Allen loses 4-3 in double overtime to Rush
RAPID CITY, South Dakota – The Allen Americans ended their inaugural season tonight with a 4-3 double overtime loss to the 2010 Ray Miron Presidents’ Cup Champions, the Rapid City Rush.
Allen started Game Six of the finals with three straight goals in the first period. Nino Musitelli scored his thirteenth postseason goal only 2:10 into the first period. The Americans would not strike again until Bruce Graham sniped the puck in from the right circle on the power play with 3:49 remaining in the opening frame. Three minutes later, Christian Gaudet notched a tally to increase Allen’s lead to 3-0.
Rapid City’s Gio Flamminio managed to score a goal at 12:02 of the second period. After two periods, Chris Whitley stopped 23 of 24 shots, while Danny Battochio made 23 out of 26 saves.
Blaine Jarvis brought the Rush within one goal with just less than five minutes remaining in the third period. Brendan Cook, hot of his hat trick in Game Five, tied the game 3-3 with 3:06 remaining in regulation. The Americans could not light the lamp again before the buzzer, so fans were treated to extra hockey.
Neither team scored in the first overtime. Allen fired off 10 shots, while Rapid City put 15 pucks on net.
The end-to-end hockey continued in the second overtime until Scott Wray clinched the cup for the Rush with 32 seconds left in the period. The final score was 4-3.
The Americans fought hard in the playoffs, making it farther than most first-year teams. In fact, the Americans became the first expansion team to clinch a spot in the finals after the merger of the Central Hockey League with the Western Professional Hockey League in May of 2001.
The club boasted a 42-17-5 regular season record, won two playoff series, and was crowned the 2010 Southern Conference Champions.
The box score is available on Pointstreak.com.
Ray Miron Presidents’ Cup Finals
Allen Americans vs. Rapid City Rush
Game 1 – Friday, Apr. 23 – Allen 4 @ Rapid City 1 (Allen leads 1-0)
Game 2 – Saturday, Apr. 24 – Allen 4 @ Rapid City 5 OT (Series tied 1-1)
Game 3 – Wednesday Apr. 28 – Allen 5 vs. Rapid City 2 (Allen leads 2-1)
Game 4 – Friday, Apr. 30 – Allen 2 vs. Rapid City 4 (Series tied 2-2)
Game 5 – Saturday, May 1 – Allen 2 vs. Rapid City 7 (Rapid City leads 3-2)
Game 6 – Tuesday, May 4 – Allen 3 @ Rapid City 4 2OT (Rapid City wins 4-2)
Photo by Amy Gutierrez.
