RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Rapid City Rush, proud affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames, defeated the Wichita Thunder to close the season on Saturday night at The Monument, 3-2.
After a scoreless first period, the Rush gave up the games first goal to Michal Stinil who logged his 32nd of the season. Stinil would also assist on the final Thunder goal.
Rapid City answered moments later with Keanu Yamamoto lifting a puck over Beck warm at the nearside goalpost to tie the game. Yamamoto would need to wait long to nab his second point of the night, assisting on Maurizio Colella’s go-ahead marker just two minutes later.
The third period was a slobber-knocker featuring three fights. Tyson Helgesen locked horns with Dillon Boucher just 10 seconds into the third period. Then, Garrett Klotz fought Boucher midway through the third period. Lastly, rookie Peter Muzyka tangled with Jeremy Masella to end the night.
With time draining, Blake Bennett was set off for an empty-net goal to capture the Rush ECHL single-season goal scoring record with his 35th of the year. Bennett’s goal broke a ten-year record that had stood set by Jesse Schultz.
Jay Dickman would add one Thunder goal with 22 seconds to go in the game, but it was ultimately meaningless.
Rapid City’s win completed their second sweep of the season against Wichita, marking six straight wins over the Thunder, and an 8-2-0 record vs. Wichita overall this year.
The Rush finish sixth in the ECHL’s Mountain Division with 64 standings points and the tiebreaker over Wichita. Scott Burt also accrued his 99th career ECHL head coaching victory and becomes the first Rush head coach to lead the team to three 30-or-more win seasons in the ECHL.
The Rush will host their end-of-season party on Monday afternoon from 5-7 p.m. at The Monument.
