At 4-0, the Saskatchewan Rush are off to their best start since 2014, when they won their first 14 games and finished 16-2.
They’re still a long way from matching that mark but with the way the team is playing right now it’s not unreasonable to think they can.
The Rush haven’t just won their first four games, they’ve dominated their opponents and everything seems to be clicking at both ends of the floor.
“We’ve had a good start with (Evan) Kirk in net. He’s been awesome for us making huge saves and the defence is playing real aggressive. They’re causing turnovers, they’re getting loose balls and they’re getting up the floor quick, which makes it easy for us,” forward Marty Dinsdale said.
“We’re catching defences off-guard and offensively we’re moving the ball well, we’re sharing the ball, all five guys.”
Rush head coach and general manager Derek Keenan sees a lot of similarities between his current team and the 2014 squad.
“We seem to be sharp in all areas of our game, right from goaltending out to our defence and transition game. If I go back to that year, our defence was just scary good in terms of not giving up a lot of quality looks and we’re back to that, I think,” he said.
One of the biggest keys to the early success, according to Keenan, is the lack of egos in the Rush locker room.
“Every one of them (is) unselfish. There’s not one guy who cares about who’s gonna get the goals, who’s gonna get the assists, and you’ll see every week it’s been a different guy who’s stepped up.”
Forward Curtis Knight, one of three players to record a hat trick in Saskatchewan’s latest win, a 17-12 final over the previously unbeaten Colorado Mammoth, isn’t surprised at the team’s hot start, even though they’ve only played one game at home.
“We’ve been together for a while most of us, we come into every season prepared. I mean it’s impressive to get three road wins, and now we get to come home which I think will help.”
The Rush host the 2-3 Buffalo Bandits on Friday night at SaskTel Centre. It’s the Bandits’ first visit to Saskatoon since the 2016 Champion’s Cup final, which saw the Rush claim their second straight National Lacrosse League title. Game time is 7:30 p.m CT.
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