Fans wanted the Cup and the Rush delivered
The Saskatchewan Rush and their fans wanted this one badly.
The game hadn’t even started when the chants began 20 minutes before the opening faceoff.
They continued eight minutes before the first ball would be placed in the circle and the chanting carried on late in the third quarter and again and again in the final quarter.
And they were still shouting it out loud after the game.
“We want the cup… we want the Cup… we want the cup.” They got it.
The Rush and their fans celebrated yet another National Lacrosse League championship title Saturday night, defeating the Rochester Knighthawks 15-10 before 13,645 fans at Sasktel Centre in Game 3 of their best-of-three final series.
Rush forward Jeff Shattler — a key free-agent signing in the offseason — was named the playoff MVP after elevating his game when it counted the most.
“I wanted it, man. I wanted it since I got here,” said Shattler. “That’s why I came here, because these guys had what it takes. I wanted to win a championship and we won it. I’m so glad for these guys.”
Shattler paced the Rush attack with four goals and an assist on Saturday.
“It was great, man. I can’t describe the feeling right now,” he said. “These guys, I love them like family. We sacrificed so much to get here and we were rewarded. We never went off our game plan, that’s why we won.”
Mark Matthews added eight assists to lead all point getters. Ben Mcintosh chipped in with two goals and four assists.
Chris Corbeil notched a hattrick, including an empty-netter, to put the game out of reach. Ryan Keenan, Curtis Knight and Marty Dinsdale added two goals apiece for Saskatchewan.
“This one meant a lot,” said the Rush captain Corbeil, who was the goat a year ago in a NLL championship final loss to the Georgia Storm when he mishandled a throw-in during the final moments of Game 2.
“I took a lot of ownership after what happened last year in the loss. I really think we should have advanced from Game 2 and played a Game 3 in Georgia, but because I dropped the ball, we weren’t able to. I’m just happy to get this done for my brothers and get these guys a championship I feel that they were owed.”
It was a third NLL crown for Cor- beil, yet this one was more special.
“It was the first one my dad (Ron Corbeil) ever watched in person, so this one is really special.”
Josh Currier scored four goals for the Knighthawks. Cody Jamieson added three goals and an assist. Joe Resetarits, Austin Shanks with a short-handed tally, and Eric Fannell also scored for Rochester, who trailed 6-4 at the half.
The Knighthawks took an 8-7 lead with 5:18 left in the third stanza but the Rush took over from there with four straight goals.
“It means a lot because there was such a disappointment last year,” said Rush head coach and GM Derek Keenan. “We had a really good team last year, but I’m so proud of the guys because of how dialed in they were right from training camp. That’s been the focus. I said to our guys in Toronto, after the first game, that I really thought that, for this organization, that last year was a blip on the radar, like we have to get back to it and we did and I’m really proud of the guys.” As for Shattler? “Unreal,” said Keenan. “It turned out to be a pretty good free agent signing. That’s why we brought him here. Veteran guy. He really got his offence going in the playoffs. Clearly the MVP of the playoffs and I’m really, really happy to have him as a member of our group.”
Evan Kirk stopped 37 of 47 shots on net to record the win for the Rush, who out-shot the Knighthawks 52-47. Matt Vinc made 37 saves for Rochester.
The Rush and Knighthawks have won six of the last seven league titles, with the Rush taking three ofthelastfour.
Overall, Rochester has four NLL championship banners and the Rush have three.
It was the first time a NLL final has gone to three games.
“It’s an awful feeling right now,” said a dejected Knighthawks coach Mike Hasen. “It sucks, big-time, that we weren’t able to finish the way we wanted.”
The game also marked the last outing with their respective teams for a number of players, as they brace themselves for the NLL expansion draft prior to next season.
Current NLL clubs are able to protect a total of 11 players, comprised of either one goalie and 10 runners or 11 runners and no goalie. Five of those players must be from offence.
That’s why I came here, because these guys had what it takes.