Edmonton takes Game 1 from Toronto, 15-9
May 30, 2015 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Edmonton Rush News Release
The Edmonton Rush are a win away from their first National Lacrosse League Champion's Cup after taking Game 1 of the best-of-three Final with a 15-9 victory over the Toronto Rock on Saturday night at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
The Rush can claim the title at home on Crystal Glass Field at Rexall Place in Edmonton when they host Game 2 of the championship series on Friday, June 5.
Robert Church (3 goals, 3 assists), Mark Matthews (3 goals, 3 assists), and Ben McIntosh (2 goals, 4 assists) paced the Rush attack with six points apiece, while Zack Greer and Jeremy Thompson each scored twice. Riley Loewen, Jarrett Davis, and Adrian Sorichetti added a goal each for Edmonton, while goaltender Aaron Bold totaled 39 saves.
After giving up the game's first two goals, the Rush rattled off six straight goals and nine of the next 11 as they built up a 9-4 cushion at halftime.
The Rush went up 5-2 just before the end of the first quarter when Davis tallied a shorthanded goal off a brilliant long-bomb pass from Bold. Edmonton made it 6-2 early in the second quarter when Loewen stepped away from two Rock defenders and beat Rock goalie Brandon Miller. That goal chased Miller from the net and he was replaced by backup Nick Rose.
Toronto used the goaltending change to briefly swing momentum and pocket two goals, but the Rush responded with three straight markers. McIntosh, the heavy favorite to win the NLL's Rookie of the Year award, made it 7-4 when he beat Rose with a tricky shot to the short side, and Thompson followed up on Ryan Dilks' breakaway effort for an easy goal into a gaping net. Sorichetti rounded out the first half scoring as he led and finished off a 3-on-1 break for the Rush with a shot to the top corner.
The Rock, with Miller back in net, started to get their game together early in the third quarter and the veteran-laden squad scored four of the next six goals. Again, though, the Rush responded to quell the Rock's momentum, this time with a highlight-reel tally from Greer. Greer, who had 40 goals during the regular season, took a perfect pass from Matthews, the NLL's second-leading scorer during the regular season, at the top of the crease and he lunged across the goalmouth to beat Miller and put the Rush up 12-8 after three quarters.
The Rush went on a tear early in the fourth scoring three straight and chasing Miller from the net for a second time.
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National Lacrosse League Stories from May 30, 2015
- Rush Take Game One - Toronto Rock
- Edmonton takes Game 1 from Toronto, 15-9 - Edmonton Rush
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