RUSH TRASH STEALTH 16-9

SaskRush.com

Langley BC – The Saskatchewan Rush got off to a hot start and never looked back as they gunned down the Vancouver Stealth 16-9 on Saturday night at the Langley Events Centre.

With the win, the Rush improved to 8-1 overall and just as impressive they are 6-0 on the road so far this season.

The Rush scored on two of their first three shots and rolled out to a 6-0 lead in the first quarter. Despite some second-half lulls that had dogged them of late, the Rush never relented and effectively had the game wrapped up in the early going.

“We had a good strong start, Kirkie (goalie Evan Kirk) made a couple big saves and then our offence got rolling,” said Rush GM/head coach Derek Keenan. “We dictated the pace and played extremely well in the first half.”

Mark Matthews notched his second goal of the opening frame just eight seconds into a Rush power play as he sent a rocket from the top of the slot past Stealth goalie Eric Penney. Just 31 seconds later, Marty Dinsdale made it 5-0 and the hook came out for Penney. The Rush went on another power play late in the first and needed just eight seconds to capitalize again as Robert Church scored his second taking a pass from Ryan Keenan and putting it top shelf behind Brodie MacDonald.

Vancouver finally got on the board the second quarter, but Jeff Shattler and Ben McIntosh tallied 31 seconds apart for the Rush, and Church counted his hat-trick tally with a sensational sidearm shot that curled around the defender and beat MacDonald inside the post to make it 9-1. Rush captain Chris Corbeil got in on the first-half scoring barrage as he latched onto a loose ball near mid-field, darted in all alone on a breakaway and slotted a shot past MacDonald. McIntosh wrapped up the Rush onslaught before the first half concluded as he found a lane to net, dived into the crease, and tucked it in to make it 11-2.

After a brief Stealth rally, the Rush restored a commanding lead on McIntosh’s hat-trick effort as he was left open on the win and found the net through the five-hole to up the Saskatchewan lead to 12-5. The Rush flexed their domination at both ends of the floor on the next goal as Jeff Cornwall crunched Vancouver forward Corey Small which forced a loose ball that Matt Hossack grabbed and went on a solo dart before ripping a shot into the net to put his team up 13-5.

Curtis Knight put all the finishing touches on the victory by scoring the final three goals for the Rush. His quick-stick effort at the side of the net put Saskatchewan ahead 14-6 at the third-quarter break. He collected his hat trick driving into the Stealth zone, stepping back from the defender, and sending a laser past MacDonald. Knight connected for his fourth of the night as he neatly tucked in a pass from Shattler at the side of the Vancouver net.

Church (3 goals, 5 assists) led the Rush with eight points, while Ryan Keenan chipped in four assists, and Kirk notched his league-leading seventh win behind 38 saves.

The Rush are back on the road next Saturday as they head east to take on the Rochester Knighthawks.


(Brandon Urban)