In 2010, the Washington Stealth and Edmonton Rush held spots No. 1 and 1-A in the National Lacrosse League West Division and it took a miraculous goal from Stealth transition player Paul Rabil eight seconds into overtime to decide which team would represent the division in the Champion’s Cup.
How things have changed as this season’s halfway mark quickly approaches.
While the Stealth (3-3 overall) have battled injuries and inconsistencies throughout the season — mainly in goaltending and offense — the Rush haven’t seemed to find their collective feet despite dropping a pair of one-goal games.
“Last year I think we took some teams by surprise early,” Stealth head coach Chris Hall said. “… Of course this year, that wasn’t about to happen. At 3-3 right now given where we came at the start and where we are injury-wise, 3-3 is probably what we deserve right now.”
Washington, which has won two of its last three games including a four-goal comeback last week in Colorado, is starting to show a semblance of the form it displayed last year while secondary scoring options like forward Tom Johnson and All-Star selection Luke Wiles are executing more on their opportunities in the absence of injured forward Jeff Zywicki.
Goaltender Tyler Richards, the league’s Defensive Player of the Week, was phenomenal against the Mammoth, making a career-high 52 saves and lowering his goals against average to 10.87.
Edmonton, which was idle last week, sits near the bottom of the 10-team league in most statistical categories. The Rush were widely thought to be a main contender for the division crown along with the Stealth this season.
“We were a little bit banged up physically and probably emotionally (following a double-header loss to Calgary two weeks ago),” Edmonton head coach Derek Keenan said. “We spent some time speaking to guys individually and trying to focus on the fact that we have to treat every week like a playoff week from here forward.”
Goaltender Matt Disher is 10th out of 12 goalies in goals against average (11.25); the Rush power play ranks ninth (25 percent) and the penalty kill is ninth (52 percent). Edmonton has managed just 8.8 goals per game and gives up nearly as many as Washington on defense.
The Stealth surrender a league-high 12 goals per game, but score nearly as many (11.5).
Only forward Gavin Prout has eclipsed 20 points (six goals, 14 assists) through five games this season for the winless Rush (0-5).
“You don’t hide from it, you don’t run from it, you’ve got to face it head on,” Keenan said of his team’s record.
Don’t expect Washington to waltz through this weekend’s home-and-home series beginning at 6 p.m. tonight at Rexall Place in Edmonton — the Rush beat Washington twice late last season before losing to the Stealth in the playoffs.
“(Washington) is still, in my mind, the best team in our division,” Keenan said.
Notes
The Washington lacrosse community will gather on Saturday during the Stealth game versus the Rush at the Comcast Arena, to celebrate the life of Issaquah teenager Tyler Lucas who died in a car accident earlier in the month. Lucas played lacrosse for Issaquah High and the Seattle Starz club team. There will be a video celebration of Lucas’s life, with his parents, Jim and Patty, placing “TL17” decals on the helmets of Stealth captain Jason Bloom and Stealth forward and Stealth Lacrosse Academy field director Lewis Ratcliff. … Stealth defenseman Chris McElroy is making his first appearance against his former club, the Rush. McElroy was Edmonton’s captain last year, but missed much of the season with an injury. “He’s a quality person and was a great leader for the Edmonton Rush for years,” Keenan said.
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