RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Rapid City Rush, proud affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames, took down the Allen Americans at The Monument on Wednesday night, 5-2.
Mark Duarte opened the scoring with a powerplay goal assisted by Maurizio Colella and Will Riedell. Duarte, a rookie, would enjoy a four-point night factoring in on all but one goal in the game.
After a disallowed goal in the first period would have extended the Rush lead to two, Rapid City would have to wait until the second period for an offensive explosion.
Midway through the second, Duarte lifted a backhanded shot off of Rylee St. Onge and right to Riedell who scored his second goal in three games.
Five minutes later, it was Brett Gravelle who beat Americans goaltender Marco Constantini with a low wrist shot, and just 29 seconds later Riley Ginnell found Parker Bowman for his third goal of the season. The Bowman goal forced Americans Head Coach Chad Costello to pull Constantini and replace him with Mark Sinclair.
Christian Propp, in his second-straight start, stopped 27 pucks in his second pro win. Propp, the first star, also logged an assist for the second consecutive game.
Allen broke through in the third period with a seeing-eye wrist shot from Easton Brodzinski. Former Rush forward James Hardie banged home a powerplay goal to cut the deficit to two, but the Americans joy was short-lived. Duarte potted a wraparound following a Gravelle shot to seal the win.
The Rush got some help from Idaho after a Steelheads win against Utah tonight. Rapid City is now a mere six points out of the playoffs with a game-in-hand over the Grizzlies. The win also propelled the Rush over the Wichita Thunder for sixth place in the Mountain Division.
Allen remains in town to face the Rush again on Friday and Saturday to end the season series. Puck drop on both nights is slated for 7:05 p.m.
