Rush Earn Point in Comeback
January 8, 2017 - ECHL (ECHL)
Rapid City Rush News Release
(WEST VALLEY CITY, UT) - The Rapid City Rush erased a four-goal deficit with 30.7 seconds left in regulation to force overtime, but the Ralph Cuddemi won the game for the Utah Grizzlies with 2:12 left in overtime to give his team the second point with a 6-5 win.
In a high-flying and penalty-filled first period, it was the Grizzlies that came out on top. They struck first 1:11 into the contest when Phil Pietroniro slammed a loose puck by Rush net-minder Adam Morrison in a feverish scramble in front of his net to give Utah a 1-0 lead (Jon Puskar and Kenton Helgesen assisted). Over ten minutes later, the Rush struck back and evened the game when 2017 ECHL All-Star Michael Young came down the ice on a two-on-one, feigned a pass, and then rifled a wrister top shelf by Grizzlies goaltender Troy Redmann to square the game at 1-1 with 7:08 left in the frame (Mark Cooper garnered the lone assist). From there, the Grizzlies struck three more times in 5:09 to take a 4-1 lead into the intermission. Striking first in a bout of four-on-four hockey was 2017 ECHL All-Star Erik Bradford, who came streaking down the ice and sent the puck through Morrison's legs to put Utah back on top with a 2-1 lead with 5:44 left in the first (Taylor Richart and Ralph Cuddemi got the helpers. With 1:41 left in the period and on the fourth Utah power play of the frame, Cuddemi notched his second point when he fired a wrist shot up high from the far faceoff circle to build Utah's lead to 3-1 (Erik Bradford notched his second point of the game with his first assist, while Tim Daly earned his first of the game). With 35.8 seconds left in the period, Mathieu Aubin took a centering pass in the slot and finished by Morrison to bring the Grizzlies lead to 4-1 (Bradford earned his third point and second assist, while Martin Nemcik got his first assist and point in a Utah uniform).
Utah built a four-goal lead in the second period, but the Rush chiseled away towards the end of the frame. Jon Puskar gave the Grizzlies a 5-1 lead 7:50 into the second when he slammed home the loose change on yet another mad scramble next to Morrison's net (Mathieu Aubin notched the lone assist for his second point of the night). The Rush began to mount a comeback in the second half of the frame, and started when Josh MacDonald netted his team-leading 16th goal of the season. With 9:32 left in the second, Terrence Wallin zipped a cross-ice pass to MacDonald, who buried in a wide open goal to bring the Rush within three at 5-2 (Terrence Wallin and Anthony Mastrodicasa got the assists). With 50.1 seconds left in the frame, Mark Cooper cut the deficit to two when he buried a cross-ice pass from Logan Nelson, slicing Utah's lead to 5-3 (Michael Young got his second point of the game with the assist, while Nelson got his first point back with the Rush).
Riley Weselowski picked the perfect time for his first goal of the season on the final Rush power play of the game in the third period. With 10:57 left in the game, Weselowski came off of his blue line and sent a shot from the near faceoff circle by Redmann to bring the Rush within striking distance at 5-4 (Michael Young got his third point with his second assist, while Logan Nelson notched his second assist on the goal). With time winding down, the Rush pulled Morrison from the net for the extra-attacker, and Mark Cooper hit pay dirt. He tied the game on a two-on-one with Nelson, who dished to Cooper at the last second, and Cooper buried past Redmann to square the game at 5-5 with 30.7 seconds left in the contest). Overtime was on the horizon.
Utah ended the Rush comeback with Ralph Cuddemi's game-winner with 2:48 gone by in overtime. Cuddemi earned his second tally when he sent a wrist shot over Morrison from close range, giving the Grizzlies the 6-5 win.
Morrison stopped 24 of 30 shots, suffering his third overtime defeat of the season (6-5-3).
Game 3 of 5 straight matchups is set for Wednesday, January 11th, with puck drop slated for 6:35 p.m. MST. The game marks the first of 2017 that the Rush will play on home ice.
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[X] Mark Binetti, Director of Media Relations, "Voice of the Rush" C: (704)806-5036 P: (605)716-7825 F: (605)716-6100 444 Mt Rushmore Road North, Rapid City, SD 57701 - [X]
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For Immediate Release - January 7, 2017
RUSH GAIN POINT IN DRAMATIC COMEBACK
(WEST VALLEY CITY, UT) - The Rapid City Rush erased a four-goal deficit with 30.7 seconds left in regulation to force overtime, but the Ralph Cuddemi won the game for the Utah Grizzlies with 2:12 left in overtime to give his team the second point with a 6-5 win.
In a high-flying and penalty-filled first period, it was the Grizzlies that came out on top. They struck first 1:11 into the contest when Phil Pietroniro slammed a loose puck by Rush net-minder Adam Morrison in a feverish scramble in front of his net to give Utah a 1-0 lead (Jon Puskar and Kenton Helgesen assisted). Over ten minutes later, the Rush struck back and evened the game when 2017 ECHL All-Star Michael Young came down the ice on a two-on-one, feigned a pass, and then rifled a wrister top shelf by Grizzlies goaltender Troy Redmann to square the game at 1-1 with 7:08 left in the frame (Mark Cooper garnered the lone assist). From there, the Grizzlies struck three more times in 5:09 to take a 4-1 lead into the intermission. Striking first in a bout of four-on-four hockey was 2017 ECHL All-Star Erik Bradford, who came streaking down the ice and sent the puck through Morrison's legs to put Utah back on top with a 2-1 lead with 5:44 left in the first (Taylor Richart and Ralph Cuddemi got the helpers. With 1:41 left in the period and on the fourth Utah power play of the frame, Cuddemi notched his second point when he fired a wrist shot up high from the far faceoff circle to build Utah's lead to 3-1 (Erik Bradford notched his second point of the game with his first assist, while Tim Daly earned his first of the game). With 35.8 seconds left in the period, Mathieu Aubin took a centering pass in the slot and finished by Morrison to bring the Grizzlies lead to 4-1 (Bradford earned his third point and second assist, while Martin Nemcik got his first assist and point in a Utah uniform).
Utah built a four-goal lead in the second period, but the Rush chiseled away towards the end of the frame. Jon Puskar gave the Grizzlies a 5-1 lead 7:50 into the second when he slammed home the loose change on yet another mad scramble next to Morrison's net (Mathieu Aubin notched the lone assist for his second point of the night). The Rush began to mount a comeback in the second half of the frame, and started when Josh MacDonald netted his team-leading 16th goal of the season. With 9:32 left in the second, Terrence Wallin zipped a cross-ice pass to MacDonald, who buried in a wide open goal to bring the Rush within three at 5-2 (Terrence Wallin and Anthony Mastrodicasa got the assists). With 50.1 seconds left in the frame, Mark Cooper cut the deficit to two when he buried a cross-ice pass from Logan Nelson, slicing Utah's lead to 5-3 (Michael Young got his second point of the game with the assist, while Nelson got his first point back with the Rush).
Riley Weselowski picked the perfect time for his first goal of the season on the final Rush power play of the game in the third period. With 10:57 left in the game, Weselowski came off of his blue line and sent a shot from the near faceoff circle by Redmann to bring the Rush within striking distance at 5-4 (Michael Young got his third point with his second assist, while Logan Nelson notched his second assist on the goal). With time winding down, the Rush pulled Morrison from the net for the extra-attacker, and Mark Cooper hit pay dirt. He tied the game on a two-on-one with Nelson, who dished to Cooper at the last second, and Cooper buried past Redmann to square the game at 5-5 with 30.7 seconds left in the contest). Overtime was on the horizon.
Utah ended the Rush comeback with Ralph Cuddemi's game-winner with 2:48 gone by in overtime. Cuddemi earned his second tally when he sent a wrist shot over Morrison from close range, giving the Grizzlies the 6-5 win.
Morrison stopped 24 of 30 shots, suffering his third overtime defeat of the season (6-5-3).
Game 3 of 5 straight matchups is set for Wednesday, January 11th, with puck drop slated for 6:35 p.m. MST. The game marks the first of 2017 that the Rush will play on home ice.
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