Weekend Preview - Rapid City

Published on December 9, 2010 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Dayton Gems News Release


This will be the second and last meeting during the regular season between the Rush and the Gems. Rapid City was in Dayton back on October 17th the first time the two teams played and won a high scoring affair 7-5. The Rush started that game by jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first period. The Gems cut it back to 3-2 before Rapid City pushed it to 4-2 after the first. In the second period, the Rush lead again was stretched out to three goals before the Gems sliced it down to 5-4, then Rapid City scored to make it 6-4 with just over 11 minutes remaining in regulation. The Gems got one more back before the Rush buried an empty netter to ice the game away with the 7-5 decision. Ten different Rush players recorded one point and four of those players scored two points. Nine different Gems registered a point and two of those nine had two points. Entering tonight's game, the Gems are trying to build off of their come from behind 3-2 win over Fort Wayne on Saturday, while the Rush limp in having lost seven of their last ten, which included a 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Oilers (Tulsa) on Tuesday in the first game of a seven game road trip that spans from December 7th to December 21st. This will be the last home game for the Gems for the next two and a half weeks, they do not return to Hara until after Christmas on the 26th to take on Fort Wayne. The Gems will play their next five games after tonight on the road; they currently are 3-3-0 away from Dayton this season.

SCOUTING REPORT ON RAPID CITY:

The Defending CHL Champions are one point behind the Gems in the Turner Conference Standings and are trying to find their groove at this point in the season because they are only 3-7-0 in their last ten games. This is a team the Gems will do whatever they can to prevent them from getting the lead, Rapid City is 7-1-0 when leading after the first period (2-0 on the road) and 7-0-0 when leading after the second (3-0-0 on the road). To counter those numbers, the Rush really struggle when having to play from behind, they are 1-5-0 when trailing after one period and 0-5-2 when trailing after two periods. Eight of their 22 games played have been one-goal games and they have yet to lose in regulation during those eight with a 4-0-4 mark in that scenario. Their leading scorer is Ryan Menei with 24 points (13G 11A), which has him 11th in the CHL in scoring and Menei ranks third in goals scored with those 13 markers. The Rush has been outscored by their opponents 81-64 on the season (26-18 in the second period) and is giving up the most goals against per game at 3.86. Goaltender Danny Bottochio is second in the CHL in minutes played with 1,049:20 and is also second in number of saves made at 479 (this includes the CHL high for saves in a first period with 20). The Rush have the second worst penalty kill in the CHL (77%), due in large part to being second in the Turner Conference in penalty minutes with 441 and they are tied for the most 10-minute misconduct calls with four.

GEMS GAME NIGHT:

Dayton enters tonight's game only two points out of first place in the Turner Conference Standings. The Gems currently own the best record of teams that have played within the Turner Conference posting a 9-6-1 mark against in conference opponents. Chris Lipsett leads the team in scoring with his 18 points (8G 10A) and has recorded six points (4G 2A) in his last four games. Captain Greg Labenski comes in riding a consecutive points-scoring streak of three games, recording four points (all assists) over that span. The gems have played their last five games from behind, allowing the first goal in each of those games (3-2 record). When Jonathan Ornelas scores a point the Gems have yet to lose a game in regulation, posting a 6-0-1 record. The penalty kill is red hot right now, killing off 23 of the last 24 opponents power plays against (96%). The Gems are 7-3-1 in one-goal games this season and are 2-1 on Thursdays. They have outscored the opposition 39-32 on home ice. Dayton currently ranks third in the league in goals against per game at 2.83 and seventh in the league in goals for at 3.17. Dayton ranks last in the CHL in shots against per game, yielding 36.39 a night.

SEASON SERIES (2 MEETINGS)

10-17-10 Rapid City at Dayton 5:00 p.m. (Rapid City Won 7-5)

12-9-10 Rapid City at Dayton 7:00 p.m.

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Central Hockey League Stories from December 9, 2010


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