TULSA, Okla. – The Rapid City Rush scored twice in the third period to bring themselves within one but surrendered a late empty net goal and ultimately fell to the Tulsa Oilers, 4-2, Friday night at the BOK Center.
Trailing 3-0 in the third period, the Rush got on the board with just over 11 minutes to play as Quinn Wichers took a wrist shot from just inside the blue line. It navigated traffic and beat a screened Kai Edmonds and the Rush cut the lead down to 3-1.
Later, with Rapid City on a power play in the final minutes of the third period, the Rush pulled Lukas Parik for an extra attacker. After the power play expired, Logan Nelson hit Stephen Baylis for a one-timer that he squeaked through the five hole and the score was 3-2.
Rapid City again pulled Parik for an extra attacker in the final minute but this time Tulsa cashed in with an empty netter from Alex Kromm that pushed the score to its 4-2 final.
The Oilers opened the scoring just past the five minute mark of the first period. After Parik made save on a Jordan Ernst shot, a clearing attempt ricocheted off a stuck and bounced back to Kromm. He stepped into a shot and snuck it under the crossbar, putting Tulsa on top, 1-0.
Tulsa padded that lead in the second period, first when Jimmy Soper gained the zone on an odd-man rush. He fired a wrist shot that got through Parik on the short side, pushing the lead to 2-0. Then, with the Rush on a power play, Rapid City turned the puck over in the defensive zone and Kromm hit Dylan Sadowy for a tap-in on the back door and it was 3-0.
Baylis’s goal was his team-leading tenth of the season and Parik made 25 saves on 28 shots in the loss. Rapid City fell to 7-9-1-2 while Tulsa improved to 9-5-0-1. The Rush will finish out their road trip on Sunday afternoon in Allen against the Americans. Puck drop at the Allen Event Center is scheduled for 2:05 PM CST.
