Sellout Crowd for Military Appreciation Night, Wheeling Bests Rush
Published on March 8, 2026 under ECHL (ECHL)
Rapid City Rush News Release
Rapid City Rush's Maurizio Colella on game night
(Rapid City Rush)
Rapid City, SD - Maurizio Colella scored in the first minute of the game in front of a sellout crowd on Military Appreciation Night in a 3-1 loss to the Wheeling Nailers at The Monument Ice Arena.
Colella's goal, a high backhander assisted by Briley Wood and Seth Fyten, got the crowd of 5,119 on their feet in Rapid City, the first sellout of the season for the Rush. It was Colella's first goal of the season in six Rush games since coming back to North America from Denmark.
Wheeling tied the game five minutes later and went on to score twice more in the second to secure the win. Mike Posma scored twice in the game and Tristan Thompson added an insurance goal. The Nailers outshot the Rush, 37-24.
All six Rush starters were from the United States, and all of them carried American flags onto the ice. The team wore specialty steel blue-colored jerseys honoring Joe Foss, South Dakota's most decorated hero and former governor of the state.
Connor Murphy made 34 saves on 37 shots. Murphy made 109 saves and recorded a .916 save percentage in the series. After allowing a goal on his first shot, Maxim Pavlenko stopped the next 23 to earn the win.
The Rush continue their two-week homestand against the Wichita Thunder on Rush Fights Cancer Weekend.
Next game: Thursday, March 12 vs. Wichita. 7:05 p.m. MST puck drop from The Monument Ice Arena.
The Rapid City Rush face the Wichita Thunder on March 12th, 13th, and 14th at The Monument Ice Arena! Saturday, March 14th is Rush Fights Cancer, presented by Vitalant and Thrivent Financial. Head to www.rapidcityrush.com or call 605-716-7825 to secure your seats today.
Images from this story
 Rapid City Rush's Maurizio Colella on game night |
ECHL Stories from March 8, 2026
- Wichita Drops Sunday Matinee in Toledo - Wichita Thunder
- Americans Blowout Tulsa 7-1 - Allen Americans
- Walleye Set Franchise Record in Shots on Goal in 5-1 Win over Wichita - Toledo Walleye
- Cyclones End Weekend with 20-Round Shootout Victory over Utah - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Grizzlies Fall 3-2 in Wild 20 Round Shootout - Utah Grizzlies
- Railers Drop 4-3 Shootout Decision to Lions - Worcester Railers HC
- Gallatin's Overtime Winner Lifts Mariners to Tenth Straight - Maine Mariners
- Three Points for Dion in Lions Shootout Victory - Trois-Rivieres Lions
- Wilkins Leads Stingrays to 3-2 Win over Savannah - South Carolina Stingrays
- Ryan Chyzowski Returns to Rush, Simon Mack Called Up - Rapid City Rush
- Steelheads Acquire Forward Jack Adams in Pair of Weekend Trades - Idaho Steelheads
- Solar Bears Acquire Defenseman Kade Landry from Idaho Steelheads - Orlando Solar Bears
- K-Wings Power Through Icemen Sunday - Kalamazoo Wings
- Thunder Fall to Mariners 4-3 in OT - Adirondack Thunder
- Bison Acquire Forwards Deni Goure and Zach Faremouth - Bloomington Bison
- Oilers Fall in Allen - Tulsa Oilers
- Stingrays Edge Ghost Pirates 3-2 in North Charleston - Savannah Ghost Pirates
- ECHL Transactions - March 8 - ECHL
- Faremouth Traded to Bloomington, Goure Reassigned - Greensboro Gargoyles
- Mariners Sign Defenseman Tynan Ewart - Maine Mariners
- Cyclones Sign Adam Kydd out of University of Calgary - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Everblades Trade Kade Landry to Idaho - Florida Everblades
- Game Day Preview: Pucks-N-Paws Day in Allen - Allen Americans
- Sambrook's Late Goal Lifts Florida to Ninth Straight Win - Florida Everblades
- Sellout Crowd for Military Appreciation Night, Wheeling Bests Rush - Rapid City Rush
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.
