The Rapid City Rush and the Iowa Heartlanders were back in action Saturday night to wrap up their three game series. Both teams once again made changes in net as the goalie matchup went back to Thursday night’s matchup with Rapid City starting Connor Murphy and Iowa starting Kyle McClellan.
First Period
The two teams did not see much action in the first period, as neither was able to find the back of the net. Both had time on the power play and generated chances, but neither could convert, with both goaltenders protecting their respective nets.
The score remained 0-0 at the end of the first, with the Heartlanders outshooting the Rush 12-9.
Second Period
The two teams continued a slow-paced game into the second period. However, at 11:08, Nathan Noel was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for cross-checking. While on the ensuing five-minute power play, the Rush took the lead. Trevor Janicke passed the puck from the top of the left faceoff circle down to Ryan Wagner at the bottom of the circle. Wagner then fed the puck to Deni Goure in front of the net. After his initial deflection didn’t go in, Goure collected his own rebound and buried it. His goal came at 12:09 of the period, assisted by Wagner and Janicke.
The Rush held a 1-0 lead at the end of the first period, with both teams recording 13 shots.
Third Period
Similar to the first period, the third period saw no scoreboard action as tempers started to flair. Neither team had to put their special teams to work, but both teams got a few chances in between the many mini scrums.
The Rush were outshot 15-4 by the Heartlanders in the third period.
Final Stats
The Rush secured a 1-0 victory despite being outshot 40-26. Rapid City went 1-for-5 on the power play and was a perfect 2-for-2 on the penalty kill, while the Heartlanders went 0-for-2 on the power play and 4-for-5 on the penalty kill. Rush goaltender Connor Murphy stopped all 40 shots he faced, earning a shutout, while Heartlanders goaltender Kyle McClellan made 25 saves on 26 shots for a .962 save percentage.
Three Stars of the Game
- Rush goaltender Connor Murphy (40 saves on 40 shots)
- Rush forward Deni Goure (one goal, two shots)
- Rush forward Ryan Wagner (one assist, three shots)
Iowa will be back at home next, taking on the Fort Wayne Komets in a three-game series. The series will begin on Friday, March 21, continue on Saturday, March 22, and conclude on Sunday, March 23. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. CT on Friday, 6:00 p.m. CT on Saturday, and 3:00 p.m. CT on Sunday.
Rapid City will return to action to finish off its homestand against the Wichita Thunder. The series will begin on Friday, March 21. The Rush will host Rush Fights Cancer Night for the second game on Saturday, March 22, before wrapping up the series with Sensory Friendly Night on Sunday, March 23. Puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m. MT on both Friday and Saturday, and 4:05 p.m. MT on Sunday.
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