Rush Face Tough Stealth Again
March 6, 2014 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Edmonton Rush News Release
Edmonton, AB---The Edmonton Rush have had a couple of close calls en route to their perfect 8-0 start to the season.
The undefeated run could have ended after just three games and back in the end of the January had the Rush not put together a terrific second-half comeback to beat the Vancouver Stealth. Six weeks have gone by. The Rush have equaled the NLL's best-ever start to a season and now need just two wins to match the longest unbeaten run in a season. Both of those records were established by the 1993 edition of the Buffalo Bandits.
And again it's the Stealth who have a chance to spoil the Rush's run - this time in a return matchup on Crystal Glass Field at Rexall Place this Saturday night.
"I think it was an example of how this group has matured," Rush GM/Head Coach Derek Keenan reflected on his team's come-from-behind win over the Stealth.
"I thought they took it to us early. It was a matter of us sticking to our game plan. We made our adjustments and got the win. We managed to squeak out a win and it showed part of how we've grown up as a group."
The Stealth's 7-2 cushion at halftime also brought about the only time this season that Rush goalie Aaron Bold got the hook from between the pipes. Backup Brodie MacDonald made the saves in relief and earned the win in the Rush's 9-8 verdict. Before that game and since then, Bold has been stellar with the league's best goals-against average (8.25) and a top-draw save-percentage (third in the league at .808). Bold is certainly the Stealth game as a personal measure of revenge.
"No excuses, I've got to be better," said Bold, who credited the Rush's off-season moves and the players' wisdom with propelling the team to its defeat-free start.
"They were huge. Our front end kind of had a complete overhaul and the dividends are paying off. Our defense has matured as a group. We all have that championship mentality."
The Rush were a little off-kilter last weekend but still kept their streak intact with a home-turf win over Toronto. Bold was clearly elated when the final buzzer sounded, leaping into the arms of the teammates who'd helped him hold off a late surge from the Rock.
"I think it was a bit more a sense of relief than celebrating the streak," said Keenan.
"We kind of escaped with one. But Bold was a big part of that win for us. He was fantastic especially early on.
"We were coming off a bye week and we were a little rusty and we stood around. We improved as the game went on. After the first quarter I thought we were getting better and by the fourth quarter we were a lot better and had things going the way we wanted them to."
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National Lacrosse League Stories from March 6, 2014
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- Swarm Travel to Take on Division-Leading Buffalo this Saturday - Minnesota Swarm
- Knighthawks News and Notes - Rochester Knighthawks
- Rush Face Tough Stealth Again - Edmonton Rush
- Shewchuk Returns for Third Stint with Mammoth - Colorado Mammoth
- Minnesota Swarm's Logan Schuss Wins February Rookie of the Month Honors - Minnesota Swarm
- Garrett Billings Named NLL Player of the Month - Toronto Rock
- Toronto's Billings wins Player of the Month award, Minnesota's Schuss earns Rookie of the Month hono - NLL
- Philadelphia Wings Add Defender Stephen Hoar to Active Roster - Philadelphia Wings
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