Rush struggling, drop below .500

[scoop 3,386]

After starting 5-1, the Yukon Rush have dropped six straight games to fall to 7th in the standings with a 5-6-1 record. Before the season, expectations were high in Yukon, but this beginning has definitely brought in a bit of doubt. Still, the team had always expected to be weaker early on and make great improvements during the season, so not all hope is lost.

 

Five of their losses this season have been by just one goal, so the Rush have been within position to win just about every game they've played. Furthermore, five of the losses have been against teams in the top three, and only one game has been against a team lower than them in the standings. With five straight games coming up against these lower-placed teams, Yukon should be able to start heading back in the right direction.

 

For much of the season, it has been the second line in particular that has not been able to keep up. Justin Rushmore and Willie Dredge have six and four goals, respectively, on the second unit, but they are both sitting at a -11 rating, while their third, Matvei Albertenko, is at a -10. Yukon's goalie, A Red Guy, has one of the worst save percentages in the VHLM at .875. Rushmore, Dredge, and Guy, along with second line defensemen Seabass Perrin and Andrej Petrovic, are all players with a lot of room to grow, and plenty of time before playoffs to make those strides.