contact the author at Maurice.fitzgerald@prohockeynews.com
 
Contact the photographer at chip.crail@prohockeynews.com