Rush netminder faces Colorado Friday

Edmonton, AB -- It's far from a science fiction sequel, however the Edmonton Rush will go in a new direction between the pipes as the club prepares for season seven, episode 1 with Agent 77 expecting to make a bold statement.

Aaron Bold, who enters his seventh National Lacrosse League campaign and first in Rush silks, was recently named to the starting goaltender position as the Rush opens their 2012 NLL regular season Friday, Jan. 20 at Rexall Place against the Colorado Mammoth.

"It's definitely a confidence builder," said Bold, who earned the No. 1 spot in Edmonton's goalie situation with his performance at training camp alongside netminders Kevin Croswell and Brodie MacDonald.

Bold, the six-foot-two, 207-pound backstopper -- who came to Edmonton from Rochester last October -- looks to follow up on his impressive summer play with the MSL's Brooklin Redmen where he posted a league high 11 wins.

"I knew I'd been working hard this year and over in summer ball I established myself with Brooklin and I just feel that I'm ready to show everyone in the NLL what I can do in a game situation and not just in practice," he said.

"He's been waiting for this opportunity to be a starter in this league and he's coming off a great summer," said Rush attacker Scott Evans. "He's got a lot of confidence in there and we're counting on him to step up big for us this year."

Bold, who spent two seasons in Rochester and three prior with the Stealth organization after he began his career in 2006, was an understudy to many top goaltenders the likes of Matt Vinc, Pat O'Toole, Anthony Cosmo and Dallas Eliuk.

"He's been preparing for this opportunity for a number of years now," said Rush head coach and general manager Derek Keenan. "He had a very good summer. He's a super-fit kid who works hard at his craft and really studies the shooters as most goalies do these days."

Now Bold, a personal trainer and nutritionist in the greater-Toronto-area, is revved up to get the starting nod for the revamped Rush as the club looks to make its mark in the NLL West.

His first test comes against West rival Colorado Mammoth and their ageless scoring-machine, John Grant Jr. 'Junior', who is third all-time in NLL goals with 469 and 23-points shy of his 1000th NLL point, is a constant offensive threat on the carpet and started the recent season with an 11-point contest against Minnesota Jan. 14.

Bold, who played alongside Grant in Rochester in 2010, is well aware of the firepower in the Peterborough product that is 31 goals shy of 500 career NLL tallies and a force in box and field lacrosse collecting numerous scoring titles, championships and accolades along the way.

"He's probably the best player in the league," Bold said. "He looks in great shape and you have to respect his talent, no doubt."

"He's got such a well-rounded game. He's got a great outside shot and he's deadly from in close," chipped in Evans, who played alongside Grant in both Rochester in NLL play and in Peterborough in MSL summer play. "We'll hopefully contain him so he doesn't have another 11-point night and make sure nobody else does, too."

Evans knows a little bit about scoring, too. The big right-handed shot led the Rush with 27 goals last year, despite missing three games. This season, he's 15-pounds lighter and expecting to play a major role in the offensive attack again.

"I just want to help contribute to wins," Evans said. "We have a very unselfish offense. We move the ball really well and whoever gets hot is going to get the ball and we want to get wins."

Evans is also pleased to be reunited with another former Knighthawk on the Rush attack with playmaker Shawn Williams now in the fold as the two shared chemistry in the front end in the past.

"It's a great honour to be playing alongside Shawn Williams again," he said. "We had great success in our days in Rochester winning in a championship in 2007. He makes my job a lot easier and finds me when I'm open. It's pretty easy when he's looking for you."

And the new-look Rush will lean on this former Rochester connection to get the fresh campaign started in the right direction.

"We just want to come out and prepare for game one of the 2012 season and get off on a good start," said Evans.

"I'm just going in to focus on the win and stopping every ball I can," added Bold. "I think we're going to be a dark horse of the league. We're very young and talented and I think that if teams underestimate us, they're going to be sad after the game."

The Rush opens their seventh NLL season Friday, January 20 when west division-rival the Colorado Mammoth visit Rexall Place for a 7 p.m. faceoff. Tickets are available by calling The Rush office at (780) 732-RUSH.

by Bruce Rakoczy