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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
FINAL
San Diego
17
Panther City
9
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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Sports Interaction Game of the Week Preview: COL at SAS

It’s situation critical for the Saskatchewan Rush at the halfway point of their NLL season.

“It’s a cliche but we’re looking at this as a must-win,” says Rush captain Chris Corbeil, as 2-6 Saskatchewan (-1.5; O/U 21.5) prepares to host the 6-2 Colorado Mammoth at SaskTel Centre on Saturday night in the Sports Interaction Game of the Week on TSN (8:30 p.m. ET).

“We can’t afford to lose this,” says Corbeil. “It would be really, really difficult to pull out of that hole.”

The Rush dropped a close one 12-10 to the Mammoth last weekend at the Loud House, Ball Arena, in Denver. And now Saskatchewan is in unfamiliar territory, facing the prospect of slipping out of the playoff race with another loss.

The Rush, NLL champions in 2015, ’16 and ’18, have not missed the playoffs since 2009 when the franchise was in Edmonton, and have not finished out of first place in the West since 2013. Heading into Saturday’s crucial matchup with Colorado, Saskatchewan has lost two straight, and is 1-4 in its last five games. Three of the Rush’s six losses this season have been by one goal.

Saskatchewan is 1-2 against the spread in its past three games, all against Western Conference opponents. The Rush were the favourite in those three games, including last weekend at Colorado. The Mammoth, meanwhile, are 3-1 against the spread in their past four games, all against Western teams as well.

“It’s probably the biggest game of the season for us, says veteran Saskatchewan forward Mark Matthews, who leads his squad with 38 points (13 goals, 25 assists). “Right now we’re on the outside looking in. If we get the win [Saturday] and we get on a roll during the back-half of the season, we can roll right into a playoff spot.”

The Rush’s recent woes can in part be traced to their rising goals-against and declining goals-for. This season, Saskatchewan is scoring 10.00 goals per game but giving up 10.75. During the 2020 pandemic-shortened season, the Rush were 11.1 goals for and 9.3 goals against (in 10 games). And during Saskatchewan’s last championship season in 2018, they were 14.1 goals for and 10.9 goals against.

“I think offensively we just aren’t scoring,” says Matthews, the 2018 NLL MVP and four-time First Team All-Pro. “We’re getting better as a group. It comes down to a few breaks here and there. Bounces go your way. Right now we’re not on the right side of those. It’s tough but hopefully [Saturday] we’ll be on other side of those.”

Captain Corbeil’s take on his team’s troubles: “It comes down to execution. We haven’t been playing that well. It’s tough. It’s been really tight. Against Halifax [in the Rush’s season opener, a 12-11 overtime loss] it felt like we won. The home opener versus Calgary [an 11-10 setback], nobody’s hitting panic button then. But those early ones mean a little bit more now.”

At Colorado last weekend, Saskacthewan was stymied by Mammoth goaltender Dillon Ward, who made 47 saves and at 6-foot-5 literally looms large in net.

“I think we played a pretty decent game,” says Matthews. “A few too many penalties and they scored some powerplay goals. We got 60 shots on net. Wardo stole game for them. He’s a great goalie, one of the best for a reason.

“Offensively we need to shoot a little bit better, get a little bit luckier. We hit four or five posts [last weekend]. We’ll bounce back, we’ll have the same plan, a few will drop for us and we’ll find our stride, and we’ll get on a bit of run here.”

The Rush defence is also planning to step up its play.

“It’s no secret that [Colorado’s leading scorer] Ryan Lee has been conduit to that team’s success. We got to stop him,” says Corbeil. “That team likes to go low to high, coming across top and letting it rip.”

Lee sits third in league scoring with 54 points (21 goals, 33 assists) in eight games played.

“It’s about limiting Lee’s chances for sure,” says Cobeil. “There are big bodies there clearing room for him, [Tyler] Digby, Zed [Williams]. The biggest thing we can do is stay out of the penalty box. It really stifled momentum for us, things got away.

“We played well enough to win, we just didn’t get the result. You got to quickly get over it, buckle up and attack this weekend the same way we approached last weekend and hope for a better result.

Corbeil underlines the importance of this Saturday’s game against the Mammoth: “We’ve played a tonne of divisional games but we haven’t lost a [three-game] season series yet, we haven’t suffered two losses,” he says.

Earlier this week, Saskatchewan brought in NLL veteran Eric Penney from Philadelphia to shore up their goaltending situation. Penney, who spent the majority of his five-year career in Vancouver, started in one game this season for the Wings, making 50 saves on 61 shots.

The Rush’s starting goalie this season, Adam Shute, has a 9.78 goals-against average and .770 save percentage. Heading into this season, Penney’s career goals-against average was 13.02 with a .762 save percentage and no playoff appearances but saw great improvements in the 2019-20 season with a .789 save percentage and 11.73 goals against average while setting a career high in minutes played.

Penney has a lot of familiarity with this Mammoth offense given his time with the Warriors. In one game during the 2019-20 season, Penney held the Mammoth offense to just five goals, saving 48 of 53 shots. This Mammoth team has gone through a renovation of sorts out the front door since then however.

Colorado, which has won three in a row on the road, isn’t overlooking Saturday either.

“We know how important this game is to both teams, and we’ll need to execute our game plan to be successful,” says the Mammoth’s Ward, the 2017 NLL Goaltender of the Year who this season sports a 9.58 goals-against average and .820 save percentage.

“We also have a pretty veteran group and have played these teams and players for many years,” says Ward. “Playing Sask last week will definitely give us a better idea of what to expect out of them. But on the flip side, they have that same advantage.

“Our coaches do a very good job of making sure we’re prepared heading into games. There’s no grey area in our game plans. Everyone knows exactly what’s expected, and are executing, and that gives me a great opportunity to play my game and have success.”

For more information on Sports Interaction: click here

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