Steelheads Edge Rush in Tight Game
April 5, 2024 - ECHL (ECHL)
Rapid City Rush News Release
(BOISE, Idaho) - The Rapid City Rush, proud affiliate of the NHL's Calgary Flames, fell to the Idaho Steelheads 7-5 at Idaho Central Arena on Friday night.
Alex Aleardi opened the scoring less five minutes in off a feed from Ilya Nikolaev and Tyson Helgesen. Aleardi would go on to score twice in the game.
However, Idaho found a way to respond with two goals in the opening period. Keaton Mastrodonato and Connor Mylymok tallied goals in the first to draw ahead at the end of the first period.
Despite a reviewed play, Keanu Yamamoto scored his 17th of the season, deflecting a puck with his skate, from a Tyson Helgesen shot. Yamamoto's goal tied the game at two but the lead was short-lived.
Idaho rattled off back-to-back goals again with Mark Rassell and Will Merchant potting goals for the Steelheads. Merchant's goal came on the powerplay, making in back-to-back games with a powerplay goal for Idaho.
Still not going away, Aleardi's second goal of the night came on a Rush powerplay from a near-impossible angle. Aleardi is now two points away from tying Jesse Schultz's single-season Rush ECHL points record.
Less than 30 seconds after Aleardi's goal, Nick Canade bounced a puck off Jordan Kawaguchi to stretch the Idaho lead to two at the second period intermission.
Jade Miller tapped home a one-timer in the early third to make 6-3, but the Rush clawed back. Matt Registered flubbed a clearing pass to the far wing that Tyson Helgesen stepped-in to, blasting a practical one-timer by Brian Thomson to make it 6-4.
The Rush out-hustled Idaho in the third period, but could not draw penalties. In Wednesday's game, Idaho racked up eight powerplay chances while the Rush had six. Both teams went 1-for-3 on the powerplay tonight.
With 43 seconds left, Nikolaev scored on a direct shot to make it 6-5, and the Rush had a good chance with 20 seconds to go, but Thomson made a save. Rassell added an empty netter for the Steelheads to ice the game.
The Rush are still alive in the playoff hunt, but have to take at least one point tomorrow to stay alive. A regulation win for Utah coupled with a win or overtime/shootout for Tulsa would end the playoff hopes for Rapid City.
The Rush close the season series against the Steelheads at 7:10 p.m. from Idaho Central Arena tomorrow night.
• Discuss this story on the ECHL message board...
ECHL Stories from April 5, 2024
- Steelheads Edge Rush in Tight Game - Rapid City Rush
- Mavericks Capture 2024 Brabham Cup - Kansas City Mavericks
- Late Rally Sends Americans To Shootout Win Over Thunder - Allen Americans
- Ghost Pirates Trounce Stingrays 5-1 - Savannah Ghost Pirates
- Kansas City Wins 2023-24 Brabham Cup - ECHL
- Young Scores in Adirondack's 3-2 Shootout Loss to Allen - Adirondack Thunder
- Alex Young Scores in Adirondack's 3-2 Shootout Loss to Allen - Adirondack Thunder
- Bouquot Scores First Pro Goal, Royals Routed by Admirals, 5-1 - Reading Royals
- Marek Nets OT Game Winner - Wichita Thunder
- K-Wings Fall at Cyclones, 3-2 - Kalamazoo Wings
- Worcester Falls in Weekend Opener to Maine - Worcester Railers HC
- Swamp Rabbits Fall in Second Game to Orlando - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Toledo Empty Netter Stymies Iowa Rally, 5-3 - Iowa Heartlanders
- Hawkins Makes More History in 5-3 Win Over Heartlanders - Toledo Walleye
- Swamp Rabbits Fall in Second Game to Orlando - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Montgomery Scores Twice, Admirals Rout Royals - Norfolk Admirals
- Big First Period Carries Mariners Over Railers - Maine Mariners
- Stingrays Suffer 5-1 Loss to Ghost Pirates - South Carolina Stingrays
- ECHL Transactions - April 5 - ECHL
- Logan Britt Signs with Swamp Rabbits - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Chad Nychuk Loaned to Kalamazoo by Canucks (AHL) - Kalamazoo Wings
- Mariners Sign North Dakota's Griffin Ness - Maine Mariners
- Friday April 5th's Railers Game to Air on 100FM the Pike - Worcester Railers HC
- GAME NOTES: April 5- Rush at Idaho Steelheads - Rapid City Rush
- Wichita Heads to BOK Center Tonight for the Final Time this Season - Wichita Thunder
- Lions Add Defensive Depth - Trois-Rivieres Lions
- Defenseman Ryan Jones Recalled to Coachella Valley - Kansas City Mavericks
- Firehouse Brewing What's on Tap - Last Regular Season Weekend Features Beach Night and Major League Night - Rapid City Rush
- Admirals Sign Talented Rookie Keating - Norfolk Admirals
- Grizzlies Gameday: Last Friday Home Game of the Regular Season - Utah Grizzlies
- Game Day Preview: Adirondack Thunder Making Their First-Ever DFW Visit - Allen Americans
- Preview: Royals Face Admirals for Friday Night Puck Drop in Norfolk - Reading Royals
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.