CHL Rapid City Rush

Five Unanswered Goals Propel Rush to 7-5 Victory Over Jacks

February 12, 2010 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Rapid City Rush News Release


(Rapid City, SD) - With a pair of conference leaders battling in the first ever meeting and endless offensive depth between the two, Friday night's matchup between the Rapid City Rush and Odessa Jackalopes lived up to the hype. The Jacks led by three goals on three different occasions, but five unanswered goals by the Rush, including four in the third period, lifted the Rush to a 7-5 win. Rich Hansen led the way, setting season-highs with two goals and three points. A total of seven special teams goals were scored as the Jacks #1 powerplay netted four goals, but allowed two shorthanded tallies. With the victory, the Rush move back into sole possession of first place and have a game in hand on the second place Colorado Eagles. Friday night was also "Pink at the Rink" night as the Rush donned specialty jerseys and reached the goal of raising $10,000 for the Rapid City Regional Hospital Cancer Foundation.

Despite the offensive depth for both sides, it would take until the XXX mark for the scoreless tie to be broken with a tally from the Jackalopes. Jean Bourbeau collected his 12th of the season when he accepted a pass from XXX and from the high slot, fired a slapshot past the blocker of Miguel Beaudry for the 1-0 lead. After being held scoreless on the first man-advantage of the game, but boasting the league's best powerplay, Odessa would score on the next four powerplay chances. The run began with just 56 seconds left in the period when Sebastien Thinel backhanded home a rebound to extend the lead to two.

In the second, the powerplay surge would continue with Dominic Leveille's 17th of the season to give the visitors the 3-0 lead. Finally, at the 5:13 mark, Rich Hansen would stop the bleeding with a shorthanded goal that trickled past Joel Martin for Rapid City's first tally. On the same powerplay chance and less than a minute later, Collin Circelli sent home a goal to make it 4-1. The Rush would battle back with another shorthanded goal just 1:10 later, this time Blaine Jarvis blocked a shot in the Rush end and raced his way in on a breakaway and finished for his 10th of the year. Yet again, Odessa scored on the same powerplay when Jeff Pierce scored his 23rd of the season extending the lead to three once again, and ending the night for Miguel Beaudry. It would take until the 16:31 mark, but the Rush would answer back when Les Reaney netted his team-leading 24th of the year to cut the lead to two heading into the third.

In the final stanza, Rapid City would storm back, beginning with Hansen's second goal and third point of the game, setting a season-high in both categories. Hansen's goal came 3:26 in, and less than four minutes later, Derek LeBlanc evened the score. LeBlanc appeared in his first game since January 28th and had an immediate impact as his rebound goal made it a 5-5 contest. Over four minutes after that, Brendon Hodge rifled home a slapshot from the blueline that beat Martin over the glove for the eventual game-winner, ending the night for Martin as well. With just five seconds left, Colt King netted an emptynet goal, sealing the 7-5 victory.

The Rush and Jackalopes square off again tomorrow at 7:05pm, tickets are still available.

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Central Hockey League Stories from February 12, 2010


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