Shattler key in delivering NLL championship back to Rush

Forward scores four in series deciding Game 3, named MVP

Jeff Shattler (#77) meets Chris Corbeil with the NLL Cup.

    A major off-season addition paid off big in bringing the NLL title back to the Saskatchewan Rush.

    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 win allowed the Rush to win the best-of-three series 2-1 and capture their third NLL title in the last four years. They raised the brand new National Lacrosse League Cup, which replaced the Champion’s Cup as the circuit’s title trophy.

    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.

    “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.

    He came into Game 3 on Saturday motivated to have a big performance.

    “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 1^st 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.” 

Jeff Shattler celebrates one of his four goals on Saturday.

    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.

    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.

    “Not everyone has that shot in their repertoire. He was kind of fading away from the net. I think Vinc thought he was going far short side and he rolled it far side.”

    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.

    “We went into Calgary his first game back, and he put in a tonne great years for Calgary, and they didn’t do anything special for him there,” said Corbeil. “That rubbed me the wrong way.

    “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.

    Corbeil had a hat trick for the Rush, while Ben McIntosh, Ryan Keenan, Curtis Knight and Matthew Dinsdale each scored twice. Mark Matthews recorded eight assists for the Rush.

    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.

    The Rush left Edmonton following the 2015 campaign after the club was unable to secure a long-term lease deal.

    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.

    On Saturday, I had the opportunity to cover Game 3 of the NLL championship series for The Canadian Press.

    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.

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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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Rush push Riders into back seat - at least in Saskatoon

Zack Greer celebrates scoring for the Rush.

    For one of those rare moments in Saskatchewan, the CFL’s Roughriders are going to be No. 2 in the sports scene, or at least in Saskatoon.

    As Roughriders training camp enters its early stages, the provincial sports scene is dealing with season creep from a new source in the Saskatchewan Rush of the National Lacrosse League. Unless you have been living under a rock, you will know the Saskatchewan Rush, who are based in Saskatoon, have been doing well in their first campaign in a province that boasts having the “Land of the Living Skies.”

    The Rush have drawn over 13,000 fans to each of their last five home dates. That includes setting a SaskTel Centre record for attendance at a sporting event with 15,192 people coming out to their last home outing on May 21. On the record night, the Rush downed the Calgary Roughnecks 12-9 to sweep the best-of-three West Division final 2-0.

    Thanks to that win, the Rush advanced to the best-of-three Champion’s Cup NLL championship series against the Buffalo Bandits.

    Going into the league title series, optimism was high the Rush could win it all again from the local supporters in Saskatchewan. The Rush won the NLL title last season, when the franchise was still Edmonton.  As the Saskatchewan Rush, they claimed Game 1 of the 2016 Champion’s Cup 11-9 last Saturday in Buffalo.

Fans take part in tailgating before the Rush game.

    Game 2 is set for this coming Saturday at 7 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre, and the Rush have the chance to win it all.

    If you haven’t been to a Rush home game, you have been missing out. You can find tailgating going on in the SaskTel Centre parking lot before games or just outside of the facility’s fences. Games really are one big party, and the action of an NLL contest feels like it is non-stop.

    Saturday’s game has the potential of being an even bigger party. If the Rush win, the fans will be in a euphoric mood due to the fact a league title will be claimed. Not many teams in Saskatoon have had a chance to win something like the Champion’s Cup on home turf.

    If the Rush win, people will pour out of the SaskTel Centre and back into the city most likely looking to celebrate by drinking more alcoholic beverages than former Major League Baseball pitcher David Wells did after a World Series win.

Goalie Aaron Bold is favourite among Rush fans.

    People in Saskatchewan like to party, and a Rush win on Saturday provide ample opportunity to go nuts and likely phone in sick for work on Monday.

    The Roughriders, in contrast, will be a week into training camp this coming Saturday. You might take in a bit of the festivities at their Green and White day function that runs from 2 to 9 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field before venturing off to the Rush game.

    Roughriders season is really in its infancy, and you will have plenty of opportunity to focus on them. Besides, their regular season doesn’t start until June 30, when they host the Toronto Argonauts at 8 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium, and CFL playoffs are way off in November.

    For this week in Saskatoon, it is all about right now. The Saskatoon city buses are driving around flashing “Go Rush Go” signs. Sports fans and bandwagon jumpers alike want to see this story run to its finish.

Mark Matthews checks out the Rush fans celebrating a West final win.

    To be fair, if you travel outside of Saskatoon’s borders throughout the rest of the province, it is harder to find Saskatchewan Rush gear. Rush merchandise isn’t sold at most CO-OP outlets like the ones in “the Bridge City.” You can still find tonnes of Roughriders merchandise at the CO-OPs located outside of Saskatoon.

    Even with that in mind, you don’t care if you live in Saskatoon. Heck, the Roughriders themselves have probably heard news about the Rush and would probably love to check out what all the fuss is about at the SaskTel Centre on Saturday night.

    Right now, the Saskatoon sports fan is thinking, “It is the Rush’s time baby. Let’s go get this won and go crazy.”

Epic finish for Red Deer’s Memorial Cup, other thoughts

Fans show a sign to support Fort McMurray fire victims at Memorial Cup.

    The 2016 Memorial Cup in Red Deer turned out to be the perfect hit.

    The Rebels hosted a fantastic event, which saw fans pack the Enmax Centrium for games and the neighbouring pavilions on the grounds of Western Park for Fan Fest, the Hockey Hall of Fame display and the Molson Hockey House. Off the ice, the Memorial Cup was going to be a success.

    As what seem to be a just reward, the action on the ice turned out to be memorable, when the tournament’s last three games rolled around. In the final round robin game on Wednesday, the host Rebels eliminated the WHL champion Brandon Wheat Kings from the tourney as Evan Polei netted the winner in OT in a 2-1 victory. A total of 7,327 spectators packed the Centrium, which is listed as having a capacity of 7,000 in the WHL guide and record book for 2015-16.

    The Rebels put on a strong fight in the tourney’s semifinal contest but fell 3-1 to the QMJHL champion Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 3-1. A total of 7,562 spectators turned out for that contest.

Red Deer fans support their Rebels at the Memorial Cup.

    In Sunday’s final, the OHL champion London Knights rallied from a 2-1 deficit against the Huskies to pull out a 3-2 Memorial Cup championship winning victory in overtime on a winner coming from the stick of elite NHL Entry Draft prospect Matthew Tkachuk. A total of 7,384 fans turned out for that match.

    The lowest attendance figure for any of the event’s eight games was 7,181, which came in the round robin clash that saw the Knights down the Huskies 5-2 last Tuesday.

    After closing with an epic championship game, the Memorial Cup in Red Deer becomes a lofty standard bearer for future Memorial Cup tournaments to be measured against. The OHL’s Windsor Spitfires and their organizing committee have a lot to live up to in 2017.

• On Monday, former Medicine Hat Tigers great Tom Lysiak passed away at age 63 after a battle with leukemia. He played for the Tigers in their first three seasons of existence from 1970 to 1973 collecting 118 goals and 209 assists in 195 regular season games. He helped the Tigers win their first WHL title in 1973 and advance to play in that year’s Memorial Cup at the storied Montreal Forum. After his Tigers days were done, Lysiak went on to play 919 regular season games in the NHL with the Atlanta Flames and Chicago Blackhawks. When Lysiak passed, he likely took a huge amount of colourful and untold hockey stories with him from a time when the sport was a little more on the wild side. Tigers iconic play-by-play voice Bob Ridley said it best writing on Twitter, “The greatest Tiger ever Tom Lysiak, passed away this a.m. after a long fight with cancer. Condolences to the family.”
• On Sunday, the Saskatoon Valkyries (3-1) found out they will open the Western Women’s Canadian Football League playoffs against the Manitoba Fearless (1-3) on June 12 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field in a Prairie Conference semifinal match. The other Prairie Conference semifinal that day will see the defending league champion Regina Riot (3-1) host the Winnipeg Wolfpack (1-3). The times of both games is still to be determined.
• On Monday, It was cool to see guard Laura Dally sign a one-year professional contract to play professional basketball with BG ’89 Avides Hurricanes Rotenburg in Germany. Dally played her final campaign in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport ranks this past season and helped the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s team win their first national title. Dally, who stands 6-feet, was named the most outstanding player in the Canada West Conference, and she was a first team all-Canadian all-star. She has also been selected to join Canada’s senior national team for a European exhibition tournament in June.
• Switching to something not sports related, here is hoping a major music label signs Saskatoon rock group One Bad Son. I saw them play the Roughriders kickoff party on Friday night at O’Brians Events Centre, and they were amazing. They have to be the best young rock group I have seen in some time. Unfortunately, major labels still seem to push mainly pop acts. This foursome should be way bigger than they are.
• On front that was uplifting, Gregg Drinnan was a winner of a Paul Carson Broadcast and Media award on Thursday for his Taking Note blog. Taking Note was saluted as B.C.’s best sports related blog from outside Vancouver for a second straight year. Last year, Taking Note was an independent operation and it moved under the umbrella of TheCoachesSite.com last summer. Drinnan’s win is inspiring, and it proves there is life outside of the mainstream media. When it comes to covering the WHL, Drinnan is widely viewed as the best ever. Taking Note 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.

Oh what a Rush

The Rush's Crush Dance Team has been very visible in Saskatoon.

    If you live in Saskatoon, it almost seems impossible to escape the hype surrounding the Saskatchewan Rush.

    On Friday, the province’s National Lacrosse League team opens its much anticipated home schedule hosting the Vancouver Stealth at 7:30 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre. That SaskTel Centre will be the place to be on Friday night. The anticipation level was upped a few notches when the Rush posted a thrilling 10-8 comeback victory over the Roughnecks in Calgary on Jan. 2.

    The Rush enter the current NLL campaign as defending league champions having won the Champion’s Cup last season in Edmonton. After spending 10 seasons in the Alberta capital, the Rush were forced to relocate after they were unable to secure a home venue.

    As the NLL is a well-established league, people in Saskatoon have been jumping on the bandwagon to support a club that has the makings to be a league power for some time. After the club opened its business office on 2^nd Avenue South across from Midtown Plaza, more and more residents have been spotted around “The Bridge City” sporting Rush gear. The excitement over the team is also trickling throughout the province.

    After seeing their season opener broadcast on TSN, it looks like the Rush will be a whole lot of fun to watch. It really seems like the hype is warranted.

    Actually, the Rush has a huge opportunity to really build a fan base rapidly in Saskatchewan. Out of the club’s 18 regular season games, it is possible to view 13 of them, if you attend all nine home games and the four road contests that are shown on TSN. If the Rush repeat their accomplishments of a season ago, their players will become household names.

    If all goes well, TSN might be showing post-season games from the SaskTel Centre.

    For now, feel free to enjoy the fact that the hype is likely very real. Allow yourself to enjoy the Rush.

Huskies Saskatoon’s most exciting hockey team

The Huskies celebrate a goal at the Rutherford Rink.

    While the Rush have a lot of hype, a well-established local team that dates back to 1910 is having a pretty good season to say the least.

    The University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey team has been Saskatoon’s most exciting hockey club this season, and the Dogs have reclaimed a spot as one of the premier teams in Canadian Interuniversity Sport. After posting an uncharacteristic 10-15-3 last season, the Huskies top the Canada West standings with a 15-3 mark so far this season.

    With an infusion of a number of talented young forwards, the Huskies have returned to playing a real up tempo style this season that has been fun to watch. Everyone has been chipping in too, as 10 players have 10 or more points so far in the current campaign.

    The dynamic rookie line of Kohl Bauml, Levi Cable and Andrew Johnson are first, second and third respectively in team scoring. Bauml has five goals and 13 assists, Cable 11 goals and five helpers and Johnson has popped home eight goals and seven assists.

    Defence was a strong spot for the Huskies last season, and that hasn’t changed with a veteran group including Zak Stebner, Kendall McFaull, Connor Cox, Jordan Fransoo and Jesse Forsberg leading the way.

    Sophomore goalie Jordon Cooke, who is a graduate of the Western Hockey League’s Kelowna Rockets, has been spectacular recording a 13-3 record, a 2.43 goals against average, a .926 save percentage and one shutout. He has shown the ability to steal games, which helped him be named the Canadian Hockey League’s goalie of the year back in 2014.

    Cooke has been overlooked for a serious professional shot due to the fact he stands only 5-foot-10, but there is no denying he has professional level talent.

    The Huskies host the University of Calgary Dinos (7-8-3) on both Friday and Saturday night at 7 p.m. at the ancient Rutherford Rink. If you haven’t seen the Huskies men’s team play in a while, now would definitely be a good time to check out a game and get reacquainted with the team.

Releases of Dressler and Chick tough to swallow

    Saskatchewan residents received a reminder of how cruel the business of professional sports can be.

    On Thursday, the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders released beloved veterans John Chick and Weston Dressler, which caused immediate shock and dismay among “Rider Nation.” The move was made to give the club’s new management group - led by new head coach and general manager Chris Jones - more room to work with under the salary cap.

    The moves caused the Roughriders to be the province’s biggest sporting news story on a cold day on Jan. 14. Actually, it is quite common for the Roughriders to be the biggest sports newsmakers on any given winter day.

    Chick and Dressler are two of the team’s biggest stars, who have been long established as premier players in the CFL. What makes their respective releases that much more tough to swallow is the fact they have been entrenched in the province’s community since joining the “Green and White.”

    Both are the perfect examples of players you want representing your team in the community. They are personable and friendly guys who are very approachable. While they are not from Saskatchewan originally, they are basically viewed as neighbours.

    Their release is almost the equivalent of watching a close family member go work in a country far away.

    Roughriders fans have experienced this same gut punches in the past, when the team released other popular stars that had reputations just like Chick’s and Dressler’s like Don Narcisse, Bobby Jurasin and Dan Farthing. All of those departures were emotionally hard to take. Unfortunately, that is the dark side of professional sports.

    With that in mind, Chick was a key part of the Grey Cup championship teams in 2007 and 2013, and Dressler also earned a Grey Cup ring in 2013. Both will be future member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, and they will always be Roughriders legends.

Golf allows Nelson to travel the world

Wyatt Nelson-Zook, left, hangs with his father Gerry Nelson.

    One of my big recent thrills was getting the opportunity to write a long feature story Canadian blind golf champion Gerry Nelson for the Saskatoon Express.

    The 52-year-old Saskatoon resident lost his sight due to complications from diabetes at the age of 25. From that huge setback, Nelson built as storied career as a blind golfer.

    When you get the chance to sit down and visit with Nelson, he can captivate you with the vast amount of stories he can tell like the late great iconic CFL head coach and general manager Cal Murphy could.

    Nelson can often be found at the SaskTel Centre as a regular in the crowd at Saskatoon Blades WHL games along with his 12-year-old son Wyatt Nelson-Zook. Wyatt gives his father the play-by-play of the contest.

    Gerry Nelson’s amazing story 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.