Scott Wray (#17) and his teammates celebrate after Wray beat Allen goaltender Chris Whitley on the team's 64th shot of the night. Rapid City won the Finals series 4-2. (Photo Credit: Mike Wolforth)
The Rapid City Rush got a double-overtime goal from veteran Scott Wray, giving them the series win in the Ray Miron Presidents’ Cup Finals. This is the first title for the second-year franchise.
The Allen Americans will have to take comfort in their Southern Conference Champion title for now, and begin setting sights on next year.
Here is the press release from the league:
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The Central Hockey League’s (CHL) Ray Miron Presidents’ Cup Finals concluded on Tuesday night at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Arena with a 4-3 double overtime victory by the Rapid City Rush over the Allen Americans giving the Rush their first CHL Championship. Rapid City, in just their second season as a franchise, takes the series over Allen four games to two winning each of their last three games to claim the cup. It marks the third straight season a team has won their first championship.
Rapid City forward Les Reaney was named the 2010 CHL Playoff Most Valuable Player as he enjoyed a big post-season scoring nine goals with 16 assists. He also scored a league-high four game winning goals in the playoffs and in the clinching Game 6, the Ceylon, Saskatchewan native assisted on Scott Wray’s game winning goal at 19:28 of the second overtime.
Other notable performances for the Rush in the series include forward Brendan Cook who finished with nine goals and 10 assists, Wray who notched eight goals and 13 assists and rookie goaltender Danny Battochio who won all 12 of the Rush’s playoff victories setting a new CHL record for wins in a single post-season. Allen’s Justin Bowers finished with a league-high 30 points in the playoffs, coming just two points shy of tying the CHL record (32 points, Greg Pankewicz).
CHL Ray Miron Presidents’ Cup Champions
2010 – Rapid City Rush
2009 – Texas Brahmas
2008 – Arizona Sundogs
2007 – Colorado Eagles
2006 – Laredo Bucks
2005 – Colorado Eagles
2004 – Laredo Bucks
2003 – Memphis RiverKings
2002 – Memphis RiverKings
2001 – Oklahoma City Blazers
2000 – Indianapolis Ice
1999 – Huntsville Channel Cats
1998 – Columbus Cottonmouths
1997 – Fort Worth Fire
1996 – Oklahoma City Blazers
1995 – Wichita Thunder
1994 – Wichita Thunder
1993 – Tulsa Oilers
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Also, here’s the press release from the Allen Americans, just released this morning:
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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: http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/boxscore.html?gameid=1269591
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)
The Americans, the Dallas Stars’ CHL affiliate, began play last fall in the newly built Allen Event Center in The Village at Allen. Season tickets are on sale now, and corporate partnerships are also available. For information, call 972.912.1000 or visit allenamericans.com. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Saturday.
