Maiani and Morelli Lead the Way Past Rush
Published on February 25, 2009 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Rocky Mountain Rage News Release
Rapid City, S.D. - In the final game of their nine-game season series against the Rapid City Rush, the Rocky Mountain Rage rode a natural hat trick from Domenic Maiani and five points (1g-4a) from David Morelli to an impressive 7-1 victory. The win whittles the Rage's magic number in pursuit of their first-ever President's Cup Playoff berth down to six points.
Colt King was the story early on for the Rage, striking at 2:38 and 5:10 of the first period. The two goals give him 25 on the year, leap-frogging him past Daymen Rycroft for the team lead. The Rush bounced back to cut Rocky Mountain's lead in half with a power play marker off the stick of Jon Pelle at 14:06.
It appeared as if the Rage would settle for a slim 2-1 lead heading to the second, but Maiani deflected a Mark Smith slapshot past Rapid City's Lanny Ramage with only 4.9 seconds remaining to restore the club's two-goal advantage. Maiani then notched his second of the night at 2:55 of the middle period before completing the natural hat trick at 16:12. Morelli topped off the three-goal frame with his 20th of the season at 19:56 to give Rocky Mountain a 6-1 edge through 40 minutes.
Simon Watson cashed in a five-on-three power play goal at 16:32 of the third for the final margin.
Maiani's hat trick was the team's fourth three-goal performance of the season and doubled his goal output coming into the game. Morelli's effort emphatically ended the personal six-game pointless streak he carried into tonight's tilt; and his four helpers, also matched by Smith, tied the team record for most assists in a game.
Six of the teams' preceding eight match-ups were essentially one-goal games, so tonight's lopsided result was uncharacteristic for the season series, which the Rage won with a record of 6-2-1. Rocky Mountain is now 28-22-4 with 60 points as the club kept pace with the Oklahoma City Blazers in the Northern Conference standings. The fifth-place Rage remain eight points back of the Blazers.
Rocky Mountain concludes a stretch of 12 of 13 away from home when the club travels to face the Tulsa Oilers and Oklahoma City Blazers on Friday and Saturday, respectively. All the live play-by-play action from the brand new BOK Center in Downtown Tulsa can be seen and heard on the CHL Network at www.rockymountainrage.com beginning at 6:30 p.m. MST.
The Rage's next home game at Broomfield Event Center is on Thursday, March 5, against the Colorado Eagles at 7:05 p.m. Individual tickets for all of Rocky Mountain's remaining games at the BEC during the month of March are available for as low as $5 for kids 12 and under (with the purchase of at least one adult ticket) and cost just $10 for students with a valid ID. Tickets may be purchased at the BEC Box Office, www.Ticketmaster.com, (303) 830-TIXS, and all Ticketmaster retail outlets.
Central Hockey League Stories from February 25, 2009
- Rage Steamroll Rush In 7-1 Victory - Rapid City Rush
- Maiani and Morelli Lead the Way Past Rush - Rocky Mountain Rage
- Gorillas comeback falls short in 5-4 loss to Scorpions - Amarillo Gorillas
- Scorpions Foote Stomps Gorillas - New Mexico Scorpions
- Mudbugs Fall in Shootout at Oklahoma City - Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
- Rookies Help Thunder Over Tulsa - Wichita Thunder
- Bucks Website Temporarily Down - Laredo Bucks
- Aaron Davis Returns from IR Tonight in Rapid City - Rocky Mountain Rage
- 'Bugs to Honor Buchanan, Face Eagles and Brahmas - Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
- Gorillas Weekly Notes - Amarillo Gorillas
- Gorillas Hosting two "Home Away From Home" Parties - Amarillo Gorillas
- Bucks Return To Host Sundogs On Thirsty Thursday - Laredo Bucks
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