With a big fourth quarter, the Saskatchewan Rush were able to pull off a 16-13 road win over the Calgary Roughnecks on Friday night in Scotiabank Saddledome.
It was an important game for both quads as they play two games this weekend. The Rush are back at it Saturday night in the friendly confines of the SaskTel Centre to face the Rochester Knighthawks. Meanwhile, Calgary has a day off before hosting the Las Vegas Desert Dogs on Sunday night.
This was the first action for Rush goaltender Frank Scigliano since missing a couple of games for the birth of his first child. He had a bit of a shaky start but settled down when it mattered in the second half.
Scigliano finished the game stopping 33 of 46 shots. Meanwhile, Gowah Abrams and Cam MacLeod split the time in goal, combining for 40 saves off 56 shots.
The win puts the Rush in prime position in second place 7-2, while the Roughnecks lost ground at 5-4.
Rush Hold Slight End In The First
Saskatchewan opened the scoring 44 seconds into the game. Ryan Keenan scored on a twister to give the Rush the early lead.
Mike Messenger would make it 2-0, going coast-to-coast to beat MacLeod at the 2:26 mark.
Calgary finally got on the board at 3:06. Tyler Pace let a shot go with the shot clock expiring to narrow Saskatchewan’s lead to 2-1.
The Rush answered right back. At 5:51, Adam Jay scored on a three-on-two in transition as the Rush went back up by two. At that point, the Roughnecks pulled MacLeod in favour of Abrams.
The goaltending switch worked as the Roughnecks came storming back with a two-goal run. Tyler Pace scored, diving across the crease, at 7:46.
Dane Dobbie followed that up on the power play with a beautiful shot through a screen at 9:59 to tie up the game.
Saskatchewan rounded out the first-quarter scoring. Keenan found Austin Shanks for the quick stick with 3:04 left as the Rush led 4-3 at the first break.
Roughnecks Come Back In The Second
Shanks struck again at 3:51 of the second quarter to make it 5-3. However, the Roughnecks would not go away.
Tyler Cook scored back-to-back goals for Calgary as they were able to even it up 5-5.
The Rush re-took the lead when Keenan found Zach Manns inside at 8:42.
The Roughnecks responded with a three-goal run to take their first lead of the game. Reece Callies scored in transition at 11:12, followed by Bennett Smith who stripped Mike Triolo and took the ball down the floor for the goal with 2:02 left on the clock.
Curtis Dickson rounded out the run with a spin move to the inside with 1:19 left to make it 8-6 for Calgary.
Keenan scored his second of the game with 40 second left to get the Rush within one. However, Jesse King scored with the extra attacker with 4.4 seconds on the clock to make it 9-7 for the Roughnecks at the half.
Rush Tie It up
Saskatchewan came out swinging in the second half. Levi Anderson’s long shot found the top corner at 3:06 to make it 9-8.
Calgary came back on the power play at 10:38. Dobbie sent a behind-the-back pass to Bennett Smith to restore the Roughneck’s two-goal cushion.
The Rush came storming back late in the third. With 2:09 left, Jake Boudreau found himself on a two-on-one. He used Bobby Kidd III as a screen to score to transition.
Robert Church then go in on the action. His shot around a screen with 1:14 left found the back of the net to tie it 10-10 heading into the fourth.
Rush Pull Away In The Fourth Quarter
Saskatchewa battled back to retake the lead 3:40 into the final frame. Holden Garlent took a step back and let a shot go to make it 11-10.
Curtis Dickson replied 34 seconds later for the Roughnecks as he, once again, got underneath the Saskatchewan defenders.
The Rush would then of on a three-goal run to put the game away. Brock Haley let a bouncer go at 5:18. Calgary made a switch in goal again after the Haley goal with Abrams coming out and MacLeod going back in.
It didn’t seem to make much of a difference. At 6:24, Shanks took a shot that was blocked but Church picked up the rebound and buried it to make it 13-11.
Church rounded out the three-goal run with his hat trick goal, going short side on MacLeod at 9:16.
The Roughnecks stopped the bleeding with 2:52 left in the game. With the extra attacker on the floor, Jesse King found the back of the net to pull Calgary within two.
However, Keenan dove across the crease with 1:37 left in the game as the Rush went up 15-12. Boudreau scored the dagger with 47 seconds left in the game.
Dobbie finished off the scoring in the fourth quarter with 26.2 seconds on the clock as the Roughnecks dropped a 16-13 decision.
Top Scorers
Saskatchewan Rush
Ryan Keenan, 3g 4a
Robert Church, 3g 4a
Austin Shanks, 2g 5a
Calgary Roughnecks
Curtis Dickson, 2g 5a
Dane Dobbie, 2g 4a
Jesse King, 2g 3a
Tanner Cook, 2g 3a
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