RAPID CITY, SD – Peter Quenneville had another monster night, this time with an assist and a pair of goals, including the overtime-winner 28 seconds into the frame to vault the Rapid City Rush to a 3-2 win over the Kansas City Mavericks on Saturday night. The win gives the Rush five in a row, wins in nine of their last eleven, and the series against the Mavericks with the anchor game of the three-game set coming tomorrow afternoon.
Kansas City started the scoring entries with the only goal of the first period. Just 2:57 in, Darik Angeli collected a pass over the Rush blue line on the left wing side. Angeli went full wind up with a slapshot and cranked it by Rush net-minder Dave Tendeck under his blocker to give the Mavericks a 1-0 lead with Adam Brady and Nick Pastujov assisting.
The Rush, in similar fashion to their opposition, counterpunched with the only goal of the second period to tie the game heading into the final frame. On the first Rush power play of the game, Quenneville finished a passing sequence from his brother David and a cross-ice feed from Hunter Garlent, rifling a one-timer past Mavericks goalie Andrew Shortridge to square the game at 1-1. Garlent and David Quenneville posted the helpers on the goal.
Both teams traded blows in the final period, eventually resulting a deadlock necessitating overtime. Avery Peterson pulled the Rush ahead with 5:04 left in the game, patiently waiting in the slot area before firing a laser past Shortridge to give the Rush their first lead of the game at 2-1 with Quenneville and Tyler Coulter getting the assists. However, the Mavericks had the last word on the board to force the eventual free period of hockey. With 21.5 seconds left in the game, Lane Scheidl, with Shortridge pulled for the extra-attacker, deflected a Marcus Crawford shot to square the game at 2-2. Crawford and Giorgio Estephan were credited with the assists.
It took only 28 seconds of overtime, but the Rush secured the win on a fortunate bounce to extend their winning streak and claim the series through two games. Tyler Coulter and Quenneville came in zone on a two-on-one break. Coulter elected to shoot, with Shortridge stopping his shot. After Quenneville hacked at the puck, the Mavericks defender inadvertently pushed the puck past Shortridge and in, giving Quenneville the game-winner and the Rush a 3-2 victory. Coulter and Ian Edmondson assisted on the score.
Dave Tendeck earned his fourth straight win, stopping 27 of 29 shots to pull his record to .500 (8-8-0-0).
The Rush and Mavericks conclude their “three-in-three” series Sunday afternoon. Puck drop for the anchor game on “Racing Day” is slated for 4:05 p.m. at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Ice Arena.
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