RAPID CITY, SD – The Idaho Steelheads (26-18-8-1, 61pts) fell to the Rapid City Rush (23-22-5-3, 52pts) Friday night by a final score of 8-5 in front at The Monument Arena where there were a combined eight goals in the third period. Idaho and Rapid City will close out their season series tomorrow night at 7:05 pm.
Despite outshooting the Rush 14-5 in the first period it was Rapid City leading 1-0 as Ryan Wagner scored on their third power-play of the frame with 1:38 remaining.
Rapid City stretched their lead to 2-0 as Blake Bennett scored for his third straight game just 1:52 into the second period. Then it was Nick Canade’s (7th) turn to score for his third straight game making it a 2-1 deficit at 7:36 from Patrick Moynihan and Jade Miller. Just 95 seconds later Connor Mylymok increased the lead back to a pair for the Rush. Ty Pelton-Byce (21st) scored on the power-play with 5:54 to play in the period from Francesco Arcuri and Jason Horvath as the Steelheads trailed 3-2 after 40 minutes of play outshooting the Rush 14-11 in the middle frame.
Eight combined goals were scored in the final 20 minutes of play, five for Rapid City and three for Idaho. Chase Pauls scored at 1:37, Maurizio Colella at 5:37 (PP), and Deni Goure (7:02) making it a 7-2 Rapid City lead. Nick Caande (8th, 9th) scored a pair of goals to complete his first professional hat-trick. His first came unassisted at 10:44 then right off the ensuing face-off six seconds later from Mason McCarty and Matt Register. A.J. White (9th) made it a 7-5 game scoring on the power-play with 5:27 left from Hank Crone and Patrick Moynihan with an extra attacker on the ice. Maurizio Colella sealed the game away with an empty net score with 15 seconds remaining for a Rapid City 8-5 win.
Ben Kraws allowed seven goals on 26 shots in 47:59 while Brian Wilson made saves on two shots in 8:23. Matt Radomsky made 37 saves on 42 shots.
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