Rush Prepare for Showdown with Vancouver
January 22, 2014 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Edmonton Rush News Release
Edmonton, AB---The Edmonton Rush are seeing plenty of their NLL West Division foes early in the 2014 season.
En route to the franchise's first-ever 3-0 start, the Rush have bested the Colorado Mammoth twice and are coming off a huge 15-8 home-floor win over the Calgary Roughnecks. Next up is Saturday's clash with the Vancouver Stealth - yet another Western opponent albeit one that has moved a little closer since relocating from Everett, Washington, to Langley, B.C.
"We see these teams so often that there's not a lot of secrets," said Rush GM/Head Coach Derek Keenan.
The Stealth may be new to Vancouver and are the newest Canadian component to the NLL, but they are a well-known commodity to the Rush especially when it comes to their potent offensive standouts. Lewis Ratcliff has always been a thorn in the Rush's side and Rhys Duch as collected 12 points (6 goals + 6 assists) in the last two Stealth wins over Edmonton including last season's West Division Semifinal.
But this is by far the best Rush team the Stealth will have gone up against. Edmonton has thoroughly outplayed the opposition in its three wins, and done so at both ends of the floor. The offensive numbers are ratcheting up as Mark Matthews, Jarrett Davis, Curtis Knight, Zack Greer and their fellow shooters having fired in 45 goals so far this season - the highest number of any NLL team that has played in only three games.
Defensively, the Rush are also proving to be a tough foe as goaltender Aaron Bold has produced a stellar 8.00 goals-against average. The same defenders, though, that are providing a firm wall for the Rush are also chipping in offensively, led by captain Chris Corbeil who potted a hat trick against Calgary including two shorthanded markers.
"We like our guys to take the opportunity when it's there even if they're not necessarily designated as a transition player," stated Keenan.
"All the guys are capable of that, it just happened to be Chris's night. He's a great athlete and he shoots well in transition. But it could be a different guy any night. Jeremy Thompson is due to break out, John Lafontaine had a goal last game. We have a lot of guys that can contribute from the back end - guys like Brett Mydske and Ryan Dilks."
It's hard not to like everything that's going right with the Rush so far this season. When you're getting solid goaltending, tough defense, and enough goals to fill a net, you're off and rolling. The key is to not let the hot start cool off any time soon.
"We've gotten better each game and that's important," added Knight, who has already notched five power-play goals this season.
"This is a big game coming up and we have to continue playing well and get to 4-0."
Keenan has done his best to keep an even-keel through the Rush's best start in team history, maintaining its too early in the 18-game schedule to get caught up in the frivolity.
"I like our performance and our effort level to date and we have to keep trying to get better," added Keenan.
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National Lacrosse League Stories from January 22, 2014
- Rush Prepare for Showdown with Vancouver - Edmonton Rush
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- Rush Meet Vancouver - Edmonton Rush
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