Egland scores Teddy Bear Toss goal but Pats lose in OT
1h ago
Over 3,000 stuffed animals were tossed onto the ice.
A first trip to Long Island, N.Y. proved to be exactly what the Saskatchewan Rush needed to get back in the win column Saturday for an 11-4 win over the New York Riptide.
Saskatchewan was powered to the victory by Evan Kirk, who was pulled in his last start, a 12-8 loss to the New England Black Wolves.
Kirk bounced back with 44 saves on Saturday, including 14 in the third quarter.
Jeff Shattler and Mark Matthews helped spoil the inaugural home opener for the Riptide, a new expansion team in the NLL this season, with six points a piece. Robert Church led the Rush with four goals.
Saskatchewan’s first round selections in 2018 and 2019 combined to lead the Rush to a 4-0 score after the first quarter.
Ninth-overall pick in this past year’s draft, Justin Robinson, set up Church’s first goal to score his first point of his career before fourth-overall pick Holden Garlent scored his first NLL goal to build a quick 2-0 lead.
Nearly four minutes later, Connor Robinson, the Rush’s first round selection in 2018, added to the lead with a quick strike before Mark Matthews scored shorthanded from long range.
Shattler added to the lead 1:27 into the second. A minute later Church scored in transition for a 6-0 lead.
The Riptide would end Kirk’s shutout 4:34 into the second quarter. A trio of Rush goals to end the half, including Church’s hat trick goal, gave the Rush a 9-2 lead at the half.
Both goaltenders would put a halt to the offence in the second half. Kirk made 27 saves over the final 30 minutes while Alex Buque turned away 25 shots.
The four goals allowed was the second-fewest surrendered by the Rush in a regular-season game. Saskatchewan defeated Rochester 16-3 back in 2015.
After next week’s bye, the Rush return to San Diego for a Sunday matinee against the Seals on Jan. 12, 2020.