Game 32 Preview: Iowa at Rapid City

Rapid City, SD  – The Iowa Heartlanders (10-17-3-1, 24 pts.) play their third game in three days against the Mountain Division’s Rapid City Rush (14-13-3-0, 33 pts.) Sunday at 5:05 p.m. The Heartlanders are completing a five-game road trip, tied for a season long. Following this game, the Heartlanders are home Jan. 14 and then get back on the road for another five-game trip. Both teams have won once this week.Iowa is coming off a thrilling overtime win Saturday against Rapid City, the first OT win in team history, 4-3. Bryce Misley tapped home his 8th of the season at :20 of overtime, assisted by Carter Shinkaruk and Ryan Kuffner, to savor the extra-session win.Iowa is next at home game on Jan. 14 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Kansas City for Hockey is for Everyone Night. The team will wear special jerseys that will be available for auction online.Broadcast Coverage: Listen at Iowaheartlanders.com/listenlive or mixlr.com/goheartlanders. Watch on FloHockey.tv. NHL Affiliates: Iowa Heartlanders (Minnesota Wild/Iowa Wild) | Rapid City Rush (Arizona Coyotes, Tuscon Roadrunners)Last Time OutThe Iowa Heartlanders won their first overtime game in franchise history, beating the Rapid City Rush, 4-3, Saturday at The Monument. Bryce Misley scored the game-winning goal at :20 of overtime, Corbin Kaczperski earned his first ECHL win (13 saves) and Kaid Oliver (2g) finished with his first multi-goal game. Rapid City evened the score three times, but the Heartlanders never trailed.Misley’s game winner happened courtesy of a Carter Shinkaruk back-door pass to net front. Misley found payday to win the game for Iowa. It was his eighth of the season and his first coming at even strength.Season SeriesIowa is 1-1-0-0 against Rapid City. Kaid Oliver registered his first multi-goal game Saturday; he and Bryce Misley pace the Landers with two season-series goals. Jake Smith has one goal and two points in the series.Defenseman Tristan Thompson tops Rapid City with four points (1g) in the series. No Rush player has scored multiple goals in the season series.Sunday is the conclusion of the regular-season series.Scouting the RushThe Rush are in their 8th ECHL season since joining the league at the start of 2014-15. Rapid City became members of the league when the CHL (Central Hockey League) folded and the ECHL absorbed seven teams (Brampton, Allen, Kansas City, Rapid City, Quad City, Wichita, Tulsa). Rapid City has made the playoffs once in its first seven ECHL seasons.Head Coach Scott Burt won the Kelly Cup three times as a player (twice with Idaho, once with Alaska) and served as the Steelheads assistant coach in 2019-20 before being named Rapid City head coach in July.Traveling these interstates The Heartlanders are in the final game of a five-game road trip and the fifth game of a road-heavy month. Iowa is halfway through a stretch in which the team plays 10 of 11 on the road.So far, the Landers have racked up 1,570 miles during this 10-of-11 stretch. In total, the team travels 4,393 miles over the 11-game span.Rapid City is frequently faced with “extreme” travel circumstances as well; the club’s closest geographical foe is Utah (673 miles) and the Heartlanders are second closest (719 miles).Three-in-three heavy Iowa is completing its third “three-in-three” of the season. The Landers are 1-1-0-0 this season when playing their third game in three days, winning on the road at Fort Wayne Nov. 21.The Rush are in their second of 11 three-in-threes this season. In their only other back-end of the season, the club dropped 3-2 in a shootout.Iowa has six three-in-threes this season. Rapid City is in its midst of six straight weeks where the club will play three games in three days (18 straight games).Upcoming Home GamesFriday, January 14th at 7:00 p.m. vs. Kansas City: Hockey is for Everyone NightWednesday, January 26th at 7:00 p.m. vs. Indy – Sports Career Fair / College NightFriday, January 28th at 7:00 p.m. vs. Kalamazoo - Boy Scouts NightSaturday, January 29th at 7:00 p.m. vs. Kalamazoo – Marvel ™ theme nightThe Heartlanders Season ticket memberships, group tickets, mini-plans, flex vouchers and single-game tickets are available for the Heartlanders inaugural season by calling 319-569-GOAL and visiting iowaheartlanders.com/tickets.