Thunder Falls In Overtime To Rapid City, 4-3

RAPID CITY, SD (Dec. 8) – Blake Bennett scored a power play goal just 1:39 into overtime and helped Rapid City skate past Wichita on Friday night, 4-3, at The Monument. 

Peter Bates scored twice to lead the Thunder while Jason Pineo tallied his second goal of the season. 

Maurizio Colella opened the scoring for the home team at 7:38 of the first. He beat a Thunder defenseman to the front of the net and redirected a pass from Keltie Jeri-Leon to make it 1-0. 

Early in the second, Logan Nelson picked off a pass near the Thunder blueline and recorded his fifth of the year to make it 2-0. 

Just a minute later, Bates cut the lead in half with his 13th of the year. He stripped the puck from a Rapid defenseman at the top of the circles and ripped a shot past Jason Pawloski. 

At 10:40, Pineo tied the game at two when he cut to the slot from the left boards and beat Pawloski along the ice to tie it at two.

Brandon Yeamans recaptured the lead for Rapid City at 10:20 of the third period. He caught a pass from Colella near the Thunder line and fired a wrist shot past Beck Warm for his first of the year to make it 3-2. 

Wichita was awarded a late two-man advantage after T.J. Fergus and Jarrod Gourley were sent to the box. Bates put home a rebound at 16:22 to tie the game at three and force overtime. 

In the extra session, Jeremy Masella was called for hooking at 0:53 and gave the Rush a four-on-three power play. Bennett redirected a shot from Nelson near the top of the crease for the game-winner and gave Rapid City the win. 

Wichita went 1-for-5 on the power play and has scored a man-power goal in seven-straight games. Rapid City went 1-for-6 on the man advantage. 

Bates tallied his third multi-goal game of the year and extended his point-streak to eight games. Stinil has three points in his last two games. Pineo recorded his first goal since October 21. 

Wichita closes its three-game series against Rapid City tomorrow night at 5:05 p.m.

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