With their 3-2 win in Game 6, the Rapid City Rush have forced a seventh and deciding game in their Turner Conference Finals series with the Colorado Eagles that will be played on Wednesday night in Rapid City at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Arena.

A closer look at the CHL/WPHL playoffs over the years shows that Game 7’s happen about one time a post-season on average and typically favors the home team.  Another look shows that rarely are they close games.

The Rush can attest to that fact as they blasted the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs 7-3 last season in the only Game 7 they have played as a franchise.  It was played in South Dakota.

The Eagles have played in three Game 7’s, all at the Budweiser Events Center, and have won them all combining to outscore the opposition 14-5 in those games.

Although the home team has won 19 of the previous 25 Game 7’s, over the past four playoff seasons, the road team has shown well going 4-6 including the Allen Americans defeating the Odessa Jackalopes last season in Game 7 of the Southern Conference Finals played in Odessa.

Just how close is a typical Game 7?  The answer to that question is – not very.

A dozen of the 25 Game 7’s in CHL/WPHL history have been decided by three goals or more including six five goal or more blowouts.

In all, there have been nine one-goal games, five of those decided in overtime, during Game 7 match-ups.  The last OT Game 7 featured the Arizona Sundogs defeating the Corpus Christi Rayz back in 2007.

So what to expect on Wednesday in South Dakota is anyone’s guess but one thing for sure is that there is nothing like a Game 7 in the sport of hockey and the Rush and Eagles are primed and ready to put on a show.

Let’s sit back and watch.