(RAPID CITY, SD) – Spencer Pommells got things started with his first period goal and Cody Ferriero added the eventual game-winner on his second period power play tally, but Marek Langhamer stoned all but one of the 34 shots thrown towards his net to power the Rapid City Rush to a 2-1 win over the Idaho Steelheads on Saturday night in their series finale.
The lone goal in the first came from the Rush, who have made a habit of establishing an early 1-0 lead as of late. Accomplishing the feat for the fifth time in six games for the Rush was rookie Spencer Pommells, who forced and turnover and, from the far wall, slipped the puck by Steelheads goaltender Phillipe Desrosiers to put the Rush up 1-0 with 9:32 gone by in the first (the goal was unassisted).
The Rush came out of a penalty-filled second period with their lead not only intact, but added on to. After a brief bout of four-on-four hockey that lead into the first Rush power play of the game, Michael Young crossed all three lines and zipped a cross-ice pass to Cody Ferriero in the Idaho zone. Ferriero settled the puck and fired it top-shelf by Desrosiers to double the Rush lead to 2-0 for his third of the year, all on power plays, at the 4:37 mark of the second (Young and Mikhail Stefanovich received the assists).
Marek Langhamer played 49:05 of shutout hockey for the Rush until the Steelheads cut their deficit in half in the third. With 10:55 remaining in the game, Jake Rutt fired a shot at Langhamer from the blue line, and Rob Linsmayer stuffed it home to get Idaho on the scoreboard at 2-1 (Rutt had the only assist). Idaho pulled Desrosiers in exchange for an extra-attacker late in the game, but could not equalize the contest, giving the Rush a 2-1 win: their third in the last four games and second against Idaho this week.
Marek Langhamer made 33 saves on 34 shots for his third win of the season in his fifth start (3-1-1). In the week against Idaho, Langhamer stopped 78 of 80 total shots, winning both of his starts.
The Rush have finished their six-game home-stand at 4-1-1, and now take to the road to take on the Tulsa Oilers next Wednesday, December 2nd, at the BOK Center. It is the first of three matchups between the former CHL and ECHL Central Division rivals this season.
