RAPID CITY, SD (Oct. 25) – Despite battling back from three separate one-goal deficits, Wichita couldn't stifle Carter Wilkie, whose hat trick powered the Rapid City Rush to 5-4 overtime victory on Saturday night at The Monument.

Michal Stinil and Noah Beck each recorded two points while Patrick Kyte tallied his first of the season. Matt Davis suffered the overtime loss, stopping 27 shots.

The fireworks started early as Rapid City opened the scoring just over ninety seconds into the game. Rush defenseman Xavier Bernard kept a long rebound in at the left point, settled it down, and fired a long-range wrist shot on goal. Briley Wood deflected the wrister past Davis to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.

The lead only lasted five minutes, however, as Stinil tied the game with his first of the year. T.J. Lloyd worked a puck free along the right half boards and ripped a pass across the slot back to Stinil. He came across the top of the crease from left to right and slid the puck past a sprawling Arsenii Sergeev at 6:56.

Just over seven minutes later, Rapid City jumped back on top when Cameron Buhl capitalized on a turnover at the Rush blueline. He battled through two Wichita defenders and lifted the puck over the shoulder of Davis with 5:35 remaining in the period.

A few minutes later, both Mitchell Smith and Seth Fyten were sent to the box, putting Wichita on a two-man advantage. Stinil and Beck played catch on the right wing before the Czech blasted a one-timer home. The net became dislodged shortly before the shot crossed the line. Upon review, the referees determined that, despite the net coming free, there had been an immediate scoring chance for the Thunder and allowed the goal.

Wichita carried the momentum from that goal into the middle frame and grabbed their first lead of the night at 4:17. On a rush down the right wing, Nick Nardeccia threw it on net, where it was stopped by a sea of bodies in the goalmouth. Spencer Blackwell freed the puck from the scramble, tapped it to Kyte who slipped it under Sergeev for his first ECHL goal.

Despite only amassing seven shots in the second, Rapid City evened the score before the intermission. Ryan Wagner entered the zone on the left wing, zipped a pass to Wilkie and he snapped a wrist shot short side with 4:31 remaining in the period.

Wilkie recorded his second of the night off a two-on-one rush, receiving a slick pass from Blake Bennett at the top of the right circle. He split the defense and fired a changeup under the glove of Davis. The forward’s second of the night gave Rapid City the lead 5:03 into the third.

Wichita poured on the pressure down the stretch, outshooting the Rush 12-9 in the third. On the 11th shot of the period, Noah Beck hammered a slap shot from the right point past the right pad of Sergeev. The rookie’s first professional tally, coming with just 16.4 seconds remaining in regulation, forced the extra period.

Two and a half minutes into overtime, Jay Dickman pulled the puck from the left corner, wandered across the slot, trying to slide it past Sergeev. However, his shot went wide, leading to an odd man rush the other way. Wilkie ripped his third of the game past the glove of Davis for the overtime winner in front of the home fans.

The Thunder claimed three out of a possible four points on the weekend. Beck finished with a goal and an assist while Stinil had two markers. Six other players picked up assists in the losing effort.

Wichita went 1-for-3 for the third-straight game to begin the season. Rapid City was 0-for-1 on the man advantage.

The Thunder returns home to begin a stretch of seven games in 10 days, starting on Wednesday night as they welcome in the Florida Everbaldes for the first time in franchise history.

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