(RAPID CITY, SD) – The Rapid City Rush, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes, has always taken pride in being an avid supporter of youth hockey initiatives in the Black Hills. Today, the Rushmore Thunder youth hockey program helped produce the SDAHA State PeeWee A Tournament, and all participating teams will be on hand to enjoy this game of hockey we all love later tonight as the Rush rematch the visiting Alaska Aces tonight at 7:05 p.m. MST.
Rush players Jonathan Narbonne, Sean Erickson, and assistant captain Jimmy Bonneau attended the tournament today and had a chance to interact with all of the players ahead of their schedule games today at the Thunderdome.
“It is so great to see hockey growing like this in western South Dakota. The Thunder program put together a great opening ceremony for the tournament this morning,” said retired Rush forward and current Mites coach, Konrad Reeder. “The tournament features the seven-best PeeWee teams, and subsequently the best PeeWee players in the state and there’s already been some great hockey played despite the tournament just beginning.
Reeder continued: “In addition, it never gets old to see the Rush continue to contribute to the growth of this sport in Rapid City, especially to our Mites program. We have almost 500 kids in Rushmore Thunder program as a product of the team’s diligence in helping expand this great game. I’m sure the kids loved seeing the Rush players there, and we’re very appreciative to the Rush for sending their players to our tournament.”
The teams represented at the tournament, and later at the game tonight are Aberdeen, Sioux Center (Iowa), both Sioux Falls teams, Brookings, Oahe, and the hometown Rushmore Thunder. The Rushmore Thunder defeated Oahe yesterday in their first game to advance to the semifinals, which will be played today at 3 p.m. MST.
