RAPID CITY, SD – The Rushmore Thunder delivered a commanding performance on home ice Sunday, defeating the Brandon Valley Ice Cats 5-2 to secure a victory during the Pee Wee C State tournament at the Rushmore Thunder Dome in Rapid City.
The Thunder established dominance early in the 11:30 a.m. matchup, finishing the first period with a 2-0 lead. Rushmore controlled the pace of play despite a low-volume shooting start, leading the Ice Cats 5-3 in shots on goal after the first frame.
The second period saw an explosion of offensive activity. Rushmore extended its lead with a goal in the opening minute of the period. Brandon Valley responded with 11:38 left, but the Thunder utilized a power play with 7:48 with left to find the back of the net again. While the Ice Cats narrowed the gap with a goal at 4:47 left, Rushmore maintained a 4-2 lead heading into the final intermission. The Thunder doubled the Ice Cats’ shooting efforts in the second, leading shots on goal 14-7.
Defensive discipline defined the third period for the Rapid City hosts. At 11:03 left, the Thunder capitalized on a double power play to score the final goal of the contest. Rushmore finished the game outshooting Brandon Valley 21-14.
The championship-level effort was led by head coach Justin Schafer and assistant coaches Matthew Cordis, Kymberlee Hassebroek, and John Wirth. The winning Rushmore Thunder roster includes Karter Schafer, Torstein Hansen, Breyton Hassebroek, Oliver Newman, Owen Rogers, Banksten Kraft, Jackson Hohn, Johnathan Boland, Isaiah Stewart, Kace Allen, and Andrew Minnerath.
