Saskatchewan Rush Continue Dominant Run with Victory Over Calgary Roughnecks
The Saskatchewan Rush have solidified their position as the team to beat in the National Lacrosse League, securing a decisive 14-8 victory over the host Calgary Roughnecks this past weekend. This win not only extends their impressive winning streak to six consecutive games but also improves their league-leading record to an outstanding 7-1.
Second Quarter Surge Proves Decisive
After entering the second quarter trailing 3-1, the Rush mounted a remarkable comeback that would ultimately determine the game's outcome. Four different Saskatchewan players combined to score six goals during this pivotal period, giving the Rush a commanding 7-3 lead at halftime that they would never relinquish.
Austin Shanks and Zach Manns led the offensive charge for Saskatchewan, each contributing four goals to the victory. Shanks edged out his teammate in total points, adding five assists to his goal tally compared to Manns' three assists.
Balanced Scoring and Strong Goaltending
The Rush demonstrated impressive offensive depth throughout the contest. Additional goal scorers included:
- Ryan Keenan with two goals
- Robert Church with two goals
- Mike Messenger with one goal
- Brock Haley with one goal
Between the pipes, Frank Scigliano delivered a solid performance for Saskatchewan, making 26 saves on 34 shots. His counterpart, Calgary's Aden Walsh, faced a much heavier workload, stopping 49 of 63 shots in a busy night for the Roughnecks netminder.
Looking Ahead for the Rush
The Saskatchewan Rush will continue their road trip with a matchup against the San Diego Seals scheduled for Saturday, February 7. The team will look to extend their winning streak to seven games as they face this West Division opponent.
Other Saskatchewan Sports Highlights
In other local sports news, the Saskatoon Blades ended a three-game losing streak with a 4-0 shutout victory over the Prince Albert Raiders on Saturday night. Goaltender Evan Gardner stopped all 29 shots he faced to record his third shutout of the WHL season.
The Blades' offensive effort was led by David Lewandowski and Cooper Williams, who scored just 36 seconds apart in the first period. Dustin Willhoft and Hayden Harsanyi added insurance goals in the second and third periods respectively.
Additionally, longtime Saskatoon Blades play-by-play announcer Les Lazaruk has been honored with this year's Bob Ridley Golden Microphone Honorarium. Lazaruk, who has missed only 25 games since beginning his tenure with the Blades in the 1994-95 season, will receive an honorarium that can be donated to a charity of his choice.
