The Saskatchewan Rush were able to hold off a late charge by the Calgary Roughnecks to earn a 16-13 win in their home opener on Saturday night.
Saskatchewan opened with a 10-5 lead at halftime but was outscored 8-6 in the second half as Calgary began to find its footing.
The Rush were without faceoff specialist Jake Naso, and it showed, as Calgary won 26 of 33 draws.
It was a milestone night for the Rush’s Robert Church, who broke the franchise record for most games played in a Saskatchewan/Edmonton Rush uniform with 184 games. Calgary’s Tanner Cook also scored his 100th career goal.
First Quarter
Saskatchewan struck quickly. Mike Messenger found Jake Boudreau with an outlet pass off an eight-second violation, and Boudreau scored just 20 seconds into the game.
Church went top corner on the power play at 2:43 to make it 2-0.
Calgary got on the board at 5:22 when Noah Manning bounced one in to cut the lead to one.
The Rush answered at 6:58 as Ryan Keenan picked the top corner while taking a hit. Austin Shanks made it a two-goal run at 7:42 to put Saskatchewan up 4-1.
Saskatchewan then ran into penalty trouble, and Tyler Pace scored his second on the power play with 2:33 left to make it 4-2 after one quarter.
Second Quarter
The Rush carried the momentum into the second. Church used a strong pick to find space and scored 49 seconds in to make it 5-2.
Shanks extended the lead with a low outside shot at 1:05.
Pace responded with a shot through traffic at 2:20 to cut it to 6-3, but just 24 seconds later Keenan found Manns in front for Saskatchewan’s seventh of the night.
That goal ended the night for Aiden Walsh, who was pulled after allowing seven goals on 17 shots in favour of Cam MacLeod.
The change sparked Calgary’s offence. Brayden Mayea found Haiden Dickson for a quick-stick on the power play at 6:12.
Levi Anderson then found Church open in front for his hat trick goal 48 seconds later to make it 8-4.
Shanks made it a five-goal game at 10:27 with a floater off a feed from Keenan.
Kyle Pepper got Calgary back on the board, going coast-to-coast in transition with 1:19 left.
But Manns found Church alone beside the net with 55.2 seconds remaining, giving the Rush a 10-5 lead at halftime.
Third Quarter
Walsh returned to the Roughnecks’ net and settled in with some key saves.
Calgary struck first in the third, as Dickson’s outside shot beat Scigliano at 3:26 to make it 10-6.
Keenan answered at 5:37 with a high-to-low shot. Dickson added another with 1:54 left, trimming the lead to 11-7.
With Messenger down after a high hit, Mayea dove through the crease and scored with 1:05 remaining, cutting the Rush lead to 11-8 after three quarters.
Fourth Quarter
Calgary mounted a four-goal run in the fourth to get back into the game.
Saskatchewan opened the scoring when Ryan Barnable sprung Messenger in transition at 1:44 to restore a four-goal lead.
The Roughnecks replied 14 seconds later as Mayea deked through the Rush defence to make it 12-9.
Saskatchewan pushed back at 3:44 when Levi Anderson scored on a fadeaway as the shot clock expired.
Calgary’s run began at 4:35 with Tanner Cook ripping a shot to the top corner. Manning then scored at 6:33, and 30 seconds later Mayea bounced one in to cut it to 13-12.
Cook tied the game at 6:52, charging to the side of the net to make it 13-13.
Zach Manns put home the game-winner with 5:34 left. He later scored into the empty net with 14.1 seconds remaining, and Messenger added another empty-netter with 6.6 seconds left as the Rush sealed the 16-13 victory.
Zach Manns commented after the game:
Top Scorers
Saskatchewan Rush
- Austin Shanks, 3g 4a
- Ryan Keenan, 2g 5a
- Zach Manns, 3g 2a
- Robert Church, 4g
Calgary Roughnecks
- Haiden Dickson, 3g 4a
- Tyler Pace, 3g 4a
- Tanner Cook, 2g 3a
Don’t forget to check us out every Sunday night at 8pm (ET)
