Matteo Nobile, NLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
The Vancouver Warriors (3-7) hosted the Saskatchewan Rush (4-4) in front of 7,247 fans at the Rogers Centre on Saturday February 16th in downtown Vancouver. This back and forth shootout was close throughout the entire game. After one team would score a couple goals the other would answer right back. Goaltender Eric Penney went into the game with the best GAA (Goals Against Average) as well as the top save percentage in the league but allowed 14 goals on 51 shots. Adam Shute got his first start and was scored on 13 times on 43 shots. The defending champs were in desperate need of a win after losing their last three in a row. Mark Matthews (3G, 4A) was adamant before the game saying he had never in his career lost four in a row and did not intend to do so last night. Jeremy Thompson (1A) dominated the draws as he usually does with the Rush winning 21 out of 32. This high scoring game was a battle between the offenses and although both defenses played well, the dynamic scorers on each team were able to find the back of the net. The Warriors saw both Jordan McBride (4G, 1A) and Mitch Jones (4G, 2A) with four goals apiece. Final score: Saskatchewan – 15, Vancouver – 13
Starting off the contest, with a bounce shot from the point Robert Church (3G, 3A) opened up the scoring for the Rush. On a fast break, Matt Beers (1A) was able to find Justin Salt (2G, 1A) sneaking in behind the defense and was wide open on the crease for the Warriors first goal. McBride set a slip pick for Tony Malcom (1G, 5A) with the defender failing to commit to McBride which gave him a wide open shot from the point giving the Warriors the lead. After some great ball movement from Vancouver, Malcom found Mitch Jones (4G, 2A) wide open and buried it short side top corner. Matthews was able to stop the run, coming off the bench picking up the loose ball and with a quick whistle he ran in wide open as the Warriors defense didn’t set up in time. Just 10 seconds later Jones grabbed the rebound that bounced high off of Shute and put it in the back of the net. Saskatchewan would get two back to back to tie the game. The first from Mike Messenger (2G), with the defender failing commit he had himself a wide open shot that he put short side. Matthews then showed his power with an outside shot that Penney was able to get a piece of but it wasn’t enough as it still ended up in the back of the net. Some passing up high got the Rush’s short-handed unit out of place which gave Malcom an open shot from high putting the Warriors up by one at the end of the first quarter. Warriors lead 5-4.
To start the second, a pass across the floor from Warrior’s Jones found Jordan McBride (4G, 1A) on the crease leaving the net wide open as Shute was out respecting the shot of Jones. The Rush would go on a three goal run starting off as Matthews found Church for a quick stick goal: Ryan Keenan (2G, 2A) came around a hard pick and got the shot off from point hitting Penney but still slowly trickled in between his legs; and Matthew Dinsdale’s (2G, 1A) goal would take the lead for the Rush as he beat his defender with a spin move and came high beating Penney low short side. After having a six goal game last week against San Diego, Keegan Bal (1G, 4A) would get his first and only goal of the night, coming off a man down situation to tie the game. After 30 minutes the game was tied at seven a piece.
At 2:26 into the third, the Rush would get it going as Keenan found Dinsdale cutting down the alley and hit him with a pass cross crease opening up the scoring for the second half and giving the Rush the lead. The Warriors got their second short-handed goal of the night coming off of a breakaway by Salt. A man up situation for the Rush gave Church a wide open shot as he ran down the alley resulting in a goal. Curtis Knight (1A) would then find Keenan wide open right on the crease, after throwing a couple fakes Keenan buried it far side. The Rush would lead 10-8. Jean-Luc Chetner (1G, 2A) stopped the run as he was able to find the back of the net after receiving a cross floor pass from Malcom. But soon thereafter, and with defenders all around him Matthews was able to somehow get a shot off finding the back of the net after hitting Penney. Vancouver closed out the frame as Jones cut through the middle received a pass from Logan Schuss (3A) putting it short side high to bring them to within one. The Rush would hold the lead 11-10 heading into the final frame.
Vancouver would start off the fourth with Bal setting the pick for McBride, he’d roll and received the pass diving across the crease to tie the game at 11. Travis Cornwall (1A) created transition as he quickly sprinted up the floor resulting in a two on one situation for the Rush which resulted in a goal for Ben McIntosh (1G, 3A). The back and forth would continue as Jones created his own lane and ran right down the middle floating it over the top left shoulder of Shute. The Rush would get another transition goal, a three on two situation resulting in a goal from Matt MacGrotty (1G) the first of his career. But Jones with an open shot from the point dished to McBride behind the net, and with Shute out playing Jones shot, McBride dove from behind the net to tie the game again. Jeff Shattler (1G, 1A) was finally able to get his first and only of the night off of an outside shot, which turned out to be the game winner as Messenger gets his second of the night on an empty net. Final Score: Saskatchewan – 15 Vancouver – 13
NEXT UP:
Saskatchewan (4-4) will play host to the Colorado Mammoth (3-5) on Friday February 22, game time 8:30 p.m. EST.
Vancouver (3-7) gets the weekend off to regroup before heading down to San Diego to face the Seals (4-4) for the rematch on Saturday March 2, game time 10:00 p.m. EST.
Matteo Nobile, NLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©