Important series continues tonight in Rapid City

Rapid City, SD - The Allen Americans, ECHL affiliate of the Ottawa Senators (NHL), and Belleville Senators (AHL), play the Rapid City Rush tonight in the second game of a three-game series. Rapid City took Game 1 on Wednesday night 5-2. Game time tonight is 8:05 PM CDT from the Monument in South Dakota.

Allen Americans Tonight: 

Pregame Show: 7:50 PM CDT

Puck Drop: 8:05 PM CDT

Watch Live: FLOHOCKEY.TV
Listen Live:  AMERICANS 24/7

On the Call: Tommy Daniels

Next Home Game: 4/5/24 vs. Adirondack, 7:10 PM CDT

 Rough Outing: The Rapid City Rush dominated the Americans for the first 40 minutes of play outshooting them 30-13 through two periods. Mark Duarte (12), Will Riedell (4), Brett Gravelle (21), and Parker Bowman (3) all lit the lamp before the Americans scored their first goal of the night. Easton Brodzinski finally got the Americans on the scoreboard at the 5:56 mark of the third frame scoring his 22^nd goal of the season from Grant Hebert and James Hardie. Five and a half minutes later, Hardie netted his 14^th of the year on the power play cutting the lead to 4-2, but that was as close as the Americans would get. The Americans had another late power play but were shut down by the Rush. The Americans outshot Rapid City 16-7 in the final frame cutting the final number to 37-29 in favor of the Rush.

Season Series vs Rapid City: Rapid City evened the season series at 2-2 with their 5-2 win on Wednesday night. The Americans have won three of their last four games at the Monument going back to last year’s three-game sweep in late March. With their victory in Game 1 of the series, Rapid City climbed into sixth place in the division, just two points behind the fifth place Americans.

Hardie continues RED HOT streak: James Hardie extended his goal streak to three games with his 14^th goal of the season in Wednesday night’s loss to Rapid City. He has five points in three games with the Americans since being acquired from Rapid City late last week. Prior to that he went seven straight games without a point with the Rush dating back to March 1^st.

Power Play chances out of whack: The Americans had just three power play chances on Wednesday night compared to seven opportunities for the Rush. Two of the three power play chances for the Americans didn’t come until late in the third period. Over the last five games the Americans opponents had 25 power play chances to just 10 for the Americans. The Americans power play ranks ninth overall in the ECHL at 21 %. Their penalty kill ranks 17^th overall in the league at 78.2 %.

Over the last 10: The Americans have just two wins in their last 10 games yet remain just four points out of the fourth and final playoff spot in the Mountain Division. The Americans have two games in hand on the Utah Grizzlies with nine games remaining on the schedule.

Comparing Allen and Rapid City

Allen Americans

Home: 13-18-0-0

Away: 14-15-2-1

Overall: 27-33-2-1

Last 10: 2-8-0

Allen Americans Leaders:

Goals: (24) Colby McAuley

Assists: (34) Kris Myllari  

Points: (56) Colby McAuley

+/-: (+11) Blake Murray

PIM’s: (172) Mikael Robidoux

Rapid City Rush:

Home: 11-19-1-0

Away: 15-16-2-0

Overall: 26-35-3-0

Last 10: 6-3-1-0

Rapid City Rush Leaders:

Goals: (30) Blake Bennett

Assists: (41) Alex Aleardi

Points: (66) Alex Aleardi

+/-: (+10) Mark Duarte              

PIM’s (106) Tyson Helgesen