Feature Image Photo Courtesy Colorado Mammoth
JJ Seaward, Beat Writer Saskatchewan Rush
Lacrosse is Awesome
On Saturday March 11, 2017, the Saskatchewan Rush (7-3) would welcome the Colorado Mammoth (6-5) into the Sasktel Centre, where it would be another battle for the top position in the Western Conference. It would be a thrilling game, but ultimately it would be the Rush who would edge out the Mammoth. Final Score OT: Saskatchewan 12—Colorado 11.
Colorado would open up the game by dominating in the first quarter, jumping out to a quick 3-0 lead, one which would include a shorthanded goal from Chris Wardle. However, the Rush would get things going as Robert Church would convert on the power-play, as he would be left all alone in front of the Colorado net to score of the feed of Dan Taylor. The goal would give him a league-leading 14th power-play goal of the season. Wardle would tally once again for the Mammoth, as he would complete a first-quarter hat trick by going hard to the net and sneaking the ball past Rush goaltender Aaron Bold. Shortly afterwards, the Rush would respond with three straight goals, that would include Brett Mydske’s first goal of the season.
The Mammoth would tie things up 5-5, when Zack Greer would bury a shot against his former club. Saskatchewan would get their offensive game going once again, when they would convert for their second three-goal run of the game. It would be Marty Dinsdale who would put the Rush up 6-5, when he would fire a shot off of a screen, and John LaFontaine would finish a fast-break chance as he would put away a smooth pass from Jeff Cornwall.
Ben McIntosh would get involved, and would get his second of the night as he would speed into the open area, firing a shot to the top corner of the Mammoth net. The Rush would take an 8-6 lead over the Colorado into halftime.
The Mammoth would cut the lead down to one, as Callum Crawford would use a crafty low-high shot to beat Bold, however McIntosh would register his hat-trick tally with a perfectly timed at the edge of the crease, sneaking it past the Mammoth goaltender. The Mammoth would get closer with three seconds remaining in the third quarter, when Stephen Keogh’s long-range shot would sneak past Bold to make the score 9-8.
Mark Matthews would take matters into his own hands for the Rush, as he would fire a hard shot past Ward to put the Rush ahead 10-8 on the power-play. However, Wardle would continue to dominate for the Mammoth, as he would tally two goals in a span of 34 seconds giving him five goals on the night, and bringing the game tied at 10,
Matthews would answer back for the Rush getting his hat-trick on the night as he would explode free from a defender, beating the Mammoth goaltender with a low shot. Keogh would get his second of the night with only four minutes remaining in the game, sending the teams into overtime.
McIntosh would close out the game for the Rush, as he would record his fourth goal of the night a minute into overtime to give the Rush the 12-11 overtime victory over the Mammoth.
The Rush will be back in action on March 24th at 7:30pm CST as they will welcome the Calgary Roughnecks (4-7) into the Sasktel Centre.
JJ Seaward, Beat Writer Saskatchewan Rush
Lacrosse is Awesome