Portland LumberJax at Edmonton Rush

January 14, 2009 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Edmonton Rush News Release


Edmonton, AB--The Edmonton Rush launch their home schedule for the 2008 National Lacrosse League season with a showdown against their 2006 NLL expansion cousins, the Portland LumberJax.

The Rush and LumberJax have had several heated battles since joining the league together, but Portland has consistently held an advantage over Edmonton in head-to-head meetings and hold a 6-2 edge in eight matchups.

Last season the Rush were beaten 11-10 at home by the LumberJax as Dan Dawson and Derek Malawsky each scored in the final five minutes to get Portland the road win. Jimmy Quinlan and Mike Accursi each notched hat tricks in that game for Edmonton. Just over two weeks later, the LumberJax played host to the Rush and handed Edmonton a 14-8 loss despite a four-goal game from the Rush's Dan Stroup. The Rush finally got a measure of revenge on March 1 and the team also finally picked up its first win of the season with a 9-7 triumph in the Rose Garden. The victory was the first for Bob Hamley as the Rush's new GM/Head Coach and the Rush's first win in Portland in five visits. Rookie Steve Hutchins was a key figure in that game for the Rush as he racked up his first career NLL goal along with five assists.

The two teams met three times in their inaugural season with the LumberJax taking a 15-12 win at Rexall Place before racking up back-to-back home-floor wins over the Rush by scores of 14-10 and 11-7 in the season finale. In 2007, the clubs met twice with the Rush earning two notable milestones. Edmonton's earned its first win against Portland and its first overtime victory with a 9-8 decision thanks to Ryan O'Connor's game-winner. Portland took the clubs' next encounter with a 14-10 win at the Rose Garden.

Edmonton's fourth season in the NLL got under way last Saturday night in Calgary but despite a four-goal rally and eventually forcing overtime, the Rush fell to the Roughnecks 10-9 in OT. Dan Teat led the way for the Rush with a hat trick plus two assists while Mike Hominuck played set-up man all night and registered five assists. Jason Wulder and Callum Crawford each had two goals for the Rush, while first-round draft pick Jamie Floris, with his first career NLL goal, and Jimmy Quinlan each chipped in singles. Quinlan and newcomer Andy Secore also supplied three helpers apiece.

Statistically Speaking: The loss to Calgary was the Rush's second-longest overtime session at 4:58. Edmonton's OT win over Portland in 2007 was the team's longest at 5:52. The shortest OT session in the club's history was last season's only OT appearance when the Rush topped Rochester 10-9 with the winner coming only 1:13 into the extra frame ... Steve Dietrich made his Rush debut against his former club last week and made 48 saves.

By the Numbers: Edmonton's power play which struggled last season was an impressive 3-for-5 against the Roughnecks as Jason Wulder scored twice and Dan Teat added a single. However, the power play also surrendered two shorthanded goals. The Rush's penalty-killing which was dead-last a year ago gave up two goals in five chances but they also responded with a shorthanded goal by Callum Crawford ... Andrew Biers, in his first game with the Rush since coming over from Minnesota, went 8-for-18 in faceoffs.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

10:30 p.m.-11:30 p.m. Edmonton Rush Practice

Trans Alta Tri-Leisure Centre, Spruce Grove

Friday, January 16, 2009

10:00 a.m.- 11:00 a.m. Rush Shoot Around

Rexall Place

11:30 a.m. -Noon Portland Shoot Around

Rexall Place

6:10 p.m.- 6:30 p.m. Pre-Game Warm #1

6:50 p.m. - 7:10 p.m. Pre-Game Warm #2

7:30 p.m. Game Time

Rexall Place



National Lacrosse League Stories from January 14, 2009


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