Sioux Falls Flyers & Rushmore fight to a Sunday tie

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - Both the Rushmore Thunder and Sioux Falls Flyers entered an anticipated weekend series in Sioux Falls at the Scheels IcePlex unbeaten during regulation play.

That’s how each ended the weekend after a pair of thrilling games that could serve as a state championship preview.

Less than 24 hours after the Flyers topped the Thunder 3-2 in overtime the two squads again needed extra time, yet couldn’t produce a winner and settled for a 3-3 tie. The Flyers improve to 14-0-1-0 while the Thunder leave Sioux Falls 13-0-1-1.

Rushmore never trailed in the game, taking the lead in the final minute of the first period on a Colton Merchen goal. Sioux Falls quickly evened things in the second, getting a Mason Schramm rebound goal during a 5-on-3 power play. It was the start of a rapid fire period that saw four goals, with Rushmore’s Cameron Ritter briefly giving them a 2-1 lead only to see the Flyers tie the game a little over a minute later on a Hayden Gorra backhander. The Thunder again took the lead with 1:25 to play in the second on Merchen’s second goal, this one on the power play.

Sioux Falls got the equalizer from Nathan Renken 7:07 into the final period in what would prove to be the final goal of the game.

Flyer goalie Ian Pattison stopped 30 shots while the Thunder got 29 saves from Jackson Habrock.

Click on the video viewer for highlights!

Copyright 2023 KSFY. All rights reserved.