Victory Over Rochester Extends Saskatchewan’s Win Streak To Four Games

Shawn Slaght

The Saskatchewan Rush swept their weekend of back-to-back games and extended their win streak to four games with a 17-9 victory over the Rochester Knighthawks on Saturday night.

After making the over six-hour bus trip back to Saskatoon from Calgary, it took some time for the Rush to get their feet back under them. After falling down 5-3 after the first quarter, they rebounded to take a 9-6 lead into halftime and never looked back.

The Rush made a few moves heading into their second game this weekend that paid dividends. Saskatchewan played Levi Anderson in Calgary and sat him in favour of Clark Walter back in Saskatchewan. Walter went off with a hat trick and an assist in the win.

For Rochester, their big guns were shut down. While Connor Fields had a hat trick and four points and Ryan Lanchbury had a six-point night, players like Thomas McConvey, Graydon Hogg, Brad Gillies and Curtis Knight were quiet.

Saskatchewan now becomes the first team to hit the eight-win game as they sit in second at 8-2. However, with the Buffalo loss on Saturday night to San Diego, it drops them to 7-1 and first place in now in Saskatchewan’s sights.

Mark March 1 at the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon as Buffalo and Saskatchewan will be squaring off in a battle that will more than likely be for first place and could be a championship final preview.

Slow Start For The Rush

Rochester struck first, with Connor Fields weaving through traffic to score at 5:03. But the Rush responded quickly, tying it up at 10:35 when Zach Manns found the back of the net, making it 1-1.

Saskatchewan took the lead at 11:16, with Manns setting up Mike Triolo in front for the goal. However, Rochester answered right back just 41 seconds later. Ryan Smith fired a perfect shot to the top corner at 11:57, tying the game 2-2.

With just 1:45 remaining in the quarter, Smith’s bouncer snuck in to put the Knighthawks up 3-2. The Rush wasted no time getting back in the game, as Ryan Keenan found Robert Church with a cross-floor pass at 1:34 to tie it 3-3.

Fields put Rochester back on top with a low-to-low shot at 1:10, regaining the lead for the Knighthawks. Then, with just 45.4 seconds left in the quarter, Ryan Lanchbury fired an outside shot to give the Rush a 5-3 lead heading into the second.

Saskatchewan Starts To Run Away

Saskatchewan came out strong in the second, with Manns finding Austin Shanks just 30 seconds into the frame to start a six-goal run for the Rush.

At the 3:48 mark, Matt Hossack tied it up 5-5 with a breakaway transition goal. Mike Messenger then found Clark Walter on the move at 5:00, giving Saskatchewan a 6-5 lead. Walter quickly struck again, just 23 seconds later, extending the Rush lead to 7-5.

Rochester made a goalie change, with Riley Hutchcraft stepping in for Rylan Hartley. At 6:06, Saskatchewan’s Frank Scigliano made a key save, and Keegan Bell picked up the rebound, streaking down the floor for a breakaway goal that made it 8-5.

Hartley returned to the net for the Knighthawks at 7:25, but Saskatchewan wasn’t done. Church set up Walter for another goal at 9:25, completing the Rush’s six-goal run.

With 9:54 on the clock, Fields netted a power-play goal for Rochester to make it 9-6, as the teams headed to the locker rooms at halftime.

Rochester’s Offence Goes Silent

Shanks came out strong to start the third, scoring just 25 seconds into the quarter to extend Saskatchewan’s lead to 10-6. Rochester fought back, with Matt Gilray scoring on a twister at 1:04 to narrow the Rush’s lead to 10-7.

At 4:39, Grayson Hogg scored while being hit, making it a two-goal game at 10-8. Church then answered with a dazzling behind-the-back goal 15 seconds later, putting the Rush back up by three at 11-8.

Saskatchewan kept rolling with Manns going airborne for a goal at 9:32, followed by Shanks picking the top corner at 11:49. By the end of the third quarter, the Rush had stretched their lead to 13-8.

Rush Extend Streak To Four Games

Saskatchewan was not going to let a win streak of four games slip through their grasp.

Shanks continued his dominant performance, scoring on the power play at 5:07 to make it 14-8. Saskatchewan then ran into penalty trouble midway through the fourth, giving Rochester a chance to respond.

At 6:50, Lanchbury took advantage of a five-on-three opportunity, scoring on a scramble to make it 14-9. But Saskatchewan wasn’t fazed. At 8:07, Rochester was called for an illegal substitution during a breakaway, resulting in a penalty shot. Church calmly stepped up and made no mistake, extending the Rush lead to 15-9.

Eight seconds later, Messenger won the ensuing draw, spun around a defender, and buried it to make it a seven-goal game at 16-9. Church rounded out the scoring at 10:20, firing an outside shot on the power play to seal a 17-9 victory for the Rush and extend Saskatchewan’s win streak to four games.

Rush co-head coach and general manager Derek Keenan and defenceman Jake Boudreau commented after the game: