YORKTON - The Saskatchewan Rush are headed to the NLL semi finals.
The Rush earned their spot with a 13-9 win over the Georgia Swarm in round one, on Co-op Field at the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon on the weekend.
The Swarm actually started things with two quick goals to jump to a 2-0 lead, but Saskatchewan settled and controlled things the rest of the way.
By the half-time buzzer the Rush were up 6-3.
By the final buzzer the Rush had scored a baker’s dozen, four of those from the stick of Jake Boudreau.
Frank Scigliano made 39 saves in the win, his fourth ever playoff victory. Jake Naso won 18 of 26 face-offs.
The game’s sharpshooter was modest in his accomplishment.
“It was good to help the team out,” Boudreau told Yorkton This Week in a telephone interview Monday, adding that he and the team were already “back down to earth” following the win.
Next up, the Saskatchewan Rush will face the Halifax Thunderbirds in a best-of-three semifinal series. Game one of the series goes May 3 in Halifax, with games two, and three back in Saskatoon May 10 and 11.
In recent seasons the Thunderbirds have been the Rush’s kryptonite, winning most match-ups and dominating several meetings, but Boudreau said he is fine with them being next on the agenda.
“It kind of worked out perfectly we matched up with them,” he said.
While admitting Halifax “is a team we struggle with most,” the Rush also recognize to win it all they must beat the best and they see the Halifax as that ‘best team challenge’.
The series starting in Halifax is also a little unusual with the Rush having home field advantage, but again Boudreau said he’s fine with the set up.
“I like it. I was very happy when they told us,” said Boudreau, who added if the Rush go to Halifax “and steal a win” they get to come home with a huge advantage.
Lose game one and they still have the energy of Rush fans waiting for games two and three.
So knowing Halifax has been a nemesis what do the Rush do differently?
A good start would be huge.
“It’s (Halifax) a tough building to go down in,” said Boudreau.
So some more offence from Boudreau would be helpful.
The effort against the Swarm was just one of those nights though where things went his way.
“I made good on the chances I had,” he said.
Having someone come up with a big game on offence has been sort of the way the Rush put together a 13-5 regular season record.
Boudreau said if you look at the top 10-15 scores “we don’t have one.”
Actually Austin Shanks team leading 74 points in the regular season was tied for 27th in the NLL, and Shanks and Zach Manns both with 35 goal were tied for 17th in that category.
“But we have one of the best offences,” added Boudreau. (The Rush scored 213 regular season goals while Halifax had 239).
Boudreau said having a rather diverse offence is a positive as it makes guarding on defence difficult for opponents.
Overall, Boudreau said it has been a great year, but more remains to be done.
“In reality we’re really happy with what we’ve done to this point,’ he said. “But, we know the team we have can win it all.”
The Vancouver Warriors and Buffalo Bandits will tangle in the other NLL semi final series.
