Warriors hope Bold is gold against Rush
Vancouver goaltender won two NLL championships with Saskatchewan and knows team well
Aaron Bold is too savvy to offer up any trade secrets.
You could argue that few know the reigning champion Saskatchewan Rush as well as veteran netminder Bold, who spent six seasons with the National Lacrosse League club. You could likewise insist there aren’t many as wellversed in the Victoria-born goaltender as the Rush, who provide the opposition for Bold and the Vancouver Warriors on Saturday at Rogers Arena (7 p.m., Bleacher Report Live).
It’s an age-old fascination, that question of whether the shooter or the goalie has the advantage when they are familiar with one another. Bold, as you’d expect, neatly danced around the question when asked.
He won two NLL championships in his time with the Rush, highlighted by winning most valuable player honours in the finals in 2016. He was a combined 64-31 in the regular season with Saskatchewan, a stint which ended when he was dealt to the New England Black Wolves in the summer before last season.
Bold, 33, was Vancouver’s key free agent addition this off-season.
“Mark Matthews knows my tendencies,” Bold said of the Rush star, the reigning most valuable player in the league, “and I know his tendencies.
“I respect his shot, obviously. But there are other facets going on when he gets the ball. I need to be openminded. They have a lot of great shooters. I need to stop the ball. It’s that simple.
“I definitely want to beat them, but just like I want to win every other game. I’m not dwelling at all on the fact that I used to play there.”
Saskatchewan (1-1) is the league’s benchmark franchise, a squad that has been to four straight NLL finals.
“They are the one that we should all be modelling after and particularly with how they are able to keep the cupboards full with draft picks,” said Warriors general manager Dan Richardson.
The Warriors (1-3), meanwhile, are in rebuild mode after finishing a dismal 2-16 last year under the Vancouver Stealth banner when they were based out of the Langley Events Centre. They were sold to the Vancouver Canucks over the summer, moved to Rogers Arena and rebranded.
Bold did face the Rush once last season with the Black Wolves and it didn’t go to his liking, as he gave up 14 goals on 39 shots in 34 minutes in what became a 24-11 Rush win in Saskatoon.
Matthews had six goals and seven assists while Coquitlam product Ben McIntosh, who is one of nine Lower Mainland players listed on the Rush’s 21-man active roster, had five goals and four assists.
On the flip side, Vancouver seemed to take a step forward last weekend, playing a little closer to the gritty, hardnosed identity Richardson and coach Chris Gill are aiming for, with a 10-8 loss on the road to the Georgia Swarm.
Bold made 36 saves and Richardson said his play was “outstanding.”
Georgia won the league title two years ago. They have a skilled, pass-happy offence. That said, there is no better gauge in this league right now than playing Saskatchewan.
From his view, Richardson doesn’t buy the idea that Bold or the Saskatchewan shooters have some sort of an advantage on Saturday thanks to their history.
“So much comes down to how our defence plays and whether they can limit shooting lanes,” said Richardson.
The game has some added meaning to the Rush, since they have Vancouver’s firstround pick in next September’s NLL entry draft, thanks to a Jan. 19, 2015 trade that brought forward Corey Small to Vancouver. Small was traded away this November to the Buffalo Bandits for forward Mitch Jones.
The Rush also have the Toronto Rock’s first rounder next September.
Vancouver has the Rush’s second-round pick in 2020 after a December swap for defender Travis Cornwall.