The Saskatchewan Rush won their fifth straight game and held on to first place in the NLL with a 15-10 victory over the Oshawa Firewolves on Saturday night in Saskatoon.
Ryan Keenan continued his hot streak, scoring four times in the first half and posting 10 goals over the past two weeks.
Oshawa found success on the power play thanks to penalty troubles from the Rush. The Firewolves went four-for-seven with the man advantage, while Saskatchewan finished one-for-one.
Jake Naso was once again dominant at the faceoff dot, winning 22 of 29 draws for Saskatchewan.
Frank Scigliano earned the win in goal for the Rush, stopping 34 of 44 shots. At the other end of the floor, Doug Jamieson made 38 saves on 52 shots in the loss.
First Quarter
The magic word of the first quarter was “review.”
Oshawa opened the scoring just 33 seconds into the game when Ethan Walker dove across the crease.
Ryan Keenan appeared to tie the game 10 seconds later, but officials initially couldn’t agree if the ball crossed the goal line. An overhead review appeared to show the ball did not cross the line, but the replay was ruled inconclusive and the head official’s call of a good goal stood.
The Firewolves retook the lead on the power play at 2:03 as Dyson Williams scored on an outside shot.
Another review followed when Williams appeared to score again at 3:27. The goal was called back after officials said he stepped into the crease before the ball crossed the line.
Saskatchewan tied the game at 6:09 when Robert Church found Keenan for a quick-stick goal.
The Rush took a 3-2 lead just 33 seconds later as Brock Haley buried a rebound.
Alex Simmons answered back at the 7:13 mark, diving through the crease to make it 3-3.
Saskatchewan regained the lead 24 seconds later when Josh Zawada went airborne and beat Jamieson.
The Firewolves appeared to tie the game on a power-play shot with 5:05 remaining, but the third review of the quarter determined the shot clock had expired. The goal was waved off, leaving Saskatchewan ahead 4-3 after one.
Second Quarter
The Rush took control in the second quarter, outscoring Oshawa 4-1.
Austin Shanks opened the scoring 2:17 in, finishing a pass from Levi Anderson to give Saskatchewan a two-goal lead.
Keenan completed his hat trick at 3:37 with a bouncing shot glove side to make it 6-3.
Scigliano then fired a long outlet pass to Zach Manns at 7:23. Manns jumped and went low to extend the Rush lead.
Keenan added his fourth of the half with a five-hole bouncer at 3:26, putting Saskatchewan up 8-3.
Simmons got Oshawa back on the board at 2:31, banking one off the post and in, but the Rush led 8-4 at the half.
Third Quarter
The second half started poorly for the Firewolves.
Holden Garlent picked up a loose ball and scored on a clear breakaway 3:04 into the third quarter to make it 9-4.
Oshawa replied at 3:57 as Walker found the back of the net to cut the lead to four.
Church answered at 5:17, picking up a rebound off the boards and scoring. Oshawa responded on the power play at 6:06, with Taggart Clark finishing from in close.
The Firewolves rounded out the scoring in the third at 7:58, beating Scigliano with a bouncing shot to make it 10-7 heading into the fourth.
Fourth Quarter
Saskatchewan ran into penalty trouble in the fourth quarter, allowing Oshawa back into the game.
Shanks found Manns cutting to the net shorthanded at 3:28, but momentum soon shifted.
Simmons scored on the power play at 5:33 with a five-hole shot, then struck again with an outside shot through traffic at 7:43 to make it 11-9.
The Rush responded at 9:58 when Shanks delivered a behind-the-back pass to Haley in front, restoring a three-goal cushion.
Jackson Nishimura scored in transition at 10:33 to pull the Firewolves back within two.
Saskatchewan sealed the win with 1:19 remaining as Keenan found Shanks at the side of the net to make it 13-10. Off the ensuing faceoff, Anderson scored, and Jake Boudreau added an empty-net goal with 11 seconds left to cap a 15-10 win — Saskatchewan’s fifth straight.
Zach Manns, Austin Shanks and Jimmy Quinlan commented after the game:
Top Scorers
Saskatchewan Rush
- Ryan Keenan, 4g, 3a
- Austin Shanks, 2g, 5a
- Zach Manns, 2g, 3a
Oshawa Firewolves
- Alex Simmons, 4g, 2a
- Taggart Clark, 1g, 4a
- Tye Kurtz, 1g, 3a
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