The time for talk is over for the Saskatchewan Rush, embarking on a series they’ve spent years envisioning.
They’ll sprint onto the floor in New York State on Friday night to kick off the 2025 National Lacrosse League Cup Finals against the Buffalo Bandits.
“(Buffalo’s) been there, this is their fifth year in a row,” said Rush defenceman Jerrett Smith. “But I think we 100 per cent have the group to do what it takes here and I think it’s our time.”
The Rush have made the NLL Finals for the fourth time since the franchise relocated from Edmonton to Saskatoon in 2015, but will be making their first appearance in the series since winning it all back in 2018.
Four members of the Rush were on that team including Robert Church, Ryan Keenan, Mike Messenger and Matt Hossack, but now this new iteration of the Rush will get the chance to write a new championship chapter in the franchise’s history.
“We have guys on our team that have been there before and I think we all just really want it,” said Smith. “We’ve been building this team for a couple years now and like I said, it’s our time. We all play for each other and our time is right now.”
Saskatchewan is coming off a win for the ages last Saturday at home over the Halifax Thunderbirds, capturing Game 2 of NLL semifinals in one of the most remarkable comebacks in league history.
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Trailing by two goals with less than a minute remaining, the Rush would get a key goal from Zach Manns to cut the deficit to one before a diving defensive play by Messenger would cause a turnover with around 10 seconds left.
Ryan Barnable was able to feed Hossack for the tying goal with under six seconds left in regulation, before former Thunderbirds sniper Austin Shanks would bury his former team with the overtime winner on the power play — sweeping the series for the Rush and setting up this weekend’s NLL Finals against Buffalo.
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“It’s the lacrosse gods looking down on us,” said Rush rookie forward Brock Haley. “It’s probably one of the greatest playoff games ever seen in the history of the NLL. I mean the last minute and 30 (seconds), we come back and end up winning in OT.”
The league has taken notice of Saskatchewan’s breakthrough season, with the Rush sweeping the five year-end award categories they were nominated for.
Earlier in the week it was Rush defender Keegan Bell being named NLL teammate of the year after suiting up as an emergency back-up goaltender in a January victory over the Albany FireWolves, among other stories of support for his teammates.
Rush co-head coaches Jimmy Quinlan and Derek Keenan were recognized as NLL coach of the year and general manager of the year, respectively.
Making his return to Saskatchewan this season after being selected in the Panther City Lacrosse Club dispersal draft in September, Hossack earned NLL defensive player of the year on Thursday for the first time his his career after leading the NLL in caused turnovers.
“It’s definitely a really cool feeling to be put in that category with all of those other guys,” said Hossack last Friday following his award nomination.
“Having played with a lot of the guys who have won that award in the past, guys I’ve looked up to for a long time and for most of my career is a really cool feeling. I’ve worked towards getting better every year and it’s a really good feeling being in that conversation.”
Also hearing his name called Thursday was Rush goaltender Frank Scigliano, taking home NLL goaltender of the year honours for the first time in his career after posting a league-leading 9.40 goals against average and a .795 save percentage.
“It’s nice, obviously, but I don’t think too much about it though,” said Scigliano last Friday about his nomination. “The main focus is trying to take the next step here, but it’s obviously nice.
“I thank a lot of my teammates. You look at (our quarter-final over Georgia), I think I counted about 20 blocked shots. So it’s by committee right now.”
Saskatchewan will not have home floor advantage to begin the best-of-three series for the first time these playoffs, with Buffalo earning the NLL’s top seed following a 13-5 regular season which included a 9-7 victory over the Rush on March 1.
Reaching the finals for a fifth consecutive season and playing for a third-straight title, the Bandits will be Saskatchewan’s biggest test of the season yet according to Quinlan as they begin the series on the road for Game 1 on Friday.
“It will be loud and noisy,” said Quinlan. “Our first five minutes will be crucial; for us to kind of take the crowd out of it will be big. We feel like we’ve played real well on the road this season and what a better place to get started than in Buffalo?”
The Bandits will be the more rested team entering the series, dispatching the Vancouver Warriors on May 4 to sweep their second round series.
That isn’t fazing the Rush according to forward Zach Manns, who said they’re ready to chase a title they’ve devoted their entire lacrosse careers towards.
“We have quite a short turnaround to get into this championship series, but it’s what we’ve prepared for all year,” said Manns.
“I don’t think the scheduling or anything is going to mess with anyone’s (mental performance). I think everyone is going to be dialed in and ready to go.”
Game 1 for the NLL Cup will be played on Friday at 5:30 p.m. in Buffalo, before the series shifts to SaskTel Centre for Game 2 on Sunday night at 6:00 p.m.
If necessary, a winner-take-all Game 3 would be played back in Buffalo on May 24 at 2:30 p.m.
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