Forward scores four in series deciding Game
3, named MVP
Jeff Shattler (#77) meets Chris Corbeil with the NLL Cup. |
On August 3, 2017, the Rush signed free agent Jeff Shattler
to a two-year contract. Shattler, who stands 6-feet and weighs 198 pounds, had starred
at forward and at transition with the Calgary Roughnecks for the previous 11
seasons.
He helped the Roughnecks, who are the Rush’s biggest rival,
win an NLL title in 2009 and was named the NLL’s MVP and top transition player in
2011.
The 33-year-old proved he still has a lot of gas in the tank
as far as the sport of lacrosse is concerned piling up 24 goals, 36 assists and
76 loose ball pickups in 17 regular season games with the Rush in the 2018
campaign.
In a winner take all Game 3 of the National Lacrosse League
championship series on Saturday night at the SaskTel Centre, Shattler came
through with one of his biggest performances of his professional career. He
fired home four goals and picked up an assist as the Rush downed the Rochester
Knighthawks 15-10 before 13,645 spectators.
Jeff Shattler was signed by the Rush as a free agent. |
The Rush were swept in last year’s NLL title series 2-0 by
the Georgia Swarm.
Shattler joined the Rush to help them win the NLL title.
Shattler joined the Rush to help them win the NLL title.
“We proved that we were the best team this year,” said
Shattler. “We worked our bags off (and) sacrificed every weekend away from our
families traveling.
“I was away from my kids. It was all worth it, when that
buzzer went. We got to raise that cup.”
For his efforts, Shattler was named the MVP of the NLL
playoffs. He piled up eight goals and seven assists in the Rush’s four
post-season contests.
In Saskatchewan 13-8 loss in Game 2 to the Knighthawks in
Rochester on June 2, Shattler had a hat trick and four assists to pace the Rush
offence.
Jeff Shattler spent 11 seasons with the Calgary Roughnecks. |
“I love playoffs,” said Shattler.
“I’ve always been a playoff player.
“I love the intensity of it. I
love that it is a do or die situation. That is why I play lacrosse.
“I can’t tell you how happy I am
right now.”
Rush head coach Derek Keenan joked that the team’s general
manager was a smart guy, when it came to signing Shattler. Of course, Keenan
fills the role of general manager with the Rush too.
With Rush having played against Shattler for such an
extended time, Keenan thought it would be wise to have the high-intensity
forward on the Rush’s side for once.
“We targeted Jeff Shattler,” said
Keenan. “August 1st at midnight, I was on the phone to him, and he
was all in from the beginning.
“It took us 24 hours to get a deal
done. He was great all year. He fit in all year.
“His offence took over in the
playoffs.”
Keenan said Shattler’s power-play goal at the 11:05 mark of
the third quarter was a key play for his club. The Knighthawks had just scored
three straight goals to go ahead 8-7, and Shattler’s power-play tally, which
was his fourth goal of the night, drew the Rush even at 8-8.
Jeff Shattler celebrates one of his four goals on Saturday. |
In the process, Keenan was impressed with how Shattler
fooled Knighthawks goalie Matt Vinc, who has won the NLL’s goaltender of the year
award five times, on the equalizer that came with the man advantage.
“He (Shattler) made big plays at
big times when we needed a goal,” said Keenan. “The power-play goal he got,
that was a special shot.
Grandma Rush celebrates a Rush goal on Saturday. |
Rush captain Chris Corbeil said
the biggest reinforcement that showed Shattler was accepted as part of the team,
where the Rush players cared for him like family, came during the club’s sixth
regular season game on Jan. 27 on the road against the Roughnecks. That
contest, which the Rush won 13-12, marked the first time Shattler played in
Calgary since leaving the Roughnecks.
Shattler received the silent
treatment from the Roughnecks, which didn’t sit well with the Rush.
Mark Matthews had eight assists for the Rush on Saturday. |
“I know it rubbed his family the
wrong way, and he is able to come out here and get an MVP. I don’t think he is
thinking about that anymore. I couldn’t be happier for the guy.”
On the lacrosse turf, Corbeil was
impressed with Shattler’s smarts for the game.
“This is a detailed tough offence
to work your way into,” said Corbeil. “He got in there and had an impact
immediately and found a way to contribute and found a way to fit right in.”
Shattler’s power-play goal started
a four goal run for the Rush, which allowed them to take an 11-8 lead at the
2:08 mark of the fourth quarter. In the back-and-fourth affair, the Knighthawks
responded with a pair of goals to cut the Rush edge to 11-10.
Saskatchewan closed the contest
scoring four straight goals to seal victory.
Rush forward Matthew Dinsdale is set to score on this circus shot. |
Josh Currier powered the Knighthawks attack with four goals,
while Cody Jamieson had a hat trick.
Joe Resetarits, Austin Shanks and Eric Fannell scored
singles for Rochester.
Evan Kirk made 37 saves to pick up
the win in goal for the Rush. Vinc turned away 37-of-51 shots to take the
setback in goal for the Knighthawks.
The Rush claimed their first
league title back in 2015 in the franchise’s final season in Edmonton. They won
their second title in 2016 in their first season in Saskatchewan.
The Rush celebrate winning the NLL championship. |
Reflecting on Saturday’s outing
along with his long career, Shattler said that one ranks with his best
performances.
“I would have to say it would be
one up there,” said Shattler. “It was one of the biggest ones.
“It was amazing. I’ll never forget
this night. Absolutely amazing I got to share it with my wife and this family
of mine behind me.
“We’re the champs this year, and
we will be back harder next year.”
“Mission accomplished” Rush gamer for The
Canadian Press
A number of veteran Rush players pose with the NLL Cup. |
The Canadian Press game story
focused on the fact the Rush accomplished a mission to once again win the NLL
title after being swept 2-0 in the 2017 NLL championship series by the Georgia
Swarm. That story talked about how the first quarter in Game 3 on Saturday
between the Rush and Knighthawks was a defensive struggle.
The Knighthawks scored the game’s
first goal with 44.9 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
From there, the offences on both
sides exploded in a back-and-forth battle. The Rush weren’t able to seal
victory until scoring the final four goals in the fourth quarter.
My story for The Canadian Press
laid out on the website of 680 News can be found right here.
If you have any
comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them
to stankssports@gmail.com.
-------
If you like what you
see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like
this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the
DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.