The National Lacrosse League season is well underway as the Saskatchewan Rush play their home-opener Saturday night against the Halifax Thunderbirds. Game-time is 7 p.m. at SaskTel Centre.
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‘Tis the season.
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The National Lacrosse League season is well underway as the Saskatchewan Rush play their home-opener Saturday night against the Halifax Thunderbirds.
Game-time is 7 p.m. at SaskTel Centre.
Here are five things to know about the Rush as they take on the visiting T-Birds:
1. WINNING START TO SEASON
The Rush opened the new NLL campaign with a 10-9 overtime victory over the Albany FireWolves in New York back on Nov. 30.
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Newcomer Austin Shanks, a former Halifax Thunderbird, was the hero with the OT winner. Shanks was a free agent signing during the off-season and will face his former club for the first time on Saturday night.
Saskatchewan (1-0) sits in second place in the NLL standings ahead of Halifax (0-1). Albany is 1-1 after its first two games.
2. RUSH OFFENSIVE LEADERS
Newcomer Brock Haley (two goals and three assists for five points) and Zach Manns (four goals, one assist, five points) lead Saskatchewan offensively.
Robert Church recorded four assists in the season-opener at Albany.
Shanks has two goals and two assists after one game heading into this weekend.
In goal, Frank Scigliano starts the season with an 8.03 goals-against average and .840 save-percentage.
Defensively, Holen Garlent leads the way after scooping up eight loose balls, creating three turnovers and blocking two shots.
Matt Hossack has seven loose balls, three blocked shots and three created turnovers.
Randy Staats leads Halifax in scoring with one goal and eight assists for nine points after one game.
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3. HOSSACK, RUSH REUNION
Hossack returned to the Rush this season after being selected in the Panther City Lacrosse Club dispersal draft.
“(GM Derek) Keenan was the first call I had and I was super excited to see that was probably going to be the best option,” explained Hossack. “Certainly I had a few other calls and I didn’t know everything that was going to go down, but I felt it was very exciting for me.
“As much as it stings a little to put so much effort into building the (Panther City) program down in Fort Worth there, there was definitely a sense of excitement to be able to come back around full circle and be back here in Sask.”
Hossack and the Rush won an NLL championship together back in 2018.
“I think the thing that stands out for me the most is how driven guys were after 2017,” said Hossack. “It’s still a thought that comes across my mind pretty often, is that motivation to achieve that next level and be consistent night in and night out and not letting guys down on little things.
“As you go on more and more, you start to realize how important every little moment is in a game, and not taking that for granted and really bearing down, especially as a D guy in particular. You can’t take shifts off or the ball ends up in the back of your net. That sticks out to me and I think it piles on.
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“The last three times I’ve played in playoff games, I’ve lost one-goal games, two-goal games. It makes a big difference knowing that one moment can change that game. As a D guy, it’s ‘Where can I make up one or two goals?’ It’s really important to me, thinking about that stuff. That stuff comes to mind and that motivation to get that much better with it.”
4. NEWCOMERS ON THE RUSH
Besides welcoming back Hossack and bringing Shanks on board, Saskatchewan has ushered in a number of newcomers. They include forwards Haley, Josh Zawada and Levi Anderson plus defenders Matt Acchione and Jake Naso.
Naso is a faceoff specialist who will take over No. 1 duties from Mike Messenger.
5. ‘MOVING IN RIGHT DIRECTION’
Co-coach Jimmy Quinlan likes what he sees to start the season.
“All in all, it’s been pretty good. We’re moving in the right direction … We’ve just got to continue to get better here.”
The team continues to progress, and that’s the main thing.
“For me, it’s just the willingness to learn and coachaibility for our group,” said Quinlan. “There are very few situations where we’ve made the same mistake twice, so that, I think, is really uplifting. Also, the young guys we’ve brought in have brought in a ton of energy but also a ton of knowledge and a ton of wanting to learn.
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“Our leaders are our leaders — they lead by example and we can’t thank those guys enough — but, all in all, it’s that willingness to learn.”
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