Two Game Road Trip this Weekend will Test Rush
Published on March 27, 2014 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Edmonton Rush News Release
Edmonton, AB---The Edmonton Rush will be out to extend their undefeated start and set a new National Lacrosse League record for longest regular-season winning streak as they go on the road to meet both the Rochester Knighthawks and the Toronto Rock this weekend.
Edmonton improved to 11-0 on the year with a 14-5 thumping of the Buffalo Bandits this past Friday night on Crystal Glass Field at Rexall Place. With those 11 straight wins, the Rush can surpass the current NLL record for longest regular-season winning streak set by the 2007 edition of the Knighthawks by sweeping both games this weekend. The Rush are in Rochester on Saturday night to face the two-time defending NLL champs, and then move north to meet the Rock on Sunday afternoon.
In addition to their 11-game regular-season winning streak, the Rush are also riding another streak into the weekend doubleheader. Dating back to last season, the Rush have won 11 straight road games including wins in Rochester and Toronto during the 2013 campaign.
The resounding win over Buffalo clinched a home playoff date for the first time in Rush history, and lifted the Rush to a 4.5-game lead over Calgary in the NLL's West Division. Edmonton continues to boast the NLL's stingiest defense, having allowed a league-low 85 goals which has also earned them the lowest goals allowed at just 7.7 per game.
Curtis Knight, Zack Greer, and rookie Adrian Sorichetti all notched hat tricks against the Bandits. For Sorichetti, who was playing in just his second pro game, the goals were the first of his career, while Greer added three assists for a six-point outing. Cory Conway racked up eights points on a goal and seven assists, and Mark Matthews registered a seven-point game on a goal and six assists. Jeff Cornwall, Robert Church, and Jarrett Davis added a goal each for the Rush with goalie Aaron Bold compiling 33 saves for his league-leading 10th victory.
The Rush won their third straight regular-season game against Rochester earlier this season as Mark Matthews scored 1:16 into overtime to give the Rush an 8-7 win at Rexall Place. Curtis Knight and Cory Conway, each with a pair, Riley Loewen, Jeff Cornwall, and Jeremy Thompson also scored for Edmonton with Aaron Bold notching 30 saves.
Edmonton swept both games against Rochester last season. Zack Greer and Jarrett Davis each scored four goals with Greer when the Rush whipped Rochester 14-10 late in the 2013 season. Greer had another big outing, scoring four goals, and Mark Matthews adding a hat trick when the Rush topped the K-Hawks 11-9 in Rochester. But the Knighthawks hold the most important win in head-to-head meetings with the Rush. Rochester battled back from a 6-1 deficit to beat the Rush 9-6 in the 2012 NLL Champion's Cup final.
The Rush topped Toronto 11-10 at home earlier this season as Cory Conway had two goals and three assists, and Riley Loewen and Mark Matthews each picked up two goals and two assists. Brett Mydske, Curtis Knight, Robert Church, Jarrett Davis, and Jeremy Thompson also scored in the victory, and Aaron Bold posted 37 saves.
The last time the Rush and Rock met in Toronto the Rush captured their first-ever win at the Air Canada Centre as they completed a five-game road trip with a 17-12 victory. The win not only pushed the Rush to a franchise-record seventh road victory of the season, it also ended the Rush's four-game losing streak against the Rock.
The Rush got hat tricks from both Mark Matthews and Zack Greer, while Kyle Rubisch and Corey Small each had two goals and two assists. Chris Corbeil, with a pair, Brett Mydske, Ryan Dilks, Curtis Knight, John Lafontaine, and Jeremy Thompson all added singles.
Toronto holds a 10-5 all-time record against Edmonton including a 10-9 road win in the 2013 season-opener. The two teams split their season series with one win apiece in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
With his hat trick against Buffalo last Friday, Curtis Knight took over the Rush team lead in goals with 22, but Mark Matthews continues to hold down top spot in points with 51. Matthews is second in goals with 20 and the team-leader in assists with 31. Cory Conway's seven helpers against the Bandits moved him into second spot on the team with 43 points and second in assists with 30.
Facing the Knighthawks and Rock puts the Rush up against two potent offensive units. Toronto's Garrett Billings leads the NLL in points (92) and assists (63), while teammates Stephan Leblanc leads the league with 30 goals and Colin Doyle is tops with 10 power-play goals. Rochester's Cody Jamieson is second in the NLL with 71 points and Knighthawk Dan Dawson is third in assists with 50.
Rush vs. Knighthawks -Season-by-Season Glance
2014
8-7 Rush overtime win at Edmonton (Mark Matthews scores the game-winner)
2013
14-10 Rush win at Edmonton (Zack Greer racks up four goals and four assists)
11-9 Rush win at Rochester (Zack Greer paces Rush attack with four goals)
2012
*9-6 Knighthawks win at Rochester (Cody Jamieson racks up eight points including four goals)
*denotes playoff game - Champion's Cup Final
2011
13-9 Knighthawks win at Rochester (Mike Accursi scores four goals against former club)
2010
12-11 Rush overtime win at Rochester (Andy Secore completes hat trick with game-winner)
2008
10-9 Rush overtime win at Edmonton (Jimmy Quinlan scores twice and adds three assists)
Rush vs. Rock - Season-by-Season Glance
2014
11-10 Rush win at Edmonton (Cory Conway notches five points including three assists)
2013
17-12 Rush win at Toronto (Mark Matthews and Zack Greer each notch hat tricks)
10-9 Rock win at Edmonton (Garrett Billings leads Toronto attack with six points)
2012
12-11 Rock win at Edmonton (Colin Doyle racks up one goal and seven assists)
12-8 Rock win at Toronto (Garrett Billings registers one goal and six assists)
2011
13-7 Rock win at Toronto (Blaine Manning notches one goal and five assists)
18-14 Rush win at Edmonton (Corey Small registers seven points including hat trick)
2010
16-7 Rock win at Toronto (Blaine Manning pots 10 points on five goals and five assists)
14-13 Rush win at Edmonton (Ryan Powell notches eight points including four goals)
2009
16-9 Rock win at Toronto (Lewis Ratcliff scores four goals with three assists)
16-12 Rush win at Edmonton (Andy Secore fires in five goals plus three assists)
2008
14-9 Rock win at Edmonton (Josh Sanderson picks up one goal and six assists)
14-9 Rock win at Toronto (Aaron Wilson registers four goals and one assist)
2007
12-9 Rock win at Edmonton (Aaron Wilson racks up one goal and four assists)
2006
14-8 Rock win at Toronto (Blaine Manning scores once and chips in 10 assists)
Statistically Speaking: Rush goalie Aaron Bold not only leads the NLL in victories by goaltenders but leads the league in both goals-against average (7.88) and save-percentage (.814) ... Rush defender Kyle Rubisch picked up five forced turnovers against Buffalo and leads the NLL with 34. He has led the category two years in a row and set the league record last season with 44 ... Edmonton's Jeremy Thompson is sixth in the NLL with 109 loose balls and fourth in faceoff wins with 141 ... The Rush's six power-play goals against Buffalo tied the league's season-high so far in 2014. Edmonton's power play jumped to fourth in the league at 44.8% (26-for-58). The penalty kill ranks second at 57.8% (19 goals allowed in 45 shorthanded situations) ... Toronto ranks second on the power play (58.3%) and Rochester is third (52.8). The Knighthawks are fourth on the penalty kill (55.8) while the Rock are seventh (53.0%) ... Edmonton captain Chris Corbeil leads all NLL defenders with nine goals and is tied for second in the league with three shorthanded markers. Corbeil also sits sixth in points by a defender with 13, while teammate Nik Bilic is seventh in points (11) and fourth in assists (nine).
By The Numbers: The Rush have outscored their opposition 37-17 in second-quarter play this season, and 30-19 in third-quarter action ... Edmonton's Robert Church is third in rookie scoring with 28 points and third in assists with 17. Teammate Riley Loewen is tied for fourth among rookies with 11 goals ... Rush defender had 10 loose balls against Buffalo and sits fourth in the league with 20 forced turnovers ... Curtis Knight leads the Rush with seven power-play goals, while Cory Conway, Mark Matthews, and Robert Church are tied for the team lead with nine power-play assists ... Kyle Rubisch is second on the Rush with 87 loose balls, one better than Chris Corbeil ... Rochester has not allowed a shorthanded goal this season ... The Knighthawks are 5-0 at home so far this season and the Rock are 4-2 at the ACC ... Rochester is 6-1 when scoring first this season but the Rock are 3-4 when scoring first.
National Lacrosse League Stories from March 27, 2014
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- Swarm Try to Build Momentum in Calgary this Saturday - Minnesota Swarm
- Mammoth Announces Inaugural Lady-Crosse Clinic - Colorado Mammoth
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