SUNDAY SPORTS PAGE: NLL, WHL & MORE

Saskatoon, SK – The Saskatchewan Rush opened the regular season on a high note with an 18-6 victory over the defending league champions, the Colorado Mammoth, Saturday evening at SaskTel Centre.

Rush forward Dan Lintner found the scoreboard early in the first quarter and shortly after Ryan Keenan brought the moves in a diving play across the crease. Lintner notched another and Mark Matthews found the crease for his first goal of the season. Goaltender Alex Buque had his first start in Saskatchewan and was no stranger in the crease. The Rush finished the first with a 4-0 lead.

Robert Church opened the scoring in the second quarter with a quick release goal following a smooth pass from Marshall Powless. Back in action for team green and black, Marty Dinsdale knocked a bounce shot past Dillon Ward to extend the lead to 6-0. Connor Robinson found the Mammoth’s first goal in the second quarter and Jordan Gilles came along shortly after to make the score 6-2. Oshweken, ON product Marshall Powless pulled out the moves with a sleek behind the back shot for his first of the night and fifth career goal. Church scores his second of the evening and Colorado answered back with another to finish off the first half 8-3 for Saskatchewan.

The third quarter was nothing shy of another great 15 minutes from the Rush. Keenan came out hot giving Saskatchewan a six-goal lead. Hats flew for Church and Lintner as they scored a pair of hat tricks, just seconds apart. Colorado goaltender Dillon Ward headed to the bench as Tyler Carlson stepped into the crease. Mammoth forward Zed Williams put one past the line to finish the third 11-4 for the Rush.

Early in the fourth, Lintner notched his fourth goal of the night, leaving him one goal away from 100 career goals and hats flew for Keenan. Matthews found the net one more time with Dinsdale right behind him. Thorold, ON product Holden Garlent caught a breakaway pass and snuck one past Carlson. Church and Dinsdale each tacked on one more goal giving the Rush 18 goals to finish the night. Colorado tried to fight back, sneaking two past Buque but fell short with a final score of 18-6 for Saskatchewan.

The Rush outshot the Mammoth 69-48 with Buque’s 0.875 save percentage earning him the third star of the night.

Saskatchewan will head down south next weekend to take on the San Diego Seals at Pechanga Arena with a 9:00 p.m. CST face off.

WHL

EVERETT, Wash. – Jackson Berezowski netted the game-winning goal 2:08 into overtime as the Everett Silvertips edged the suddenly struggling Portland Winterhawks 4-3 on Saturday.

Jacob Hoffrogge, Austin Roest and Ryan Hofer also scored for Everett (14-9-1) which has won two in a row. Braden Holt made 44 saves.

Robbie Fromm-Delorme, Josh Zakreski and Marek Alscher replied for Western Conference-leading Portland (18-4-2-1) which has now lost four of its last five. Dante Giannuzzi stopped 33 shots.

Down 2-1 entering the third, Zakreski, then Fromm-Delorme scored to give the Winterhawks their first lead with 10:15 remaining. However, Hofer netted the game-tying marker at 14:11 of the frame to send the game to overtime.

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GIANTS 6 BLAZERS 5 (SO)

LANGLEY, B.C. – Zack Ostapchuk scored the shootout winner as Vancouver (10-11-3-2) snapped Kamloops’ (13-5-3-2) three-game win streak. Jaden Lipinski scored right before Ostapchuk in the shootout along with the game-tying marker in regulation and a first-period goal.

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WARRIORS 5 REBELS 2

RED DEER, ALTA. – Ryder Korczak notched two goals and one assist as Moose Jaw (18-9-0) handed Red Deer (18-5-1-3) its second consecutive loss. Korczak’s two markers put the game away for the Warriors, who were up 3-2, leading to their fifth straight win.

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ICE 6 RAIDERS 4

WINNIPEG – Conor Geekie scored the game winner and Matthew Savoie added the insurance marker as Winnipeg (23-4-0) narrowly edged Prince Albert (10-15-2). The Raiders came back from down 4-2 to tie it before Geekie and Savoie both added their second goals of the contest.

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THUNDERBIRDS 3 ROYALS 0

SEATTLE – Thomas Milic stopped just 17 shots to earn a shutout as Seattle (17-4-1) downed Victoria (3-20-3). Gracyn Sawchyn, Jared Davidson and Jordan Gustafson each scored on the power play for the Thunderbirds who outshot the Royals 42-17.

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BLADES 2 TIGERS 1

MEDICINE HAT, ALTA. – Jayden Wiens scored what proved to be the winner as Saskatoon (19-5-0) topped Medicine Hat (9-13-4-1). Wiens gave the Blades a 2-0 lead at 5:36 of the third period before Oasiz Wiesblatt cut the lead in half by scoring at 14:27 of the frame for the Tigers.

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HURRICANES 3 CHIEFS 0

SPOKANE, WA. – Harrison Meneghin’s 36-save shutout performance led Lethbridge (15-11-0-1) to a win over Spokane (5-17-0-1). Brayden Edwards, Noah Chadwick and Logan Wormald provided the offence for the Hurricanes.

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WHEAT KINGS 4 BRONCOS 2

BRANDON, M.B. – Nolan Ritchie and Brett Hyland each scored twice to lift Brandon (10-15-2) past Swift Current (12-12-0). After going down 2-1, Ritchie and Hyland combined to score three unanswered to take control of the game and win.

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AMERICANS 5 ROCKETS 1

KENNEWICK, WA. – Parker Bell recorded two goals and one assist, Jake Sloan added a goal and two assists and Tri-City (12-13-0) downed Kelowna (9-12-2) for its fourth win in a row. Tomas Suchanek stopped 36-of-37 shots in the victory.