Rapid City Begins New Year With 4-1 Victory Over Thunder
January 2, 2010 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Rapid City Rush News Release
(Rapid City, SD) - Rapid City remained perfect against the Wichita Thunder on Saturday night with a 4-1 victory in front of a packed crowd at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center. The Rush are now 6-0 against the Thunder on the season and have killed off all 32 powerplay chances against. The Rush have won four straight and are winners in 15 of their last 17 games. Rapid City is now just one point out of first place in the Northern Conference with a 21-8-1 record.
Rapid City dominated the first period with a number of chances and controlling the shots 14-4. The Rush also had a goal waved off as Les Reaney went hard to the net and was checked by Chris McAllister into goaltender Ian Keserich. The goal light came on but the tally was eventually waved off, keeping the game scoreless.
With less than seven minutes left in the second period, the Rush would finally break the scoreless tie. Rod Aldoff kept the puck inside the offensive zone and sent a pass to the right circle where Les Reaney fired a shot that was deflected in by Brendan Cook for the only goal of the period.
Just 2:28 into the third, Luke Erickson walked in with Les Reaney on a 2-on-1 and Erickson caught Keserich leaning as he beat the goaltender on the short side to double the lead. The next goal would not come until the 13:40 when Derek LaBlanc capitalized on a defensive zone turnover to make it 3-0. Danny Battochio was well on his way to the first shutout of the season for Rapid City, but the Thunder would finally get on the board with just 1:16 left in regulation. Newcomers Steve Makway and Kevin Cooper, acquired in a trade with the Mississippi RiverKings, would connect for a goal. Makway fired a pass to Cooper on the doorstep and the forward went top shelf to make it 3-1. With Keserich pulled for the extra attacker, the Rush would collect an empty net goal to extend point streaks for Scott Wray and Jon Pelle. Wray sent a rink-wide pass to Pelle who walked in to score on an empty net, extending both streaks to seven games.
Danny Battochio made 27 saves on 28 shots to move his record to 11-3-1 while Keserich is now 3-3-1 despite making 41 saves on the evening. Rapid City powerplay goal streak stopped at eleven games while the penalty kill fought off the lone Thunder chance.
Rapid City now clashes with the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs on Friday and Saturday, January 8th & 9th at 7:05pm. Tickets are still available for both contests.
Central Hockey League Stories from January 2, 2010
- Rapid City Begins New Year With 4-1 Victory Over Thunder - Rapid City Rush
- Sundogs Tally Five Unanswered to Snap Five-Game Slide in 5-1 Victory - Arizona Sundogs
- RiverKings Power By Oilers in Tulsa - Mississippi RiverKings
- Mavericks Roar Back to Bury 'Bugs 5-3 - Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
- Americans win fifth straight in 4-3 OT victory over Laredo - Allen Americans
- Newcomers Shine in 4-1 Loss - Wichita Thunder
- Mavs Score Five Straight in 5-3 Comeback Win over Mudbugs - Kansas City Mavericks
- First Period Outburts Powers Odessa to 5-1 Win - Odessa Jackalopes
- Brahmas Score Late Goal on Way to OT Win - Colorado Eagles
- Bucks Fall In OT 4-3 - Laredo Bucks
- RiverKings Return To Tulsa Tonight - Mississippi RiverKings
- Bucks Open 2010 In Allen Tonight - Laredo Bucks
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
