After a couple weeks off the and many roster changes the Vancouver Stealth were hoping to come off their bye week(s) with a win over the leagues number one team the Edmonton Rush.
With Lewis Ratcliff being a healthy scratch for the first time in his career, and the quiet release of forward Brett Hickey the Stealth entered the game with some added surprises for the Rush and Vancouver fans.
Struggling to find some consistency and an identity the Stealth came out to a slow start, going down 3-0 early on to the Rush. The Rush tallying goals from Jarret Davis, Mark Mathews, and Curtis Knight. With one tally by Nick Weiss midway through the quarter to end things at 3-1.
In the second quarter the Stealth hit their stride with the first goal of the quarter coming from newly acquired Jamie Lincoln. Edmonton answered back by a beauty from Chris Corbeil 1:18 later. The Stealth ended the half with two more from the Tyler’s. First Tyler Garrison, then Tyler Digby with a sweet behind the back shot while falling back into the crease. Digby’s goal could easily be considered the goal of the night. Entering the half at a 4-4 tie it looked like another tight game between these two division rivals, that would most likely come down to the wire.
The third quarter was more of the same back and forth action, with Edmonton starting things off with a Robert Church goal. Rhys Duch followed things up to keeping things tight, only to have Corbeil score the go ahead goal :26 later. The Stealth would get back-to-back goals from Bucktooth and defender Mike Grimes to take their first lead of the night. At 10:32 Church would get his second of the game and quarter to tie the game back up for the Rush. Not to be outdone Rhys Duch closed out the quarter with another goal to give the Stealth an 8-7 lead.
The fourth quarter came and so did Cory Conway on a tear, scoring two back to back for the Rush. Then Robert Church with his third on the night at 9:31 mark in the fourth. Vancouver kept fighting back with Mike Grimes scoring a goal on a unorthodox side arm one time shot, making it 10-9 Rush with 1:00 left on the clock. The Stealth had a few more chances pulling their goalie Tyler Richards from the net to give them the man advantage but could not find the back of the net.
Edmonton would go on to win the game 10-9 and go on to an NLL record start of 9-0. The Rush’s next game is on the road March 14 to play their cross-town rival the Calgary Roughnecks.
The Vancouver Stealth will be back in action to face the Calgary Roughnecks at home on March 21 at the LEC.
