I’m RAPID CITY, S.D. – Calgary native Carter Wilkie secured his first three ECHL goals, including the overtime winner, as the Rapid City Rush edged the Wichita Thunder 5-4 on Saturday at The Monument Ice Arena.
Wilkie’s scoring outburst began late in the second period with a game-tying goal. He followed that with a go-ahead goal in the third period before capping the night with the game-winning goal in overtime. These were the first three ECHL goals for the rookie in his fourth professional game with the Rapid City team.
Briley Wood and Cameron Buhl opened the scoring for Rapid City in the first period, but Wichita’s Michal Stinil netted two first-period goals, leaving the score tied 2-2 at the first intermission. Each team added one more goal in the second period, making the score 3-3 after 40 minutes.
Wilkie’s goal five minutes into the third period nearly sealed the victory, but Wichita’s Noah Beck tied the game with just 16 seconds remaining in regulation.
In a thrilling overtime period, the Calgary native carried the puck up the right wing on an odd-man rush and fired a high wrist shot from the right circle to end the contest for the Rush, a key team in the Black Hills area of South Dakota.
Rookie goaltender Arsenii Sergeev also played a pivotal role, stopping 40 shots to improve his professional record to 2-0. The 21-year-old from Yaroslavl, Russia, has now stopped 76 shots in his first two professional games. Matt Davis was credited with the loss for Wichita.
Rapid City now holds a 2-2 record, with both of its losses coming by a single goal. The Rush will head on the road for a three-game series against the Allen Americans.
The Rush’s next game is Wednesday, October 29, at Allen, with the puck dropping at 6:10 p.m. MDT from Credit Union of Texas Event Center. The Rapid City Rush return home to face the Tahoe Knight Monsters on November 5, 7, and 8. Saturday, November 8, is Veterans Appreciation Night.