Justin Ivey, Co-Editor
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Two of the top teams in the NLL this season battled Saturday night in Saskatchewan at the Sasktel Centre. It was Valentine’s Day but there was no love lost between the visiting Vancouver Warriors (6-3) and the home Saskatchewan Rush (9-1) in a defensive battle. In a game where goals were tough to come by, Vancouver’s Christian Del Bianco (9GA, 31SV) and Saskatchewan’s Frank Scigliano (8GA, 32SV) had near identical stat lines. The Warriors and Rush combined for only five penalties, and when all was said and done, 17 goals. 16 of those goals came in regulation time. Vancouver was paced by Adam Charalambides (3G, 3A) on the offensive end and led by as many as three goals in the second quarter. Saskatchewan’s Zach Manns (3G, 3A) was the high scorer for the Rush as they mounted a comeback, and his hat trick goal tied the game 8-8 with under two minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Less than a minute into overtime, Robert Church (2G, 2A) scored the winning goal. Final Score: Vancouver Warriors – 8, Saskatchewan Rush – 9.
The first quarter set the stage for a defensive minded game. Almost two and a half minutes passed before the game’s opening goal. Levi Anderson (2G, 3A) won his one-on-one matchup cutting to the middle of the floor from the edge and found the net with a running sidearm. Before the next goal, over three minutes passed, and three goals were called back. Two Saskatchewan scores, and one Vancouver score, went to video review after disagreements from the officials on the floor. All three were called no goals as both teams fought for an edge. Vancouver found their stride as the first quarter continued. Charalambides scored his first goal of the game to tie the game early before Jesse King (2G, 1A) gave the Warriors the lead with Vancouver’s second goal in a minute. Saskatchewan had the game’s first power play opportunity late in the first quarter, but they would not score with the man advantage, going 0-3 on the night. Keegan Bal (2G, 1A) ripped in a sidearm bouncer from way outside during the penalty kill to extend the Warriors lead. At the end of the first quarter, Vancouver led Saskatchewan 3-1.
The second quarter had the most action from both sides but started very similar to the first. Anderson opened the scoring with his second of the game 2:15 into the frame, but Vancouver answered again. Marcus Klarich (1G, 2A) picked up a loose ball in the offensive zone, danced behind the net before breaking away from his defender and jumped through the crease for a goal that was reviewed and upheld. The fourth such review of the night was the first to be called a goal. Charalambides made it a two-goal run for the visitors with his second of the game under two minutes later. Down 5-2, Saskatchewan would go on to outscore Vancouver 3-1 in the remaining time of the half. Brock Haley (1G, 1A) started the momentum, faking his way past defenders to the net before scoring. Manns scored his first of the game with 5:20 remaining to cut the deficit to just one goal, but Bal found an opening to score with 1:22 left that pushed the Vancouver lead back to two. With just 32 seconds on the clock and the teams playing four on four after matching penalties, Church scored from behind a screen with his patented high to low delivery. At the half, Vancouver led Saskatchewan 6-5.
Saskatchewan flipped the script in the third quarter. Vancouver had been hanging on to a narrow lead since the first quarter, but Scigliano and the Rush defense held strong for the full 15 minutes and allowed no Vancouver goals despite breakaway opportunities and good looks from the powerful Vancouver offense. 3:23 into play, Matt Acchione (1G) tied the game with a transition goal. Scoring took a long break before Saskatchewan found the opening to take the lead. Manns stutter stepped his way past his defender and found a clear lane to the net for the easy goal from close with 2:54 left in the third. At the end of the third quarter, Saskatchewan led Vancouver 7-6.
Vancouver did not roll over in the fourth quarter. After allowing the Rush to take their first lead since the 1-0 start, Charalambides tied the game less than a minute into the fourth quarter. Seven minutes of tough hitting lacrosse followed before King gave the lead back to Vancouver, diving through the crease for a statement goal. With time winding down, Saskatchewan tied the game on a quick dunk from Manns and 1:42 on the clock. The fourth quarter would end with Vancouver and Saskatchewan tied 8-8.
Vancouver won the opening faceoff in the extra frame, but Saskatchewan fought and clawed for the eventual loose ball pick up. On the offensive end, Ryan Keenan (5A) danced around his defender before tossing the ball to Church on the top of the offensive zone. With an open look, and no defender within a stick’s reach, he fired for the wnning goal through the five hole of Del Bianco. Final Score: Vancouver Warriors – 8, Saskatchewan Rush – 9.
Up Next:
The Vancouver Warriors (6-3) host the Buffalo Bandits on Friday, February 20 at 10:00 PM EST.
The Saskatchewan Rush (9-1) travel to play the Philadelphia Wings on Sunday, February 22 at 3:00 PM EST.