It was a huge weekend in terms of lacrosse in the province when the National Lacrosse League Rush played a home-and-home set with Colorado recently.
As a storm began to close in on Colorado the two West Division teams met April 15 in Denver, knowing the game, and the one to follow the next night in Saskatoon were likely to settle who would top the Division for 2016.
“It was phenomenal,” Rush Captain Chris Corbeil said of the atmosphere surrounding the weekend set. “Obviously it was a very, very important weekend.”
Corbeil, who began his pro lacrosse career in 2010 with Buffalo said it was a truly unique experience.
“I can’t remember another regular season weekend that important,” he offered in a telephone interview with this reporter.
The game in Denver was played with the threat of a spring storm that could have snowed both teams in.
“We started hearing rumours about the storm the day before,” said Corbeil, so they were aware flights out to get back for the game in Saskatoon were being threatened by the weather.
However, the Rush Captain said players can’t control such things, so they focused on the task at hand, getting a win over the Mammoth who had not lost at home this season.
“Our real duty as players was to worry about the game,” he said.
And the Rush did that winning the contest 11-5. The five goals by the Mammoth tied their team record for fewest goals scored in a game.
The storm might have actually earned an assist in the win, added Corbeil.
“It’s a tough arena (Pepsi Center) to play at,” he said, but added with a storm pending “there were not as many fans in Denver as there usually are.”
The two teams then boarded the same charter flight out of Denver just ahead of the snow, to get back to Saskatchewan for Saturday.
Corbeil said being on the same flight has some unique dynamics.
“No question it’s a little awkward,” he said, adding it was likely easier on the Rush having won the game that night.
“We just stayed in the front of the plane, kept our heads down and were respectful,” he said.
The next night at SaskTel Place it was packed with an announced sold-out crowd of more than 15,000, myself and three buds from Yorkton happily counted among them.
Corbeil said the Saskatchewan fans are something special the way they have trekked to the arena in ever increasing numbers over the nine-games played at SaskTel Centre this year.
“It’s the most fans we’ve been playing in front of in a long time.”
In fact, Corbeil said the team is actually not 100 per cent sure how to take the big crowds.
“Everyone in the dressing room is so giddy, it’s kind of funny. It’s something were not accustomed too,” he said.
For Corbeil it’s actually a dream come true. He said as a youth who already loved playing lacrosse he would attend Toronto Rock games at the Air Canada Centre in an era the Rock were the NLL’s best and playing to sold out crowds.
It became a dream to play pro lacrosse in front of sold out crowds of cheering fans.
“And now I’m living it,” he said.
That said when it was first announced the Rush would be moving to Saskatoon from Edmonton Corbeil was not a fan of the plan.
“I’ll admit I was probably the biggest skeptic,” he said.
The reason was simple enough, he feared the grassroots of lacrosse were not set very deep in Saskatchewan.
“There wasn’t a huge lacrosse community in Saskatchewan. I didn’t think people we’re familiar with the sport.
“Boy was I wrong.
“There’s no question lacrosse has struck a chord with the Saskatchewan.”
Corbeil noted it was a conscious decision to be the Saskatchewan Rush, not just Saskatoon, so that it was clear from the outset this was the province’s team.
But back to the sold out game against the Mammoth who needed a road win to hold onto any hope of first in the west.
Well that hope was quelled as the Rush won 11-8, before a crowd standing and cheering as the clock ticked down.
Corbeil said the Rush may be in first place with a 12-4 record, but they have not dominated games as they did in 2015, but against the Mammoth he said it felt as though the team was clicking in all aspects of lacrosse.
“It was our best weekend so far this year as far as our all-around play,” he said.
The Rush would however falter a bit this past weekend with the west won. They dropped a decision to Vancouver, never holding a lead in the 14-12 loss.
That leaves first overall in the NLL up in the air as the Rush and Buffalo both head to the final weekend of regular season play with 12-5 records.
Saskatchewan is in Rochester Saturday, while the Bandits host New England.
Whatever happens the Rush will sit out the first round of the playoffs as Division winners, not playing a home playoff game until May 21, in front of what is almost assured to be a sell-out crowd myself and a bud included.
So is sitting around awaiting an opponent a good thing?
“My thoughts on it are sort of twofold,” said Corbeil.
Since NLL players usually have 9-to-5 jobs scattered across the country the Rush will literally be sitting at home awaiting an opponent with no arena floor time as a group.
Corbeil said you want to stay in a groove, you want to be playing. In that regard the sitting team can be at a disadvantage.
“On the flip side … You don’t have that single-game elimination,” offered Corbeil. “In a one game playoff … So much is left up to chance.”
And then there will be the advantage of home arena and screaming fans.
“I grew up playing a lot of sports, baseball, hockey, lacrosse,” said Corbeil. “There’s no sport like lacrosse with such vicious momentum swings.”
And that is where fans come in, screaming if the home team gets up early, and being an element to start a rally if they are behind, said Corbeil.
