Austin Shanks scored 1:40 into overtime in a wild finish as the Saskatchewan Rush defeated the Halifax Thunderbirds 10-9 to advance to the NLL Championship.
Halifax looked like it was about to force a Game 3 back in Saskatoon on Sunday night. The Thunderbirds went up by two goals with 1:36 left in the game. However, late-game heroics by Zach Manns and Matt Hossack forced overtime.
In the extra frame, it was Shanks—who had a sock trick in Game 1—who sank his former team to send Saskatchewan to the NLL Finals for the first time since 2018. They will face Buffalo, with Game 1 on Friday in Buffalo and Game 2 on Sunday in Saskatoon. If needed, Game 3 will be played on Saturday, May 24, back in Buffalo.
Fast Start for the Rush
Saskatchewan got on the board first, with Robert Church putting one over the shoulder of Warren Hill at 5:06.
Then, on a five-minute power play, Zach Manns scored at 10:11, followed by Church at 10:39, as the Rush went up 3-0 early.
Halifax got on the board at 11:21, with Dawson Theede’s bouncer getting by Frank Scigliano to narrow the lead to 3-1.
The Rush replied 31 seconds later, with Holden Garlent scoring on a breakaway.
The Thunderbirds scored a pair of quick goals to end the quarter. Randy Staats found Thomas Hoggarth alone in front with 34 seconds left. With the extra attacker, Staats scored off a quick stick with 1.2 seconds remaining to make it 4-3 after one.
Defenses Hold Strong in the Second
Defenses—especially for Halifax—tightened up in the second quarter.
Hoggarth scored at 6:46 to tie the game. The goal went under review for a non-shooter in the crease, but the refs ruled it inconclusive and allowed the goal to stand.
Saskatchewan rounded out the scoring at 8:06 when Bobby Kidd III found Ryan Keenan off the bench for a quick-stick goal, giving the Rush a 5-4 lead at the half.
Halifax Fights Back
Halifax clawed its way back into the game, with Clarke Petterson scoring from the side of the net on the power play at 2:37.
The Rush answered right back. Mike Messenger fought off a hold to break away and scored at 3:23 to put Saskatchewan ahead 6-5.
However, Petterson’s sidearm bouncer with 3.8 seconds left tied the score at 6-6 heading into the fourth quarter.
A Wild Finish
Both defenses held strong until late in the fourth quarter.
Theede gave Halifax the lead with 3:23 on the clock, fighting through a double team. Shanks tied it up with a sidearm bouncer at 2:57.
Hoggarth came up big for the Thunderbirds, scoring top corner with 2:33 left and adding another at 1:36 as Halifax took a 9-7 lead.
With the extra attacker on the floor, Manns’ outside shot with 43.7 seconds left found the back of the net.
Halifax had possession with about 14 seconds left and needed to kill off the clock. Hill passed the ball to Ryan Terefenko at the centre line, but a diving Messenger stripped the ball and fed a wide-open Matt Hossack. He put a bouncer past Hill with 5.7 seconds on the clock to tie it 9-9 and send the game into overtime.
The wild finish continued. At 1:30 into overtime, Mike Robinson was assessed a five-minute boarding penalty and a game misconduct for his second major penalty of the game.
Ten seconds into the power play, Austin Shanks let go a bounce shot that found the net to make it 10-9, sending the Rush to their first NLL Final since 2018.
Austin Shanks, Holden Garlent and Jimmy Quinlan commented after the game:
Top Scorers
Saskatchewan Rush
Robert Church, 2g 3a
Zach Manns, 2g 2a
Austin Shanks, 2g 2a
Halifax Thunderbirds
Dawson Theede, 2g 4a
Thomas Hoggarth, 4g
Mike Robinson, 4a
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