Special teams fuel Americans' 5-4 OT win over Rapid City
March 12, 2010 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Allen Americans News Release
RAPID CITY, South Dakota - The playoff-bound Allen Americans beat the Rapid City Rush, one of the Northern Conference leaders, tonight 5-4 in overtime. The Americans earned their fortieth win and have a 40-15-5 record (85 points).
Allen opened the game with a power play goal from Tyler Wooddisse at 2:09. Then, the Americans increased their lead to two off a tally from CHL Most Valuable Player Finalist Bruce Graham. The momentum swayed in favor of Rapid City in the first when a scrum in front of the Americans' net fired up the Rush bench. Colt King and Brendan Cook scored back-to-back goals before the period was over to send the teams into the locker rooms in a 2-2 tie.
Americans' netminder Chris Whitley stepped up in the second period as the Rush continued to hound the net, firing off 21 shots during the frame. Despite Whitley's solid performance, Blaine Jarvis netted Rapid City's third straight goal at 12:31 to put the Rush up for the first time in the game 3-2. Looking for a goal before the end of the second, the Americans capitalized on a late power play to knot the score 3-3. Captain Jarret Lukin scored his fourteenth goal this year with 1:08 remaining.
Allen forward Christian Gaudet lit the lamp 47 seconds into the third period. The unassisted shorthanded goal gave the Americans a 4-3 lead that would only last eight minutes. Derek LeBlanc sent the puck in the net on a controversial goal at 8:16. The Rush put on an extra attacker after the referee had his arm up, indicating he was going to call a delayed penalty against Allen. The Americans insisted that defenseman Mike Salekin touched the puck before the goal was scored, which would have stopped play, but the referee upheld his original call. With neither team able to score before the end of regulation, the contest between two of the CHL's top teams was forced into overtime.
Wooddisse, who scored the first goal of the night, ended the game with 1:06 remaining in the extra period when he netted the game-winning goal. The final score was 5-4.
Whitley made 47 saves tonight, an individual high for him this year. The Americans were two for five on the power play tonight, while the penalty killing unit shut down the Rush power play during its six attempts.
Prior to the game, Allen activated forward Liam Huculak from injured reserve. Huculak served as assistant coach tonight on the bench.
The Americans finish the weekend set tomorrow night in Rapid City before closing out the regular season with three straight home games March 17, 19 and 20. Allen has clinched home ice for the Conference Semi-Finals of the 2010 Ray Miron's President's Cup. Their first home playoff games will be the weekend of March 26.
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