The nine-team NLL is about to go out in a blaze of glory.
One of the most competitive seasons in the league’s 32-year history has preceded the arrival of the San Diego Seals and the Philadelphia Wings. It’ll be the Saskatchewan Rush versus the Rochester Knighthawks beginning Saturday in Saskatoon with the first team to win two games to hoist the new NLL Cup, and then there will be 11.
The Rush have a statistical edge, but the Knighthawks have been the best for the last two months. It’s a tossup.
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Saskatchewan: 1st overall, 14-4; defeated Calgary 15-13 in division final.
Rochester: 4th overall, 10-8; defeated New England 15-11 and Georgia 9-8 in division playoffs.
Rochester won both games it played against Saskatchewan during the regular season.
Feb. 17: Saskatchewan 11 at Rochester 16. Rochester had a 54-52 shots edge. Matt Vinc made 41 saves. Evan Kirk was replaced. Cody Jamieson scored three goals and Austin Shanks, Josh Currier and Kyle Jackson supplied two each. For the Rush, Mark Matthews and Ben McIntosh scored three goals each. On power plays, Saskatchewan was 4-for-4 and Rochester was 2-for-2. Jake Withers won 19 of 29 faceoffs for the Knighthawks.
March 24: Rochester 13 at Saskatchewan 10. Shots were 53-53. Matt Vinc again earned the goaltending win with 43 saves. Kirk stopped 40. Austin Shanks led the ‘Hawks with five goals, Eric Fannell scored three and Joe Resetarits two. Robert Church got four and Ben McIntosh two for the Rush. On power plays, Rochester was 2-for-4 and Saskatchewan was 4-for-8. Jake Withers won 14 of 27 faceoffs and Jeremy Thompson fared better this time by going 13 for 27.
“We certainly have to play a lot better than we did in the two losses to them,” Rush coach Derek Keenan said. “They beat us handily so we have to be a whole lot better in every area. We didn’t play with enough tempo. It’s a key for us to make teams play a lot faster than they want to and we didn’t do that in those two games. When we play at a high tempo and dictate the pace, it’s easier to get our transition and offense going.”
“We got lucky two times against them in the regular season,” Knighthawks coach Mike Hasen said in downplaying the 2-0 sweep. “We worked really hard to get them but those two wins mean nothing now. That Calgary game, [the Rush] were bang-on in doing what they do best. We’ll have to be 10 times better against them than we were during the regular season.”
OFFENSE
Saskatchewan has scored an average of 14.2 goals a game in 19 games, while Rochester has scored an average of 13 in 20 games. Mark Matthews has been at the centre of the Rush attack with a league-record 84 assists in the regular season. Nine different Rush players, some of them pulling in pinpoint passes from Matthews, scored goals in the division final.
“That’s when we’re at our best, when we have balance,” Keenan said. “Our transition game was outstanding against Calgary. If not for their goalie, we would have really filled [the net] up. Towards the end of the season we were a little off but we amped it up in that game.”
Cody Jamieson, completing an impressive comeback after missing last season rehabbing from knee surgery, is a key offensive threat for the Knighthawks.
“His season is continually getting better,” Hasen said. “I know from watching Jammer every week that he’s got stronger. Every week he’s getting into more Jammer-like situations, driving harder to the net. Last game against Georgia, he carried us all game long, especially that first half, on his back.”
DEFENSE
Two of the best back ends in the business will go at it. Saskatchewan has allowed an average of 11 goals a game, while Rochester has allowed 11.5 a game. The Rush have four-time defensive player of the year Kyle Rubisch. The Knighthawks have Graeme Hossack, who is an intimidating presence in just his third year in the league.
GOALTENDING
Matt Vinc of the Knighthawks had a save percentage of .782 during the regular season and has upped it to .833 in his two playoff wins.
Evan Kirk of the Rush had a save percentage of .777 during the regular season and .717 in the division final.
“Matt Vinc is back to being Matt Vinc,” Keenan said of the five-time goalie of the year. “He’s been tough to beat this year, so consistent. We need to get into areas where we’re going to get quality shots and that’s not going to be easy because their defense is so big and fast.”
POWER PLAYS
Saskatchewan’s success rate is 68.9 percent through 19 games. That’s best in the league. Rochester’s success rate is 57.5 through 20 games, which is second best.
LONG WAIT
Saskatchewan got a bye to its division final and waited for two weeks after eliminating Calgary to get back into action. A problem?
“No,” Keenan said. “If any team is accustomed to byes, its us. This is our eighth bye. We’re not concerned about it at all. Our guys take care of their fitness and will be ready. If anything, we’ll be rested, healthy and ready to go.”
HE’S A PRO
With a wealth of talent among forwards who take shots from the right side, Keenan had the unenviable task of telling Dan Dawson he’d be a healthy scratch for the division final. Ben McIntosh, Matthew Dinsdale and Curtis Knight got to play while the captain of Canada’s 2015 world indoor gold medallists watched.
“Not easy,” Keenan said of informing Dawson. “We’ve got depth on our right side, which is a good thing, but you’re talking about a guaranteed first-ballot hall of famer. At the same time, he’s a pro. He was great at halftime with the guys. He’s a great leader. He’s going to buy in regardless. It was a gut feeling to play the guys I did and . . . it could be different going forward. Rochester is Dan’s former team so he has some insights. There hasn’t been a decision yet on the next game. At some point in this series, I’d really like to see Dan in the lineup.’’
ROOKIES
Rochester might not have gotten this far had rookies Jake Withers, Austin Shanks and Eric Fannell — all Ohio State products — not played with such effectiveness.
“They played some big games previous to joining us and their games just keep getting strong,” Hasen said. “Their confidence keeps growing.”
CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Saturday, May 26, 9:30 p.m. ET, in Saskatoon
Saturday, June 2, 8 p.m. ET, in Rochester
Saturday, June 9, 9:30 p.m. ET, in Saskatoon, if necessary
MIGRATION CONTINUES
The migration of NLL players to the MLL continued with Georgia’s elimination in the NLL East final. Jason Noble now is available to the Atlanta Blaze and Jesse King and Joel White have joined the Dallas Rattlers. Wes Berg and Zach Currier were freed up to join the Denver Outlaws when Calgary lost the NLL West final.
The Boston Cannons, who added Brodie Merrill and Challen Rogers at the end of April when Toronto missed the NLL playoffs, will have to wait to get Kyle Jackson, who is with Rochester in the championship series until at least June 2.