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BUF at SD - Sat. 10pm ET on ESPNews Schedule

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WK
1
Fri, Dec 2
FINAL
Philadelphia
8
Halifax
18
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Vancouver
8
Toronto
19
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
San Diego
15
New York
14
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Albany
11
Buffalo
10
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Rochester
16
Georgia
11
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Colorado
6
Saskatchewan
18
WK
2
Fri, Dec 9
FINAL
Las Vegas
11
Panther City
13
Fri, Dec 9
FINAL/OT
Saskatchewan
12
San Diego
13
Sat, Dec 10
FINAL
Toronto
7
Rochester
11
Sat, Dec 10
FINAL
Vancouver
9
Calgary
11
WK
3
Fri, Dec 16
FINAL
Calgary
14
Vancouver
5
Fri, Dec 16
FINAL
Panther City
9
Las Vegas
3
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Buffalo
11
Toronto
8
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Rochester
14
Albany
13
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Philadelphia
13
Georgia
12
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Halifax
20
New York
11
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Colorado
12
Panther City
9
WK
5
Fri, Dec 30
FINAL
Halifax
13
Buffalo
18
Fri, Dec 30
FINAL
San Diego
17
Calgary
14
Sat, Dec 31
FINAL
Panther City
9
Saskatchewan
11
WK
6
Fri, Jan 6
FINAL
Philadelphia
14
Las Vegas
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Panther City
9
Rochester
17
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Halifax
14
Albany
11
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Buffalo
18
Georgia
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Toronto
15
New York
7
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Calgary
8
Colorado
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Vancouver
11
San Diego
16
WK
7
Fri, Jan 13
FINAL/OT
Albany
11
Halifax
10
Fri, Jan 13
FINAL/OT
Saskatchewan
10
Colorado
11
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Halifax
8
Toronto
17
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Panther City
12
Philadelphia
10
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Georgia
9
Buffalo
11
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
San Diego
10
Calgary
14
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Las Vegas
16
Vancouver
19
Sun, Jan 15
FINAL
Rochester
11
New York
8
WK
8
Fri, Jan 20
FINAL
Buffalo
12
Rochester
15
Fri, Jan 20
FINAL
Vancouver
14
Las Vegas
15
Sat, Jan 21
FINAL
Toronto
14
Philadelphia
5
Sat, Jan 21
FINAL
New York
16
Albany
10
WK
9
Fri, Jan 27
FINAL
Rochester
7
Halifax
17
Fri, Jan 27
FINAL
Buffalo
13
Philadelphia
9
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Buffalo
16
New York
10
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Las Vegas
10
Saskatchewan
15
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL/OT
Toronto
11
Calgary
10
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
San Diego
13
Colorado
9
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Panther City
20
Vancouver
7
WK
10
Fri, Feb 3
FINAL
Georgia
10
Colorado
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL/OT
Calgary
12
Halifax
11
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
New York
14
Toronto
22
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Albany
5
Philadelphia
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Rochester
10
Buffalo
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Panther City
10
San Diego
12
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Saskatchewan
14
Vancouver
8
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Colorado
8
Las Vegas
13
WK
11
Fri, Feb 10
FINAL
Toronto
11
Georgia
10
Fri, Feb 10
FINAL
Saskatchewan
6
Calgary
13
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Halifax
14
Rochester
16
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Albany
12
New York
14
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Vancouver
13
Panther City
14
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Colorado
9
Calgary
13
WK
12
Fri, Feb 17
FINAL
Calgary
14
Vancouver
9
Fri, Feb 17
FINAL
Saskatchewan
16
San Diego
11
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Georgia
7
Toronto
16
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Las Vegas
12
Albany
10
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL/OT
Philadelphia
12
Buffalo
13
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Colorado
7
Panther City
13
Sun, Feb 19
FINAL
New York
12
Halifax
13
WK
13
Fri, Feb 24
FINAL
Panther City
12
Colorado
14
Fri, Feb 24
FINAL
Calgary
9
Las Vegas
11
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL/OT
New York
10
Rochester
11
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL
Albany
4
Georgia
20
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL
Vancouver
16
Saskatchewan
12
WK
14
Fri, Mar 3
FINAL
Buffalo
10
Halifax
9
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
New York
12
Philadelphia
19
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Las Vegas
12
San Diego
15
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Rochester
8
Toronto
9
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL/OT
Georgia
9
Albany
8
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Saskatchewan
10
Panther City
16
Mon, Mar 6
FINAL
Toronto
10
Philadelphia
11
WK
15
Fri, Mar 10
FINAL/OT
Halifax
9
Buffalo
10
Fri, Mar 10
FINAL
Calgary
16
Colorado
10
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Albany
6
Toronto
12
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Philadelphia
10
New York
13
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
San Diego
12
Saskatchewan
11
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Vancouver
14
Las Vegas
5
Sun, Mar 12
FINAL
Rochester
19
Georgia
18
WK
16
Fri, Mar 17
FINAL
Saskatchewan
6
Calgary
11
Fri, Mar 17
FINAL
San Diego
16
Vancouver
9
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Georgia
13
Philadelphia
12
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Toronto
12
Halifax
14
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Albany
10
New York
13
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Colorado
13
Buffalo
8
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Las Vegas
8
Panther City
11
Sun, Mar 19
FINAL/OT
Philadelphia
9
Rochester
8
WK
17
Fri, Mar 24
20:30:00
San Diego
Panther City
Sat, Mar 25
19:00:00
Toronto
Albany
Sat, Mar 25
19:00:00
Halifax
Philadelphia
Sat, Mar 25
19:30:00
Georgia
New York
Sat, Mar 25
21:30:00
Calgary
Saskatchewan
Sat, Mar 25
22:00:00
Buffalo
San Diego
Sat, Mar 25
22:00:00
Colorado
Vancouver
Sat, Mar 25
22:30:00
Rochester
Las Vegas
WK
18
Fri, Mar 31
19:00:00
New York
Georgia
Fri, Mar 31
21:00:00
Las Vegas
Colorado
Fri, Mar 31
22:00:00
Calgary
San Diego
Sat, Apr 1
19:00:00
Buffalo
Toronto
Sat, Apr 1
20:00:00
Albany
Panther City
Sat, Apr 1
21:30:00
Vancouver
Saskatchewan
Sun, Apr 2
13:00:00
Georgia
Halifax
Sun, Apr 2
18:00:00
Rochester
Philadelphia
WK
19
Sat, Apr 8
19:00:00
Albany
Rochester
Sat, Apr 8
19:00:00
Saskatchewan
Georgia
Sat, Apr 8
21:00:00
Panther City
Calgary
Sat, Apr 8
21:00:00
Vancouver
Colorado
Sat, Apr 8
22:30:00
San Diego
Las Vegas
WK
20
Fri, Apr 14
21:00:00
Las Vegas
Calgary
Fri, Apr 14
21:00:00
San Diego
Colorado
Sat, Apr 15
19:00:00
Philadelphia
Toronto
Sat, Apr 15
19:00:00
Georgia
Albany
Sat, Apr 15
19:30:00
New York
Buffalo
Sat, Apr 15
21:30:00
Halifax
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 15
22:00:00
Panther City
Vancouver
WK
21
Fri, Apr 21
20:30:00
Calgary
Panther City
Sat, Apr 22
18:00:00
New York
Halifax
Sat, Apr 22
19:00:00
Georgia
Rochester
Sat, Apr 22
20:00:00
Toronto
Buffalo
Sat, Apr 22
21:30:00
Colorado
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 22
22:00:00
Las Vegas
San Diego
Sun, Apr 23
15:00:00
Philadelphia
Albany
WK
22
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Philadelphia
Rochester
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Buffalo
Albany
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Halifax
Georgia
Sat, Apr 29
22:00:00
Colorado
San Diego
Sat, Apr 29
22:00:00
New York
Vancouver
Sat, Apr 29
22:30:00
Saskatchewan
Las Vegas
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Rush Not Rushing to Hit the Panic Button

The Saskatchewan Rush are 0-2 and are tied for last place in the West Division through Week 2; that might not actually be a bad thing for this franchise.

But, let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves just yet. How did the Rush end up 0-2 to start this NLL campaign?

Following a gut-wrenching overtime road loss to the title-contending-hopeful Halifax Thunderbirds to start the season, the Rush lost another one-goal game a week later to the still-defending champion (albeit revamped since COVID) Calgary Roughnecks.

At the season-opener in Halifax, the Rush went back-and-forth with the Thunderbirds the entire night, never once falling behind by more than one goal. Were it not for an Eric Fannell stunner that shot past Shute, the Rush might have started this season in a different mindset that they are in now.

Then, to follow that tough break, the Rush had to face the last team to hoist the NLL Cup (who still have Curtis Dickson, Christian Del Bianco, and now, a healthy Jessie King), it doesn’t get much more challenging than that. Despite multiple comebacks from three goals down, the Rush again lost by the thinnest of margins due to a Zach Herreweyers goal in the final two minutes of the contest.

As much as those early-season losses were heavy shots on the chin, Rush defensemen Kyle Rubisch put some perspective on the losses.

“Both games could’ve gone either way – they were both one-goal games,” Rubisch said. “It’s not the start we wanted, but we feel we could’ve won both those games.”

So, that’s how the Rush got here. But, why might this last place, 0-2 spot not be the worst spot for them? Rush GM Derek Keenan explains that, thankfully, this is not unfamiliar territory for them to be in.

“We’ve had slow starts before,” Keenan said. “We’re not panicked; we’re not overly concerned. We knew that because of so many changes on offense, especially on that right side, it was going to be a work in progress, and that’s what happened. Last week, we saw a lot of improvement from Week 1 and we expect the same this week.”

Keenan is correct that the Rush have been in this situation with an 0-2 record before, and not too long ago, for that matter.

The last time was in 2017, and that year, the Rush made it to the finals but would come up short in the best-of-three series versus the Georgia Swarm. Only two years earlier, in 2015, the Rush were in the same spot. Yet, this time, they climbed out of that 0-2 hole and went on to win the championship against the Toronto Rock.

In the league’s 35-year history, a team has started the season 0-2 or 0-3 (a position the Rush could be in after Friday’s game) and then gone on to make it to the championship game nine times. The Rush have done it twice and have now set themselves up in a position to do it for a league-most three times.

One thing that makes them capable of such resiliency this year compared to 2015 or 2017 is the core group of players who have remained with the Rush since that 2015 championship run.

Mark Matthews, Robert Church, Chris Corbeil, Jeff Cornwall, Ryan Dilks and Kyle Rubisch were all on the floor celebrating the team’s victories both of those years. Mike Messenger and Ryan Keenan joined those names mentioned above for battle in 2017, as well as goaltender Pete Dubenski who was third-string to Aaron Bold and Tyler Carlson.

Most of those veteran players are defensemen, and defense has been a focal point of the Rush’s identity for many years. Head Coach Jeff McComb thinks that the defensive core and the new pieces in the back-end can help turn things around for the team.

“Having the defense that we’ve had in front of our goaltenders for some time has no doubt helped our goaltending situation,” McComb said. I think that with the plan we have from a defensive perspective, I think we can help our goalies out by telling them what shots they should expect to see mostly.”

Having solid goaltending between the pipes is obviously critical to a team’s success. The Rush have already matched up against some of the best current goaltenders in the game, such as Warren Hill and Del Bianco. Friday night, they’ll face arguably the hottest goalie in the league, the Vancouver Warriors Alex Buque.

Despite the final results over the last couple of weeks, McComb feels confident that Adam Shute, who has taken the reigns from Evan Kirk, can do the job between the pipes.

[Shute] played a few games for us a couple years ago when [Kirk] was hurt, and he was excellent,” McComb said. “I haven’t seen anything this year that changes that impression. I think he’s been excellent.”

The Rush understand that this 0-2 start has made their journey to the playoffs, let alone the championship game, a little more complicated than they would have preferred. And, even though it seems like it’s said every year, it really does feel like the West Division is as competitive as ever.

Rubisch, one of several Rush players who embodies a never-give-up attitude, believes that this weekend’s game will be a real-time evaluation of how competitive the team will be for this year’s NLL Cup.

“This weekend is going to be a real test to see if we can get back on the right page,” Rubisch said. “But, I think we know that the slow start – being off for so long – it’s not time yet to hit that panic button.”

 

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