Rush Best Thunder, 5-3, for Third Straight Win
January 15, 2022 - ECHL (ECHL) - Rapid City Rush News Release
(WICHITA, Kan.) - Two goals from Brett Van Os helped power the offensive attack as the Rapid City Rush defeated the Wichita Thunder, 5-3, Saturday night at INTRUST Bank Arena. The win was Rapid City's third in a row.
Wichita opened the scoring in the first period as Tyler Jeanson fired a shot on net that Bailey Brkin stopped but the rebound found Logan Fredericks on the back door. Fredericks flipped the puck into the back of the net and the Thunder took an early lead.
Rapid City answered later in the first when Kenton Helgesen hit Van Os on the right wing boards and crashed the net. Van Os fired the puck toward the front of the net and it bounced off a Wichita skater and got past Jake Theut, tying the game at one.
In the second, Wichita grabbed the lead again when Carter Johnson brought the puck into the attacking zone and nudged a pass to Stephen Johnson, who cranked a one-timer past Brkin and the score was 2-1.
The Rush evened the score once again just past the halfway point of the second though as Van Os controlled the puck on the right wing boards. With Garrett Klotz providing a screen in front, Van Os sent a shot on net that Theut never saw as it sailed into the goal to make it 2-2.
90 seconds later, Rapid City took the lead when Klotz cranked a shot from the high slot that Theut stopped but Zach Court had inside position on the defense and corralled the rebound. He slung it in under Theut's pads and the Rush went ahead for the first time, 3-2.
Early in the third period with Rapid City on a two-man advantage, Brett Gravelle took a pass at the right wing circle and snapped it to Calder Brooks in front of the net. Brooks redirected the puck past Theut, pushing the Rapid City lead to two.
Wichita answered with a power play goal of its own five minutes later as Jay Dickman finished a centering pass in front of the net. But they were unable to get an equalizing goal and Rapid City pushed the lead back to two in the final minutes when Helgesen cashed in with an empty-netter to make it 5-3.
Van Os had two goals, Helgesen picked up a goal and an assist and Klotz had two assists as the Rush won their third straight game. Rapid City improved to 17-14-3-2 in the win while Wichita dropped to 12-19-4-0.
The Rush will now return home for three games in three nights against the Idaho Steelheads. It begins on Friday night and puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 PM at The Monument Ice Arena.
• Discuss this story on the ECHL message board...
ECHL Stories from January 15, 2022
- Point Earns Shutout in Steelheads 6-0 Road Rout over Grizzlies - Idaho Steelheads
- Americans Fall in a Shootout - Allen Americans
- Rush Claim 5-3 Win over Thunder on #ILOVEWICHITA Night - Wichita Thunder
- Cyclones Win Streak Ends at Five Games - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Rush Best Thunder, 5-3, for Third Straight Win - Rapid City Rush
- Rinaldi Leads Offense, Rabbits Down Everblades 3-1 - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Solar Bears' Win Streak Snapped in 4-1 Loss to Nailers - Orlando Solar Bears
- Hawkins Puts on a Show as Walleye Shut Down Komets, 3-2 - Toledo Walleye
- McCarron Ties All-Time Points Record in 3-1 Loss to Greenville - Florida Everblades
- Fuel Sneak Away with Overtime Win over Iowa - Indy Fuel
- Railers Take Down Royals 2-1 on Marvel Super Hero Night - Worcester Railers HC
- Sunday's Greenville Swamp Rabbits Game Postponed Due to Inclement Weather - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Cockrell's Hat Trick Puts Nailers Back in Win Column - Wheeling Nailers
- All-Star Pritchard Scores First Since December 1 in 2-1 Loss to Railers - Reading Royals
- Stingrays Postpone Sunday Game Due to Inclement Weather - South Carolina Stingrays
- Heartlanders' Beraldo Scores Late Goal, Landers Get Another Point - Iowa Heartlanders
- Admirals Drop Close Defensive Battle to South Carolina, 2-1 - Norfolk Admirals
- Stingrays Fight Hard in Victory - South Carolina Stingrays
- Forward Mason Mitchell Signs PTO with AHL Stockton Heat - Idaho Steelheads
- Lightning Reassign Miftakhov to AHL - Orlando Solar Bears
- Grizzlies Gameday: Guns N Hoses Night at Maverik Center - Utah Grizzlies
- Royals Meet Worcester in Second Leg of Back-To-Back at DCU Center - Reading Royals
- Henry and Nielsen Reassigned to Utah - Utah Grizzlies
- ECHL Transactions - January 15 - ECHL
- Game Notes: at Wichita - Rapid City Rush
- Mariners Sign Rookie Tyler Hinam - Maine Mariners
- Game Preview: Solar Bears vs. Wheeling Nailers: January 15, 2022 - Orlando Solar Bears
- Everblades Aim to Close out Rabbits - Florida Everblades
- Game Day Preview: Americans at KC, 7:05 PM - Allen Americans
- Grizz Win 4-1 on Bradley's 2 Shorthanded Goals - Utah Grizzlies
- Steelheads Fall 4-1 to Grizzlies in Weekend Opener - Idaho Steelheads
- Late Goal Helps Rapid City Sink Thunder - Wichita Thunder
- Fitze, Tufto Help Solar Bears Hammer Nailers, 6-2 - Orlando Solar Bears
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.