YORKTON – The Saskatchewan Rush season starts Dec. 6, with a battle of the prairies as the team hosts the Calgary Roughnecks.
The season will be one of high expectations from fans as the Rush came oh so close to a championship win.
After finishing the regular season with a 13-5 record tied for most points with Buffalo but finishing second because of head-to-head results.
The two teams would move through the playoffs and meet in the league final where the Bandits prevailed.
So through training camp has the team been focused on taking that final step?
Coach Jimmy Quinlan said he hopes not.
“Taking that last step is a long way away,” he told Yorkton This Week.
So rather than looking far into the future about a return to the NLL final, Quinlan said headed to week one, it is about incremental progress.
“It’s the same approach as last year, get better each week,” he said.
That need to take smaller steps became a tad more evident through a rather lacklustre preseason.
The team lost a lopsided affair 17-10 against Toronto to start things.
It was a game Quinlan admitted he was not particularly pleased with.
“We did some things that were uncharacteristic of our team,” he said.
The effort against the Rock did provide an opportunity to sort of refocus the attention of the team.
“I think that was our discussion after the Toronto team,” said Quinlan, adding the talk was about being aware of the immediate situation, not looking down the long road to the playoffs.
The Rush did get better in their second preseason outing dropping an 11-10 decision to Calgary.
Now the hard work starts.
At home last season, Calgary stole the win 10- 6 off a 56-save performance from goaltender Nick Rose, so the season opener will not be easy.
Quinlan said the Roughnecks are “much different” this season, with “a younger, more athletic line-up.”
In fact Quinlan expects other teams will be eager to show what they have against the Rush given their strong finish last season.
“Based on how well we did last year . . . they’ll use us as a measuring stick,” he said.
“We’ve got to be ready from the get-go.”
Helping steady things for the Rush is veteran goaltender Frank Scigliano.
“Frankie’s awesome . . . a great leader for us back there,” said his coach.
Quinlan said to be successful in the NLL you need a goaltender who can be the difference.
“The NLL is a goaltender-driven league and we’re lucky to have Frankie.”
So what is the key ahead for the Rush from Quinlan’s perspective?
Well focus to start.
“To add pressure is not the best thing,” he said, so instead the team simply needs “. . . to go out and execute.”
Last season the Rush did struggle on the penalty kill, and Quinlan said he wants to see that defence tighten.
And, in preseason the transition game – a strength last year – faltered.
That has to get back on track because transition is huge in the NLL said Quinlan.
“It’s so hard to score five-on-five,” he offered, so when transition can create odd-man opportunities it can be huge in terms of momentum.
“They can be game-changing goals,” he said.
While the team secured key veterans such as Robert Church and Ryan Keenan, some younger players have impressed their coach through camp and preseason adding to what Quinlan sees a big asset – team depth.
Quinlan noted that Brock Haley – headed into his second season – looked good in preseason, as did Josh Zawada.
And, Levi Anderson is a player his coach said “needs to play a bit more” although that presents “a bit of a challenge to get him the reps he needs.
Matt Acchione is a player “with a smaller body” but whose “tremendously fast and relentless,” said Quinlan, adding those attributes are ones he likes.
Ultimately, Quinlan said the Rush will need everyone contributing as the season wears on.
“I think we like our depth . . . We’ll need every player on the roster, because injuries happen.”
