ALLEN, Tex. – David Tendeck made 36 saves, Stephen Baylis and Logan Nelson each had a goal and an assist and the Rapid City Rush beat the Allen Americans, 4-1, Sunday afternoon at the Credit Union of Texas Events Center.
After a scoreless first, the Rush took the lead early in the second period as Alden Weller fired a shot from the blue line. Colton Leiter deflected it over the shoulder of Frank Marotte and the score was 1-0.
The Americans answered later in the second while working with a 5-on-3 power play. Eric Roy snapped a wrist shot top shelf past Tendeck from the right circle, tying the game at one.
Rapid City responded while working on a power play of its own. Nelson fed Baylis just inside the blue line for a wrist shot that he sniped through traffic to the upper-left corner. His team-leading 11th goal of the season pushed the lead to 2-1.
One minute later, Weller fired a pass down the left wing boards that hit Brett Gravelle who sped into the attacking zone and carried it toward the net. He snapped a shot top shelf that went bar down and into the net, extending the lead to 3-1.
That lead held throughout the third period, as Allen could not crack Tendeck again. In the final minutes of the third, the Americans pulled Marotte for an extra attacker. The Rush forced the puck into the neutral zone where Baylis his Nelson at the blue line for a shot that sailed into the empty net, pushing the lead to its 4-1 final.
Weller had two assists, Baylis and Nelson both had a goal and an assist and Tendeck stopped 36 of 37 shots faced in the winning effort. The Rush improved to 8-9-1-2 with the win while Allen dropped to 5-8-3-0.
Rapid City will now return home for the first of three games against the Kansas City Mavericks. Puck drop on Wednesday night at The Monument Ice Arena is scheduled for 7:05 PM.
