The Saskatchewan Rush headed into the playoffs looking to defend their crown against the Calgary Roughnecks in game one of the West final. A first place finish in their division over the regular season gave the Rush a first round bye, and it looked as though the fresh legs helped as they scored eight goals in the fourth quarter to breeze past Calgary 16-10.
The Rush and Roughnecks exchanged goals throughout the first three quarters, with no team able to create any kind of space from one another.
In the opening quarter, first round draft pick of the 2010 entry draft, Jarrett Davis, got the ball rolling for Saskatchewan. He found the back of the net for his first of the playoffs and sixth of the season after taking a pass from Dan Taylor. Mark Matthews, the Rush leading scorer, registered the second helper.
Matthews wouldn’t be done there as he made it 2-1 Rush with his first of the night. He ended the game picking up right where he left off, with two goals and three assists. Saskatchewan led by a small margin after the first, 4-3.
Ben McIntosh put his mark on the game with two goals in the second quarter, but Wesley Berg and Jeff Shattler of Calgary were equal to the task, keeping their deficit to just one heading into halftime.
The Roughnecks came out firing in the third quarter, taking their first lead of the tilt. Jeremy Thompson of the Rush was able to increase the lead to 7-5 before Calgary scored three unanswered.
Nine minutes later, however, Saskatchewan levelled the playing field after defenceman Brett Mydske went coast-to-coast, capping his solo effort with a short-side snipe. The game had all the ingredients for an exciting finish, but it was the exact opposite, if you were a Calgary fan.
The Rush scored in bunches in the fourth quarter and the Roughnecks just didn’t seem to have any answer for one of the best offences in the National Lacrosse League. 35-goal scorer Robert Church went far-side for his second of the game before assisting Matthews on a power play tally just over a minute later. 10-8. Nik Bilic scored his fifth of the campaign to extend the Rush lead to three. Shattler was able to inch the Roughnecks back within two under a minute later, but that was as close as Calgary would get. The green and black rattled off three unanswered goals to take a commanding 14-9 lead. It was McIntosh who provided the dagger with his third and fourth goals of the game. Chris Corbeil polished off his huge night with an empty netter, he finished with three goals and five assists in the game one victory.
Aaron Bold continued to be a rock for the Rush, totalling 35 saves. He was a vital part of the fourth quarter run, stopping 10 of 12 shots.
The Rush now head home to the SaskTel Centre for game two where they have a chance to return to the Champions Cup final for the second year in a row. If Calgary ties the series, a ten minute mini game will be played to decide who moves on.
