EVERETT — This couldn’t have been what the Washington Stealth had in mind. The defending National Lacrosse League Western Division champions opened the season with back-to-back losses and are 0-2 for the first time since 2009.

After just two games, the Stealth trail West Division-leading Colorado (3-0) by 2½ games. Washington will be looking to turn things around at 7:15 p.m. today at Comcast Arena when the Stealth plays host to the Edmonton Rush.

The Rush are the only team in the NLL to have played just one game, a 13-12 loss to Colorado last weekend.

Edmonton coach Derek Keenan said that despite leading an undefeated Colorado team at halftime, his team did not play its best lacrosse.

“I really thought in the entire first half that we were not good at all, even though we were up 4-2,” he said. “It was kind of a false sense of security.”

The Stealth will have to keep an eye on 37-year-old left-handed forward Shawn Williams, who set a Rush franchise record with nine points (one goal, eight assists) in the loss to Colorado.

“If he finds some open space, he is probably going to find an open is probably going to find an open stick,” Keenan said of Williams’ passing ability.

A Stealth win would be a confidence booster. A loss could spell disaster.

“We are going into game three,” said Stealth assistant coach Art Webster, who is handling the coaching duties in the absence of Chris Hall, who is undergoing treatment for throat cancer. “We have to put a win together here. They are in our division. We’re at home. We need to win.”

In order for the Stealth to get into the win column, the offense has to be more productive — specifically the usually high-scoring duo of Rhys Duch and Lewis Ratcliff.

“When you can hold teams to 10 (goals) and under it gives your offense an opportunity to win the game,” Webster said. “But we aren’t putting enough balls in the net.”

Ratcliff scored on just one of his 16 shot attempts in last Saturday’s 10-9 overtime loss to Philadelphia. Duch (0-for-10) was shut out for the first time since his rookie season.

“I know he will be better,” Webster said of Duch. “It’s a challenge for him and he will take that on. It’s the same thing for Lewis and the rest of them.”

The Stealth made a roster addition Wednesday in hopes of improving the team’s struggling offense, adding right-handed free-agent forward Brett Bucktooth to the active roster and placing right-handed forward Jeff Zywicki on the physically unable to perform list.

“Hopefully (Bucktooth) is going to be able to step in and play and give us some speed and depth and goal-scoring on that right side,” Webster said.

Stealth general manager Doug Locker said he hopes to have Zywicki (lower-body injury) back within a couple of weeks, but added that he doesn’t know how long the rehabilitation process will take. Locker said the injury is not likely to be season-ending.

In order to be successful on the offensive end, Duch, Ratcliff and the other members of the Stealth’s offensive attack need to be more aggressive, Webster said.

“They need to find ways to get to the dirty areas of their defense,” Webster said. “We can’t just be an outside team.”

The Stealth offense also has to find a way to capitalize on the power play. Washington finished 2-for-8 with at least a man advantage last weekend. Converting on just one more power play likely would have meant a victory.

On the other end of the floor, the Stealth’s five-on-five defense and goaltending have been outstanding. Against Philadelphia, the Stealth held the Wings without a goal for a 34-minute stretch. Webster said he is eager to see the Stealth’s offense and defense in sync in the same game.

“That’s what we are waiting on, when both sides are clicking together,” Webster said. “That’s what a team is all about.”

Aaron Lommers covers the Washington Stealth for The Herald. Read his live blogs at www.heraldnet.com/blog34, follow him on twitter @aaronlommers and contact him at alommers@heraldnet.com.