Edmonton Rush (4-7) At Calgary Roughnecks (4-9)
April 11, 2008 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Edmonton Rush News Release
Edmonton, AB---The Edmonton Rush will attempt to inch closer to their first National Lacrosse League playoff spot when they take on the Calgary Roughnecks tonight in the back end of a home-and-home series with their provincial rivals.
Edmonton earned its first home-floor victory over the Roughnecks last week with an 11-9 decision at Rexall Place. Not only did it give the Rush a quick advantage in the season series with Calgary, it also vaulted them over the Roughnecks into fourth place in the West Division. A win tonight would clinch the season series with one game remaining and give the Rush a decided edge as the playoffs draw closer.
The Rush are 1 game ahead of the Roughnecks in the standings and Edmonton holds two games in hand. Edmonton is also tied with Portland at 2½ games behind division-leading Colorado and the Rush have two games in hand on the LumberJax (5-8) as well. Edmonton can also gain some ground on their division rivals this weekend as the Rush follow up their game in Calgary with a Sunday afternoon tilt in San Jose against the second-place Stealth (7-6).
While the Rush claimed their first three-game home winning streak with the win, the club can pick up its true three-game winning streak (consecutive games) by beating the Roughnecks. Calgary does hold a 5-3 edge in the overall history between the teams, but the Rush have won one game in each of their first two seasons in the NLL at the Saddledome.
Last week, the Rush scored a pair of last goals, including the game winner from an unlikely hero in defenceman Buck Stobart, to pull away to their 11-9 victory. Jimmy Quinlan led the way with a four-goal outing while Mike Hominuck and Lindsay Plunkett each supplied two goals and two assists. Dan Teat also had a solid performance for the Rush chipping in three assists.
It was the first meeting between the Battle of Alberta rivals since the final game of the 2007 campaign when Tracey Kelusky notched nine points in Calgary's 17-11 win at Rexall Place.
That victory was a measure of revenge for the Roughnecks who had dropped their second straight home game to the Rush two weeks earlier. Former Rush leading scorer Chris Gill set a franchise record when he scored six goals and Jamey Bowen, now an assistant coach with the Rush, had two goals and four assists as the Rush won 13-12. The victory spoiled a big performance by former Calgary star Lewis Ratcliff who racked up 11 points including seven goals.
In their other meeting during the '07 season, Calgary spoiled the Rush's hopes of going 2-0 to start the year as Edmonton native Devan Wray scored with 2:45 remaining to pace Calgary to a 13-12 win. Dan Stroup and Randy Daly both had five-point games in the loss.
In the Rush's inaugural season, the Roughnecks swept both ends of a home-and-home series with an 11-9 win in Calgary followed by a 12-9 win in Edmonton. The Rush managed to set a milestone in their franchise history against the Roughnecks as they earned their first victory with a dramatic 12-11 decision in Calgary. Pat Campbell compiled 54 saves in the win and Cam Bergman scored the game-winner with less than one second remaining on the clock.
Calgary did complete the season-series victory with a dominating 16-9 win in Edmonton.
Original Rush member Jimmy Quinlan, who has sparkled under new GM/Head Coach Bob Hamley, has moved into a tie with newcomer Dan Teat for the team scoring - both at 39 points. Quinlan does get a slight edge as he has potted a team-leading 18 goals. Lindsay Plunkett is next at 17 goals while veteran Dan Stroup continues to have a stronger second half to the season and he stands with 15 goals. Teat leads the team with 27 assists while Mike Hominuck stands at 23.
Captain Chris McElroy's lead atop the team derby for loose balls is down to two as his total of 82 has been chased down by Ian Hawksbee.
Goaltender Curtis Palidwor continues to have a fantastic second half to the 2008 season. The NLL's Overall Player of the Month for March made 32 saves against the Roughnecks, outshining his former Rush netminding mate Pat Campbell. During March, Palidwor was also twice named the NLL's Top Defensive Player of the Week.
Palidwor has lowered his goals-against average of a paltry 10.53 - the third-best total in the entire league and tops among stoppers in the West Division. His .779 save-percentage is second-best in the West (behind only San Jose's Anthony Cosmo) and ranks him fifth overall in the league. Palidwor also sits eighth in the league with 275 saves.
Coming off his strong performance against San Jose, Curtis Palidwor had moved into fourth place among NLL netminders with a 10.77 goals-against average and into third with a .779 save-percentage. He is ranked ninth in saves with 243. Earlier this week Palidwor was named the NLL"s Overall Player of the Month for March.
Edmonton's power play is ranked 11th in the league at 38.9% (21-for-54) while the penalty-killing sits last in the league at 42.5% (23 goals allowed in 40 shorthanded situations). The Rush have allowed one shorthanded goal and Rory Glaves has scored the team's lone shorthanded goal.
Thanks to two goals in three chances with the man-advantage last week against the Rush, Calgary's power play is eighth in the NLL at a 40.3% clip (29-for-72) while the Roughnecks' penalty-killing is eighth at 56.5% (30 goals allowed in 69 shorthanded situations). The Roughnecks have scored eight shorthanded goals but they've given up 11 shorthanded markers - the third-most in the league.
Of note, the Roughnecks have two former members of the Rush in their lineup - 2006 Team MVP Pat Campbell and transition player Chris Seller. Edmonton native Devan Wray is a longtime Roughneck and Ryan McNish is stationed with CFB Edmonton.
Dan Stroup, former Assistant Captain Kyle Goundrey, Ben Prepchuk, Curtis Palidwor and Rob Williams are all Rush players with previous experience wearing Roughnecks red.
National Lacrosse League Stories from April 11, 2008
- Wings Cut Down Lumberjax 13-10 - Philadelphia Wings
- Edmonton Rush (4-7) At Calgary Roughnecks (4-9) - Edmonton Rush
- Minnesota Swarm Looks To Stay Unbeaten At Home Saturday Against The Philadelphia Wings - Minnesota Swarm
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