Rush's Record Start on Line against Calgary
March 10, 2014 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Edmonton Rush News Release
When you're 9-0 and setting the record for the best start to a season in National Lacrosse League history, that's bound to happen. And now the Rush are entering what is most likely the most difficult stretch of the 2014 campaign as they hit the road to play archrival Calgary, then come home to face East Division-leading Buffalo, and then trek out east to face the two-time reigning champion Rochester Knighthawks and the Toronto Rock, who are never an easy out on their home turf.
If the Rush sweep the upcoming four games, they'll set the NLL mark for the longest winning streak during a season, eclipsing the current record set by Rochester in 2007. But the next step is beating Calgary this Friday night at the Saddledome, and while the Rush have split the last four meetings in Calgary, the Roughnecks and their high-powered offense will hardly be gracious hosts.
"We're at the stage now where we're targeted and teams are coming in ready for us," said Rush GM/head coach Derek Keenan, who liked the end result but not how his team got there in the record-setting victory over the Vancouver Stealth this past Saturday on Crystal Glass Field at Rexall Place.
"We have to get better," added Keenan. "I think we were getting a little stagnant especially with our fundamentals. We've been a little too loose at practice and we have to get back to having a business-like attitude."
The Roughnecks are certainly the Rush's biggest rival and would love nothing more than bring Edmonton's winning ways to a screeching halt.
"Calgary is going to be tough. They weren't playing as good early on as they are now and their offense is really first class," noted Keenan.
Keenan was somewhat glad to shrug off talk of breaking the league's best-start record - the Rush's ninth win in a row bettering the original mark set by the 1993 edition of the Buffalo Bandits. The coach has noticed that despite best efforts, talk of the record was starting to infiltrate the Rush locker room. Press clippings, media attention, and an increasing base of fan interest is all nice but not at the expense of following through on the game plan.
It's the fact that we are winning games, we're at the top of the standings, and we're reading about how well things are going and we're doing so great. We were starting to believe it and getting too loose at practice," said Rush captain Chris Corbeil.
"There's lots of season left and we've been in Vancouver's position before when you've really struggled at the start of the season despite all the talent you've got and we've had to come back. We've been guilty of forgetting that we don't really spend that much time together and that it's so important to focus when we are together in our limited time."
It was odd to hear both Keenan and Vancouver head coach Chris Hall both criticize their respective teams for lacking in fundamentals in the same game. Keenan pointed out numerous flaws in the team's approach, yet singled out a key learning tool that they've developed in 2014. The youthful lineup has demonstrated that despite some stumbles along the way, they can win close games, something that has eluded them to the detriment of missing the playoffs or at least not gaining home-floor advantage for the post-season. This season, the Rush have won five one-goal games including Saturday's victory over Vancouver that required a strong push early in the fourth quarter.
"We were lackadaisical and not doing the simple things. We were playing fine and had small things to adjust in the second half," said Rush rookie Robert Church, who notched his first NLL career hat trick in the win over the Stealth.
That victory over Vancouver marked the second time the Rush had beaten the Stealth by the narrowest of margins, following up on their come-from-behind win in Vancouver in January. The Rush captured a trio of one-goal games earlier this year, taking out Vancouver, Rochester, and Philadelphia. Edmonton's second win over Vancouver also came on the heels of a one-goal win over Toronto.
"There's a razor-thin margin of victory in this league and we've learned how to deal with that," said Keenan. "We've become pretty good in those situations, but there's a chance that can turn around the other way at some point."
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