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Rapid City set to drop curtain on 14-game trip
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FarkRAPID CITY — Finally, a home game for the Rapid City Rush is in sight.
That’s the good news.
But before the Rush can think about the first-ever professional hockey game in South Dakota history on Saturday, they must first deal with one last Central Hockey League road trip to end a league-record tying 14-game string of away games.
The expansion Rush travel back to Loveland, Colo., for a 7:05 p.m. contest with the Colorado Eagles at the Budweiser Events Center.
The two Northwest Division rivals are becoming very familiar with each other. Colorado, which is 14-2-0 overall for the best record in the CHL, has claimed all four previous meetings against the Rush (3-5-5 overall), including a pair of overtime-shootout thrillers to open the season on Oct. 17 and Oct. 18, a 3-1 decision on Nov. 8, and an 8-2 beatdown on Nov. 21 that saw the Eagles explode for a franchise-record seven goals in the second period.
Colorado head coach Kevin McClelland, in his first year at the helm for the Eagles after three seasons with the Mississippi RiverKings, dismisses his team’s seeming dominance of the Rush.
“In all four games, except for that one period, Rapid City has played some very good hockey,” said McClelland. “Joe (Ferras) has put together a good team up there. And if you look at that far-right column (overtime), if Rapid City had gotten just a few more of those (as wins), they’d be right there.”
Ferras agrees.
“We’ve played some great hockey on the road. There’s some games we’d like to have back,” he said. “With four games in a shootout and a fifth in overtime, a bounce here and a bounce there, and we could be 8-5.”
Still, Rapid City is just one of two teams to earn points on the Eagles’ home ice this season, based on the pair of overtime games.
Tulsa handed Colorado its only home loss this year, 6-5, on Nov. 14.
October’s CHL player of the month Rapid City forward Rich Hansen leads the Rush with 25 points.
The Eagles counter with Kevin Ulanski, Riley Nelson, Greg Pankewicz, and Ryan Tobler, all solidly in the top 10 in league scoring. Overall the Eagles’ roster has 10 players in double-figure scoring.
“They’re so explosive,” Ferras said. “We’ve got to keep them to the outsides and not give up any turnovers in the neutral zone. They can make you pay for any little mistake.”
Netminder Andrew Penner is 7-1 going into Wednesday night’s game with Rocky Mountain, with 22 goals allowed and 252 saves. Also between the pipes is Morgan Cey, 6-1, with 21 goals, with 221 saves.
“All three lines are clicking right now,” said McClelland. “The guys are playing well together and that’s what you want to bring in any kind of professional sports.”
In their five-year history, the Eagles have two CHL Ray Miron President’s Cup trophies to their credit in 2004-2005 and 2006-2007.
Colorado was also 27-5 on home ice last year and has just one loss at home so far this year.
Ferras hopes the Rush will quickly settle in and make the new arena just as inhospitable for rival teams.
“Hopefully the guys will get as comfortable as possible and make it a tough place for other teams to play,” Ferras said.
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