Dan O’Donoghue and James Melindy have a common goal, nothing out of the ordinary. Their’s just happen to be in the hockey world, which they hope translates into eventually playing at the highest level.

Hence, they hope their stay with the Rapid City Rush is short and sweet.

Nothing personal Rapid City.

Their ultimate goal is to play for the National Hockey League’s Arizona Coyotes, via the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League, both first-year affiliates of the ECHL Rush.

With team success comes individual success.

“We want to do well as a team here and I think we have a good group of guys,” said Melindy, a 21-year-old defenseman who, along with O’Donoghue, 24-year-old forward/center, are in their third training camp of the season.

Both got a brief taste of those goals as they opened camp first with the Coyotes and then with the Falcons. Both were sent down to Rapid City about a week ago.

“It’s just working hard in practice every day and working to get better. Hopefully that translates on the ice,” Melindy added.

While Springfield and Arizona are in their sites, coming to Rapid City is their way they to achieve their goals. O’Donoghue said they just have to keep a positive mindset. 

“I like to think that I am a pretty positive guy, so I am going to come down here and work hard. Hopefully I’ll get a call up,” O’Donoghue said.

Hanging their heads is not an option.

“There is always somebody watching you,” O’Donoghue added. “You just have to carry yourself the right way and let the chips fall where they may. The guys here are great; the city is great. The atmosphere here the other night was awesome. This is a great place to play.”

Rush head coach and general manager Joe Ferras has big plans for both players, who are in the final year of their two-year entry level deal with the Coyotes. Ferras said that Springfield and Arizona are two young hockey clubs and how things go in Springfield dictates which players get called up.

“They know that when they come down here we’re going to give them all of the opportunities to succeed at our level,” Ferras said. “Our goal obviously is to win hockey games, too. Both have been outstanding since Day 1 with positive attitudes and great work ethics in practice. They’re young guys and the harder they play, the more successful they will be. They have great futures in the organization.”

Melindy is a third-year professional from Goulds, New Foundland, who comes to the Rush after splitting last season with the AHL’s Portland Pirates and the ECHL’s Gwinnett Gladiators. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound defenseman suited up in nine games with Portland and 47 games in Georgia, where he recorded two goals, with seven assists, for nine points.

 In his rookie season, Melindy spent 38 games with the Pirates, scoring two goals. Prior to playing professionally, he recorded 56 points (17 goals, 39 assists) in 168 games with the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL, and was drafted by Arizona in the 2012 NHL Draft (third round, 88th pick).

 Melindy said he is a puck-moving defenseman who takes care of his own zone first and tries to help offensively. He said he is a low-risk guy who is going to be steady for the team.

He said he wants to be in the American Hockey League and he has to use the right mindset and not take demotion the wrong way. Melindy said that if he wants to sign another deal, this is an important year for him.

“I just have to do whatever I can to get back up,” Melindy said. “For me, I’m still a young guy. I still have time, but this is a big year for me. I need to prove that I can play and do my best to get back up.”

O’Donoghue also played for the Gladiators and Falcons. Last season the second-year pro played 16 games in Portland and 23 with the Gladiators, with eight points (four goals, four assists). His tenure in the Arizona affiliate system began after his collegiate days, when he suited up with the Pirates for three games as an amateur.

Prior to turning pro, the 6-5, 205-pound forward and native of Port Jefferson, N.Y., spent four seasons and 155 games at Mercyhurst College, where he recorded 119 points (45 goals, 74 assists).

O’Donoghue said he likes to consider himself a two-way forward.

“I’m a defensive-minded center who likes to take care of his own zone and work from the back-end out, and whatever happens in the offensive zone usually stems from the defensive zone,” he said. “You want to get the puck from the d-zone to the o-zone as quick as possible. I like to think I am a smart, reliable center who likes to chip in offensively here and there.”

The affiliation is new to the Rush and Ferras said they have two players who they believe can be very effective for the team.

“Danny O’Donoghue is a big guy, 6-5, who thinks the game really well and is very sound defensively, and a very good skater for a guy his size,” Ferras said. “We have to get him a little out of his comfort zone and bring that tenacity and use that big body.

“James is another big defenseman and he has real good instincts on jumping into the fray. He’s also very difficult to play against, and that’s what we want with our D on the back end. He is not going to turn away from contact.”

As could be expected, both are ready to play real games, something they’ll do Friday and Saturday in Boise, Idaho, against the Idaho Steelheads.

Last weekend’s preseason games (3-0 and 5-3 losses to the Colorado Eagles) enabled them to get their feet wet and back in the rhythm of the game. The summer is long with the training and training camp can be difficult.

“It is a bit of a grind; you’re itching to play,” Melindy said. “The exhibitions are one thing, but the regular season is what you look forward to.”

There’s no denying that both Melindy and O’Donoghue want their stay in Rapid City to be short-term if it means getting called up to the next level. Yet, they hope to make the best of it while they are here.

“Obviously you are doing something right when your team is winning,” O’Donoghue said. “As a collective group, that is important. We’re going to try to stick together and get as many wins as we can here.”