Cutthroats Win Fifth Straight by a 3-2 Final

Denver (14-8-1) improves to 4-2-1 on the season against Rapid City (11-8-4), with four of their seven games this year having now gone past regulation and the Cutthroats going 3-1 in those games. Brad Smyth was credited with the game-winner after scoring in the first round of the shootout. Troy Schwab scored in round four to end the game.

It was the fourth consecutive shootout between the two clubs.

The win was Denver’s fifth straight and ninth in their last 11 contests. The Cutthroats are now tied with the Allen Americans in the standings, just one point back of first place Wichita. Denver and Allen meet for a pair of games this weekend.

J.P. Chabot also scored in regulation for Denver while goaltender Kieran Millan stopped 25 of 27 shots for his seventh win of the season.

Chabot got things started scoring wise with a goal late in the first period. The tally was his fifth goal of the season; coming after he whacked the puck out of mid-air for a 1-0 lead for the Fish.

The Cutthroats controlled play early in the second period and the Rush didn’t have a shot on goal until 9:20 of the frame. However, Rapid City soon went on the power play and Scott Brannon tied the game at one at 10:48. Brannon would add his second of the game with 5:22 left in the middle stanza, scoring on a shot that beat Millan between the pads on a delayed penalty.

Fulghum tied things back up before the second intermission after scoring a power play goal off a crossing pass from Schwab in the right-wing corner. A.J. Gale also assisted on the play to keep pace as the second-leading scorer in the Central Hockey League with 30 points on the year.

Smyth (10 games), Gale (seven games), and Schwab (six games) all extended their individual point streaks. Millan earned his sixth win in his last eight appearances, giving up two goals or less for the seventh time during that run.

The Cutthroats continue their six-game home stretch on Friday when they host the Allen Americans at Denver Coliseum for the start of Hometown Heroes Weekend. The team will wear specialty American flag jerseys and the puck will drop at 7:05 PM MST.

Three Stars:

1. Luke Fulghum (DEN)

2. Scott Brannon (RPD)

3. Kieran Millan (DEN)

Recent Transactions:

Forwards Jamie MacQueen and Dean Strong have been called up to their American Hockey League affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters.

MacQueen and Strong mark the second and third call-ups this season for the Cutthroats to the AHL.

The 24-year-old MacQueen has appeared in 23 games this season for the Cutthroats registering six goals and 11 points overall. Three of his six goals on the season are game-winners, tying him for fourth in the Central Hockey League. The London, Ontario native is also 3-for-4 in shootout attempts this season for the Fish.

Strong was assigned to the Cutthroats on December 6th and appeared in three games for the team, all wins. The Mississauga, Ontario product scored the game-tying goal with 1:34 left in regulation in the Cutthroats 4-3, shootout win over the Fort Worth Brahmas last Saturday.

MacQueen was assigned to the Cutthroats at the beginning of the season after spending training camp with Lake Erie.

Game recap and media release courtesy of Denver Cutthroats