Roughnecks top Rush, 12-9
by Chuck Tyler
Published on January 22, 2006 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Calgary Roughnecks
From the violent ball drop to open the contest, to the first penalty occurring less than a minute later, to the fight between Brad Dairon and Kevin Dostie late in the final period, you knew this was war. The battlefield was the Rexall Place in Edmonton, and the warriors were the Edmonton Rush (0-3) and the Calgary Roughnecks (2-1). The Roughnecks win over the Rush, 12-9.
Among the 11,676 in attendance, Rush fans heeded Mark Urban's call to wear black and wear war paint-perhaps to support the team, or perhaps to win the tix to go to Toronto to see their team play the Rock. Nevertheless, a raucous crowd was on hand to witness the second installment of the lacrosse-flavored Battle of Alberta.
And once again, the Roughnecks emerge victorious.
Despite a Rush squad betting on their fast and furious play to overcome a Roughneck team coming into Edmonton with a loss to Minnesota last night, their peripatetic play in the first three quarters allowed the Roughnecks to build an 11-4 lead.
Edmonton courageously battled back, with combination plays on the goal to overwhelm Roughneck goalie Curtis Palidwor with 5 additional points in the 4th period. Calgary would only score once more, but played a defensive game to hold off the Rush and win.
The play was physical, with fights breaking out late in the game to underscore the ferocity of the competition between Edmonton and Calgary.
Edmonton scored first, with a beautiful combination play, while Calgary answered with a methodical assault on Rush goalie Pat Campbell. A power play goal by Jason Wulder later in the first period allows the Roughnecks to pull ahead by one. But Edmonton's Randy Daly scores his first goal of season with a long-distance strike on Calgary's goal to tie the game 2-2.
When a wicked backhand quick-stick goal slammed into Edmonton's net, you knew Calgary was gunning for redemption from the prior night's loss. Tracey Kelusky scored by crossing from right to left in front of Campbell and sneaking it over his shoulder into the net for the go-ahead score in the second period.
An all-out assault on Calgary's net by the Rush resulted in Jimmy Quinlan scoring with 11:05 in the second period, only to be answered by Calgary mere seconds later by Kelusky's second goal of the game.
Edmonton scored a short-handed goal with Chris Stachniak making the ball disappear in Palidwor's jersey before re-appearing in the goal for the score.
The two squads battle fiercely on the field, but Calgary was the leading scorer throughout the next two periods to build an 11-4 lead heading into the 4th period.
Susheski, Dairon and Heavenor contribute one goal, and Quinlan completed a hat trick with two scores in the final period to give the Rush nine goals for the night. Kaleb Toth's assist to Kelusky on the pick-and-roll play added one more to Calgary's total late in the fourth, closing out the game at 12-9.
National Lacrosse League Stories from January 22, 2006
- Bandits win home opener, 13-10, over Rock - OSC Original by Todd Devlin
- Rock loses heartbreaker in Buffalo - Toronto Rock
- Roughnecks top Rush, 12-9 - OSC Original by Chuck Tyler
- LumberJax win first home game, 12-11, against Mammoth - Portland Lumberjax
- Roughnecks edge Rush 12-9 - Edmonton Rush
- Stealth Lose To Philadelphia, 10-7 - San Jose Stealth
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