Rush use fast start to power past Mammoth
The Saskatchewan Rush improved their National Lacrosse League record to 4-5 with a 15-7 victory over the host Colorado Mammoth on Saturday in Denver.
The Rush jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first six minutes. By the end of the opening period, thanks to three goals from Zach Manns, Saskatchewan had a commanding 6-3 lead and never let up.
The closest Colorado got was pulling within 6-4 early in the second quarter, but the Mile High hosts were unable to narrow the score any further.
Ryan Keenan had five goals and three assists for the Rush, while Robert Church picked up three goals and five assists. Manns added three assists to go with his first-quarter goals for a six-point night.
Frank Scigliano made 32 saves on 39 shots in net for Saskatchewan.
Colorado started the game with Dillon Ward in net, but he was replaced early in the fourth quarter after stopping 33 of 46 shots. Tyler Carlson replaced him.
The Rush are back on the road Friday when they take on the host Buffalo Bandits (5-6).
BLAZERS TAKE 2-0 SERIES LEAD
The Saskatoon Blazers hold a 2-0 series lead over the Estevan Bears in their Saskatchewan male AAA hockey best-of-five quarterfinal.
The Blazers blanked the Great North Bears 4-0 on Sunday on goals by Cooper Ernewein, Preston Baerwald, Dayton Deschamps and Carter Ralston.
Grayson Malinoski made 30 saves for the shutout after Estevan outshot Saskatoon 30-23.
Hosting the No. 8 Bears, the topranked Blazers outshot the visitors 43-21 on their way to a 4-1 victory Saturday in Game 1. Dayne Beuker, Cohen Harris, Raiden Zacharias and Caine Wilke each scored for Saskatoon.
Elsewhere, the No. 2 Regina Pat Canadians, after going down 1-0 to the No. 7 Moose Jaw Warriors, scored four straight to win 4-1.
Meanwhile, the No. 3 Warman Wildcats picked up several goals in each period as they defeated the No. 6 Tisdale Trojans 7-2, and the No. 5 Prince Albert Mintos upset the host No. 4 Swift Current Legionnaires 4-3, with Owen Nelson netting a hat trick for the visitors.
Game 2 between the Mintos and Legionnaires was scheduled for Sunday in Prince Albert, but was postponed because of weather.
SASKATOON STARS FINISH REGULAR SEASON IN SECOND PLACE
Mother Nature is extending the Saskatchewan female U18 AAA league regular season as two games were postponed on the weekend because of weather.
The Swift Current Wildcats were scheduled to face the host Regina Rebels on Saturday, but that game was bumped to Monday night.
The Sunday game between Notre Dame Hounds and Weyburn Gold Wings was also not played, with a reschedule date still to be determined.
Six of the seven teams in the league still have one game left in their schedule to wrap up the regular season — the Saskatoon Stars are the only team to have completed their 30 games at this point — before playoffs are scheduled to start next weekend, but none of those games should have any bearing on the final standings.
The Rebels are in the top spot with 77 points with one game left to play, while the Stars have 76 points.
Notre Dame is third with 40 points, followed by the Battleford Sharks in fourth with 36 points, the Wildcats in fifth with 31 points, the Prince Albert Northern Bears in sixth with 27 points and the Gold Wings with 19 points for seventh place.
PJHL INTO SEMIFINALS
The Prairie Junior Hockey League began its best-of-seven north and south semifinals series on the weekend.
Taking on No. 1 Saskatoon Royals in the north semifinals, No. 4 Saskatoon Westleys picked up a 5-2 victory in Game 1 of the series on Saturday, while in the other north semifinal the No. 2 Saskatoon Quakers defeated No. 3 Delisle Chiefs 5-3 on Friday.
In the south semifinal, the second-ranked Regina Capitals shut out third-ranked Fort Knox 3-0 on Friday to take a 1-0 lead in their series.
The other south semifinal series features No. 1 Pilot Butte Storm and No. 4 Regina Silver Foxes.
The Westleys and Silver Foxes advanced to the semifinals after winning their respective best-ofthree series.
The Westleys defeated the Prince Albert Timberjaks 2-1 in the north series, with the Silver Foxes winning in two straight games over the Assiniboia Southern Rebels in the south.