After the Rush fell behind 2-0 to an Allen Americans squad on the brink of elimination, they battled back to tie Game 5 twice and eventually pulled away for good with a late goal from Gabriel Chabot, a blistering slap shot off the blue line.
A pair of empty-net goals in the closing minutes sealed the comeback victory, a 6-3 win to close out the series 4-1 and advance to the second round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs for just the second time in franchise history.
“If we didn’t get it done tonight we were coming back Monday to get it done,” Rapid City head coach Scott Burt said. “It was a heck of an effort by my group.”
All half-dozen Rush (4-0-1) goals were potted by different skaters, scored by Colton Leiter, Stephen Baylis, Logan Nelson, Gabriel Chabot, Calder Brooks and Max Coatta. Brooks also added an assist as six other players dished out helpers. Lukas Parik made 25 saves in net.
“We just stick with it every game. We try to do the same thing night in and night out, and it came to fruition in the third period,” Chabot said. “They were trying to play a tighter game tonight, and we took advantage in the third when they got desperate, and we came out with a win again.”
“We just stick with it every game. We try to do the same thing night in and night out, and it came to fruition in the third period,” Chabot said. “They were trying to play a tighter game tonight, and we took advantage in the third when they got desperate, and we came out with a win again.”
The Americans (1-4-0) switched out starting goalies for Game 5, replacing Luke Peressini with Francis Marotte, who recorded 30 saves. It didn’t affect the Rush’s game plan, however, as they kept the same lineup for the fifth straight game.
“We have a game plan that’s been set right from the get-go, so whoever’s in the net doesn’t matter,” Burt said. “We stick to our posture and the guys executed the right way tonight.”
Rapid City did commit a series-high seven penalties, which allowed Allen to tally its first power-play goal of the series after 14 previous scoreless chances, but it also scored with its own power-play unit, a group that had been struggling.
“We sat in the penalty box too much, we didn’t capitalize on our opportunities in the offensive zone,” Burt said. “But we just did all the little things that we needed to do to win the hockey game.”
The Americans got on the board first for the second straight game when Chad Butcher caught up to a trailing puck and snapped a wrister past the glove side of Parik from the bottom of the left-wing circle nine minutes and five seconds into the first period.
Allen finally scored its first power-play goal of the series in the middle frame when it capitalized on a 5-on-3 and Kris Myllari fired a one-timer from the point over the right shoulder of Parik at 4:47 as the two-man advantage expired.
Nelson notched the first go-ahead goal 2:31 into the period on a 5-on-3 chance, burying a wrister near-side from the left circle.
Colby McAuley made the score even again at 10:22 when a rebound came to him and he kicked the puck to his forehand and put away a wide open second chance to make it 3-3.
Chabot’s game-winner came at 17:49 and caught everyone off guard when he unleashed a slap shot from inside the blue line that sailed through traffic and beat Marotte.
“I was trying to support Leiter,” Chabot said. “He was trying to make a highlight reel play and it just ended up being on a tee for me. I just tried to get it on the net.”
Brooks and Coatta put the exclamation mark on the series-clincher, tallying empty-net goals at 18:09 and 19:51, respectively.
“We can celebrate when it’s all said and done,” Burt said. “But right now we’re sticking to business, and that’s the whole mantra of this group.”
This series was just the second out of eight matchups to conclude in less than six games. The Rush now await the winner of the other Mountain Division series between the Utah Grizzlies and Tulsa Oilers. The Grizzlies lead the series 3-2 with Game 6 set for Monday night.
