Rush Nation ready for a championship celebration

The scene after Jeff Cornwall’s NLL title winning goal in 2016.

    It was a madhouse at the SaskTel Centre.

    On June 4, 2016, the Saskatchewan Rush were looking to close out their first season in Saskatoon by capturing the National Lacrosse League championship. The Rush led the best-of-three series 1-0 over the Buffalo Bandits posting an 11-9 victory in Game 1 of the set in Buffalo on May 28, 2016.

    In Game 2 in Saskatoon, the Rush and Bandits were locked in a 10-10 tie, when a signature moment at the SaskTel Centre broke for the home side.

    Rush defender Jeff Cornwall picked up a loose ball in his own zone on a long rebound from a shot taken by a Bandits player. Cornwall broke into the clear on a breakaway and scored the winning goal off his coast-to-coast rush with 12 seconds to play.

Rush captain Chris Corbeil raises the Champion’s Cup in 2016.

    As the Rush went ahead 11-10, the sellout crowd of 15,182 spectators seemed to lose their mind celebrating into delirium. That moment might have been the loudest a crowd has ever cheered during a sporting event at the SaskTel Centre.

    The noise didn’t dissipate as the final 12 second ticked away and the 11-10 score in favour of the Rush held up as a final allowing them to sweep the series 2-0. The Rush had won their second straight NLL title with the first win coming in 2015 when the club was still located in Edmonton.

    The victory marked a rare time any local professional team from Saskatoon had won a championship on home turf.

    Tonight (Saturday night) at 7:30 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre, Rush Nation hopes to experience another championship celebration on home turf.

Rush Nation in action in Game 1 of this year’s NLL Championship series.

    The Rush, who are 16-5 including action in the regular season and playoffs, face the Rochester Knighthawks, who are 13-9 in the regular season and post-season, meet in a winner take all Game 3 of the NLL Championship series.

    The best-of-three series is tied 1-1 with each side claiming a victory in convincing fashion. The Rush posted a 16-9 victory in Game 1 on May 26 at the SaskTel Centre. The Knighthawks responded with a 13-8 win in Game 2 on June 2 at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, N.Y.

Rush Nation cheers a goal in Game 1 of this year’s NLL title series.

    The attendance for the Rush’s first two home playoff games has come in just shy of 12,000 in each of those contests. Now that the Rush near the end of their third season in Saskatchewan, it seemed some fans have been sitting on their hands during the post-season waiting for the game that will have a trophy presentation and a possible victory party at the end of the night.

    In Game 3 of the NLL Championship series, you will likely see Rush Nation at their raucous best. Attendance should approach or surpass 15,000 as people get the impulse itch to be part of something that doesn’t happen every day.

A couple of fans celebrate a Rush goal in Game 1 of this year’s NLL final.

    The Rush hold the SaskTel Centre record for a biggest crowd at a sporting event drawing 15,192 spectators on May 21, 2016, when they beat the Calgary Roughnecks to win that year’s West Division final.
    That win concluded a best-of-three series that the Rush swept 2-0.

    The fact their NLL championship clinching win drew 10 less spectators likely had more to do with how many people the fire marshall allowed into the box seats.

    With all that in mind, a Rush victory isn’t a guarantee as Knighthawks goaltender Matt Vinc and his defensive teammates will have a lot to say about the final outcome in Game 3. 

Ryan Keenan and Rush Nation hope Saturday night will be alright.

    Still, fans could be treated with another magical moment like the one Cornwall had two years ago that would lead to the Rush capturing the brand new National Lacrosse League Cup, which replaces the Champion’s Cup. Rush Nation will be satisfied with any type of victory by the host side be it a lopsided one or a barnburner type one in order to have a party once again that could go long into the night.

    No matter the end result, the deciding Game 3 of the NLL Championship series will provide a night everyone in attendance will remember for a long time.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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