Rush Force Game 3 in NLL Finals

Shawn Slaght

I've been a professional journalist since 2005 and I've covered sports across Saskatchewan and Alberta including World Cup Alpine Skiing, national and world curling championships and junior hockey. I've been cover lacrosse and the Saskatchewan Rush since 2017.

With their backs against the wall, the Saskatchewan Rush pulled off an 11–10 win over the Buffalo Bandits on Sunday night to force Game 3 in the NLL Championship Final.

The deciding game goes back to Buffalo on Saturday, May 24, at 4:30 p.m. ET.

The difference came in the fourth quarter. Where the Rush struggled to score in the fourth quarter of Game 1, Saskatchewan outscored Buffalo 3–1 in the final frame on Sunday night.

Once again, Jake Naso got the better of Connor Farrell at the faceoff dot, winning 14 of 24 draws.

As expected, it was also a goaltending duel. Matt Vinc stopped 41 of 52 shots, while Goaltender of the Year Frank Scigliano stopped 40 of 50 shots in the win.

For Saskatchewan, a Game 3 victory would mean their first championship since 2018, while the Bandits are still chasing history as only the second team to win three straight titles.

Quick Start for the Rush

It was a quick start for the Rush. Jake Boudreau went coast-to-coast 1:07 into the game. A long bouncer from Austin Shanks made it 2–0 at 4:01.

Ryan Keenan rounded out the three-goal run for the Rush at 9:08.

The Bandits got on the board with 3:40 left on the clock, as Dhane Smith charged the net to make it 3–1 after the first quarter.

Bandits Battle Back

Buffalo battled back early in the second quarter. Ian MacKay went top corner at 3:49, and Dhane Smith’s bouncer through traffic at 4:34 tied it up 3–3.

Saskatchewan got their power play going at 6:07, with Keenan going five-hole on Vinc. Robert Church then found Zach Manns in traffic at 7:49 to give Saskatchewan a 5–3 lead.

Buffalo looked as if they had scored at the 8:05 mark when Dhane Smith found Kyle Buchanan up the middle. However, upon further review, Buchanan had his foot in the crease and the goal was disallowed.

It didn’t faze the Bandits, as 52 seconds later Josh Byrne found Clay Scanlan to pull within one.

MacKay then tied it at 10:44, diving across the crease. This goal was also challenged, but this time it stood.

Tehoka Nanticoke found Scanlan at the side of the net to cap a three-goal run by the Bandits, giving Buffalo a 6–5 lead.

On a bit of a broken play, Boudreau let a rocket go with 0.9 seconds left in the half to tie it 6–6.

Buffalo Takes the Lead

The Bandits took the lead at 4:11 of the third quarter in highlight-reel fashion. Chase Fraser scored on a behind-the-back underhand shot to put Buffalo up 7–6.

Rookie Brock Haley came up big with 5:22 left in the quarter, taking an inside feed from Shanks and finding the back of the net to tie it.

However, the Bandits wouldn’t go away. Byrne scored on a bouncer with 3:50 remaining to retake the lead, 8–7.

Then came a wild finish to the third quarter. Clark Walter scored off a sidearm shot with 1:05 left to tie it 8–8. The Rush defense struggled to pick up a loose ball in the dying moments, which resulted in Fraser being left alone in front — and he buried it with 31.2 seconds left to make it 9–8 for Buffalo heading into the fourth.

Rush Force Game 3

The Rush elevated their game in the fourth quarter. It remained scoreless until the 6:06 mark, when Manns scored a howitzer on the power play to tie the game.

Saskatchewan then took the lead at 7:44 after a scramble for a loose ball landed in Shanks’ stick — and he made no mistake, putting the Rush up 10–9. Shanks struck again with 3:08 remaining to give Saskatchewan a two-goal cushion late in the game.

Pressing with the extra attacker, Buchanan scored on a twister with 1:05 remaining, but the Bandits couldn’t find the equalizer. The Rush held on for the 11–10 win to force Game 3 in Buffalo.

Rush forward Austin Shanks and co-head coach and general manager Derek Keenan gave their comments after the game: