Matteo Nobile, Correspondent San Diego Seals
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: National Lacrosse League
Pechanga Arena in San Diego hosted the Saskatchewan Rush (9-6) going head to head against the home town team, San Diego Seals (9-7) in a battle for first place in the west. Heading into this game the series was split with each team winning one at home. It was “Stick Up For The Cure” night for the Seals as they honored cancer research, donating half of the ticket revenues, as well as auctioned off custom jerseys. Each player’s jersey donned the name of the person they were playing for and the color of ribbon for the form of cancer they battled or are battling. Both goaltenders had very strong nights and exceptional first halves. Frank Scigliano faced 22 shots in the first half and only let two past. He was eventually pulled midway through the final quarter. Adam Shute only allowed eight goals on 47 shots, four of those goals in the fourth quarter. The Seals offense really struggled with Austin Staats sidelined due to an injury scoring only four goals through the first three quarters. Ben McIntosh (6G, 2A) scored six goals and continued to show the Seals how dominant he is every time they match up. Final Score: Saskatchewan Rush-14 San Diego Seals-8.
The Seals would score the first goal of the night coming off a breakaway by Brandon Clelland (1G, 1A) scoring over the left shoulder of Shute. It took over seven minutes for the Rush to answer back. A cross-crease pass from Ryan Keenan (1G, 3A) would find Brett Mydske (1G, 1A) on the crease for a quick stick goal. That would be it in the first. At the end of one, the game was tied at one apiece.
After a low scoring first, fans would see almost 10 minutes before the next goal. Casey Jackson (2G) would advantage of a Seals power play as Garret Billings (4A) would orchestrate the goal with a look to the net to shoot and would suck the defense towards him, passed to Jackson who was left open on the far side to score short side with an underhand shot. This would be the final time San Diego would lead in the contest. Less than three minutes later, on another power play goal this time for the Rush, Mark Matthews (2G,4A) would find McIntosh on the crease to tie the game and they would not relinquish the lead. A pick and roll allowed Curtis Knight (1G, 2A) to get open right in front of the crease, he got the pass from McIntosh and Knight faked far side scoring short side. After the first half, Saskatchewan led 3-2.
The Rush would start the third quarter with a five-goal run, the first a goal from Keenan. The Seals played great defense on Keenen but after Scigliano made the save the ball rolled in when he failed to contain the ball. McIntosh would score two in a row, both from in close, the first one beating his defender with a face dodge; the second beating the defender with a swim move, and he went underneath and came around scoring right on the crease. Mike Messenger (1G) would score next for the Rush, with a dive through the crease scoring short side. After a pass across the floor from Jeff Shattler (5A), McIntosh would find himself with barely enough room to get a shot off from the outside beating Scigliano for his third in the frame. After seven unanswered goals, San Diego’s Jackson would score off of a feed from Dan Dawson (2A); followed by Connor Kelly (3G,1A) as he cut through the middle ending up on the wrong side of the floor but still managed to score over the top of Shute. Just as it seemed the Seals were able to get their offense going, McIntosh and Matthews would score two quick goals to end the quarter. At the end of the third, the score was Saskatchewan 10—San Diego 4.
Mike McGinnis
04/12/2019
National Lacrosse League
Rush Forward, Matthews would show just how powerful he is with the first goal of the final frame scoring with an outside shot on the wrong side of the floor with a defender right on him. The Seals would halt the run when Kelley used a nice pick from Dawson to get open for a diving crease goal, and the back and forth battle would commence. McIntosh would use his defender as a screen and shoot around him scoring with a bounce shot. After McIntosh’s sixth goal on the night, San Diego’s bench boss would pull Scigliano and Tyler Carlson would get the nod for the remaining eight minutes. Billings would assist on another goal for the Seals after beating his defender he drew three Rush defenders and dished to Turner Evans (1G, 1A) who was left wide open on the crease making the score 12-6 still in favor of Saskatchewan. Matthew Dinsdale (2G, 1A) would use a face doge to beat his defender and was able get to the crease scoring with a diving effort. With just over seven minutes remaining there was still a chance for San Diego to mount a comeback. The Seals would get two quick ones, the first from Kelly scoring on the crease off of a nice shovel pass from Connor Fields (2A); and the second by Kyle Buchanan (1G). Unfortunately that would be it for the Seals. The final goal of the night would come from the Rush, as Dinsdale would cut through the middle receiving the pass right in front of the crease getting it past Carlson. Final Score: Saskatchewan 14—San Diego.
NEXT UP:
San Diego (9-7) will host the Colorado Mammoth (6-10) on Friday April 19, game time 10:30 p.m. EST.
The Rush (9-8) head over to Calgary to face the Roughnecks (9-8) on Saturday April 20, game time 9:00 p.m. EST.
Matteo Nobile, Correspondent San Diego Seals
Lacrosse is Awesome©