Swarm To Rexall
Published on March 26, 2010 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Edmonton Rush News Release
Edmonton, AB---The Edmonton Rush will be out to rebound from their first home-turf loss of the season and maintain a grip on second place in the National Lacrosse League's West Division when they host division-rival Minnesota Swarm on Saturday night.
Edmonton suffered its first loss of the season at Rexall Place last Saturday night when they were felled 12-5 by the Boston Blazers. The Rush are currently tied with the Calgary Roughnecks for second place in the West, one game back of the division- and league-leading Washington Stealth. Minnesota holds down fourth spot in the West, 11/2 games behind Edmonton and Calgary, and 21/2 games back of Washington. The Swarm, who have a game in-hand on Washington, Edmonton, and Calgary, also hold a comfortable two-game lead on Colorado in the battle for the fourth and final playoff spot in the division.
The loss to Boston not only ended the Rush's stint as the only unbeaten team at home in the NLL this season, but also put a stop to Edmonton's franchise-high three-game winning streak. It was the Rush's first loss since back on Feb. 12 in Toronto.
Boston was anchored by all-star forward Dan Dawson who provided all the spark the offense would need. Dawson fired in five goals and added two assists, while two former Rush players came back to haunt their former team as Brendan Thenhaus chipped in two goals and two helpers, and Mat Giles added four assists along the way. Boston's scoring outburst chased Rush starting goaltender Matt Disher after nine goals in just 38 minutes. Andy Secore was on target for the Rush as he netted four goals including the Rush's first-ever penalty shot goal. Ian Crashley notched Edmonton's other goal.
The Rush and Swarm have met just twice over the past four seasons even though the teams have spent time in the same division on various occasions (Minnesota has flip-flopped between the East and West Divisions). Minnesota is 2-0 against the Rush in a pair of matchups that featured stellar Swarm goaltending in offensively challenged games. In the first meeting between the teams during the 2006 season, Nick Patterson turned in a masterful performance between the Minnesota pipes, making 40 saves to preserve a 7-6 Swarm win at Rexall Place. Jimmy Quinlan led the Rush's paltry attack that night with two goals. The teams didn't meet again until last season and the Swarm stopped Edmonton's two-game winning streak and ended any hopes of a last-ditch run at a playoff spot with a 9-7 win at the Xcel Energy Center. Kevin Croswell was terrific in the Minnesota net as he managed 46 saves.
With his four-goal effort against Boston, Andy Secore evened up with Ryan Ward at 19 goals on the season to lead the Rush and put them tied for 17th in the NLL in goals. Secore also stands 18th in the league with five power-play markers. With 43 points, Ward leads the Rush in scoring, holding a four-point edge on Gavin Prout and up by 10 points on Andy Secore. Prout is second on the Rush with 14 goals with Dean Hill next at 10 though he has played in just seven games this season.
Aaron Wilson leads the Swarm with 50 points, and is just ahead of two former Rush players - Callum Crawford with 47 points (including a team-leading 31 assists) and Ryan Benesch with 41 points. Defender Scott Self is another ex-Rush in the Minnesota lineup.
Statistically Speaking: Rival goaltenders Nick Patterson and Matt Disher stand 10th and 11th, respectively, in goals-against average. The Swarm's Patterson sits at 11.73 while Disher, who was pulled in the last Rush outing leaving Brandon Atherton to mop up, is at 11.87. Disher is fourth amongst NLL netminders with 357 saves, six spots up on Patterson... Gavin Prout is 14th is the NLL with nine power-play assists, while Ryan Ward continues to lead the league with three shorthanded goals... The Rush are the second-least penalized team per game in the league (19.4 minutes per game) but defender Ian Crashley ranks sixth among individual players with 48 minutes... Two Rush players rank among the league's top 10 in rookie scoring. Corey Small, the team's first-round pick in the 2009 Entry Draft, is seventh with 15 points in eight games while Dane Stevens is 10th with 10 points in only four games... Brodie Merrill is second in the NLL with 113 loose balls and teammate Ian Hawksbee has climbed to sixth with 76 scoops.
By The Numbers: After surrendering 12 goals to Boston, the Rush have fallen to the fourth-worst goals-allowed total in the NLL with 120. Only Colorado is worse in the West Division, while Buffalo and Philadelphia have given up more in the East but have also played one more game than Edmonton... The Rush's 105 goals-scored on the season is the third-lowest total in the West, only one better than Minnesota... The Swarm's power play is ranked No. 2 in the NLL, going at a 52.6% clip (20-for-38), while the Rush's penalty-killing has moved to No. 6 in the league at 58.5% (22 goals in 53 shorthanded situations). Minnesota has the ninth-ranked penalty-killing at 52.2% (22 goals in 46 shorthanded situations) while the Rush's power play remains eighth at 36.0% (18-for-50).
National Lacrosse League Stories from March 26, 2010
- Roughnecks fall to Swarm - Calgary Roughnecks
- Washington Stealth Escape Colorado With 15-14 Win in Colorado - Washington Stealth
- Mammoth fall short to Stealth at home - Colorado Mammoth
- Knighthawks Announce Details Of 'Breast Cancer Night' - Rochester Knighthawks
- Titans Look To Rebound Against Rock - Orlando Titans
- Denver Artist Brian Olsen Among Blackout Night Highlights - Colorado Mammoth
- Swarm To Rexall - Edmonton Rush
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