Sask. Rush welcoming rival Calgary Roughnecks for showcase game

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The game, Genier added, is also in support of the Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre.

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“It’s great eight days before Christmas and an amazing cause, [we’re] looking to make an impact there, fill the shelves and put on a great showcase game for the fans,” Genier said.

The Friday, Dec. 16 showcase game starts at 7:30 p.m. at SaskTel Centre.

Throughout the 2016 regular season the Rush played the Roughnecks on Jan. 2, Feb. 5, Feb. 28, and on April 2, winning 10-8, 19-12, 12-11 (OT), and 11-9 respectively.

Then, the clubs met again for a best of three series in the NLL western conference championship. The Rush won 16-10 and 12-9 and moved onto the finals where they beat the Buffalo Bandits for the team’s second consecutive championship.

Looking past the weekend’s exhibition game, Genier said the Rush is a strong team once again heading into the 2017 season. Coming off back-to-back championships, he added it would be great to be very competitive again this year, however, thoughts of a three-peat come later.

“Obviously we did have some changes in the off-season. We made some trades and acquired some new players as well,” he said. “Being competitive out of the gates is first of our mind, making sure we gel as a team with the changes we had… When you think about it you always want to win another championship, that’s the ultimate goal but being very competitive is number one to start off.”

Through a trade with the Rochester Knight Hawks, the Rush acquired the first overall pick in the 2016 NLL entry draft.

With the selection, head coach and general manager Derek Keenan selected his son, Ryan Keenun, which Genier said is an excellent pick-up.

“When you look at the lineage from his dad and working closely with his dad over the years, he can slip right into the lineup,” Genier said. “We do have a great lineup right now. [We want] him to be an offensive force along with the team but with any new players they always take some time to gel.”

He added as training camps move along, everything looks great for Keenun.

Another change made in the off-season, the Rush traded its leading goal-scorer Zach Greer to Colorado for Adam Jones.

“What we get in Adam Jones is a younger player, three years younger than Zach and in every right a 50-goal scorer as well so we look to be very strong on offence and very strong on defence as well,” Genier said.

Last season, Greer led the Rush in goals with 42 in 16 games played. In 2016, Jones also had 42 goals while playing for the Mammoth.

Other returning players include goaltender ‘Stone Cold’ Aaron Bold, points leader Mark Mathews, Captain Chris Corbeil and others.

Colton Swiderski is meadowlakeNOW’s sports, municipal affairs, crime and court, health and education reporter. He is also the Sask. Rush beat reporter for the JPBG. He can be reached at cswiderski@jpbg.ca or tweet him @coltonswiderski.