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| The scene after Jeff Cornwall’s NLL title winning goal in 2016. |
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.
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| Rush captain Chris Corbeil raises the Champion’s Cup in 2016. |
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.
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| Rush Nation in action in Game 1 of this year’s 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.
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| Rush Nation cheers a goal in Game 1 of this year’s NLL title series. |
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.
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| A couple of fans celebrate a Rush goal in Game 1 of this year’s NLL 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.
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.
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| Ryan Keenan and Rush Nation hope Saturday night will be alright. |
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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