Rush Hope to Keep Playoff Hopes Alive
April 9, 2009 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Edmonton Rush News Release
Edmonton, AB--The Edmonton Rush will need to knock off the arch-rival Calgary Roughnecks in order to keep their hopes of reaching the National Lacrosse League playoffs for the first time alive.
The Rush sit sixth in the NLL's West Division but are just one game behind a log-jam of teams - San Jose, Colorado and Minnesota - which hold down spots three through five with identical records. But they face a formidable foe in the Roughnecks, who have clinched first place in the West Division and have the best record in the entire NLL. Calgary also sports a 5-1 record on the road this season.
Calgary holds a distinct advantage with a 9-3 record in the all-time series against the Rush including two wins this season. Curt Malawsky's winner gave the Roughnecks a 10-9 OT victory early on during the 2009 campaign and Calgary followed that up with a 22-10 thrashing of the Rush at Rexall Place back in March. On that night, the unit of Dane Dobbie, Josh Sanderson, and Scott Ranger combined for 30 points. Dan Teat and Mike Hominuck paced the Rush with five points each in a game that saw five Rush players - Ryan McNish, Chris McElroy, Shayne Bennett, Jamie Floris and Jimmy Quinlan - along with Head Coach Bob Hamley all ejected after a line brawl just one second into the second half.
However, the Rush have earned two of their most-important franchise victories against the Roughnecks. Calgary won three of four meetings in the Rush's inaugural season of 2006 but Edmonton did win its only game of the year in Calgary as Cam Bergman scored with one second remaining to give the Rush a dramatic 12-11 win.
The Roughnecks took two of three games in 2007 but again the Rush pulled off a big win in Calgary as Chris Gill set a Rush team record by scoring six goals in a thrilling 13-12 decision. Last season, hometown hero Jimmy Quinlan potted four goals as the Rush captured an 11-9 win over the Roughnecks - their first win over Calgary at Rexall Place. The Roughnecks, though, did win the other two head-to-head contests during the season.
The Rush are coming off a split of a home-road weekend. They kicked things off with a much-needed 11-10 home-floor win over the Portland LumberJax behind a seven-point night from Callum Crawford. Dan Teat notched three goals, while Crawford, Andy Secore, Jimmy Quinlan, and Mike Hominuck all registered four assists. The Rush then dropped a 9-7 decision in their first-ever trip to Minnesota to take on the Swarm. Crawford and Ryan Benesch each scored twice for Edmonton.
Dan Teat continues to lead the Rush with 26 goals (including nine power-play markers and two game-winners) and 59 points. Andy Secore is next with 53 points and a team-high 35 assists. Secore and Callum Crawford sit second on the Rush in goals with 18. The Rush, though, still have the league's least-productive offence with only 137 goals-for while surrendering the second-most goals at 176.
The Roughnecks are third in the league with 171 goals-for and are second in the league in goals-against having given up only 134. Josh Sanderson is top producer for the Roughnecks and sits fourth in the league with 83 points. Dane Dobbie sits in a tie for fourth in the league and is Calgary's top triggerman with 35 goals. Former Rush Team MVP Pat Campbell is second in the NLL with a stingy 9.93 goals-against average.
Statistically Speaking: With one of the most-potent offences in the league, it's no surprise that Calgary's power play is ranked first in the NLL at 61.7%, while the offensively challenged Rush have a power play that ranks eighth at 45.7%. Both teams are struggling while shorthanded with the Roughnecks sitting 10th in the penalty-killing ranks at 50.0% and the Rush last in the league at a mere 37.9% ... Club record-holder Ian Hawksbee has moved in front of Chris McKay for the team lead in loose ball collection. Hawksbee has pulled in 133, six up on McKay.
By The Numbers: Rush netminder Chris Levis is tied for fourth in the league with a .777 save-percentage and his 10.95 goals-against average puts him sixth ... This is the final home game of the year for the Rush who rank seventh in the league with an average attendance of 8,326 - two spots below Calgary which sits at 10,400.
National Lacrosse League Stories from April 9, 2009
- Roughnecks Look To Secure Western Division With Win Over Portland - Calgary Roughnecks
- Rush Hope to Keep Playoff Hopes Alive - Edmonton Rush
- Dawson, Doyle and Duch chase single season scoring records - NLL
- Rush to Stuff a Bus - Edmonton Rush
- Rock Battle Philadelphia Wings This Weekend - Toronto Rock
- Blazers Clinch Playoff Berth in First Season of Play - Boston Blazers
- Wings to Honor Retired Superstar Jake Bergey this Saturday Night - Philadelphia Wings
- Blazers Seek Revenge Against The Rochester Knighthawks This Saturday - Boston Blazers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
