Must win for Edmonton Saturday and plenty of help

Edmonton, AB -A hope, one win and a prayer.

All three, in that order, are necessary as the Edmonton Rush needs a victory Saturday sandwiched by two Colorado Mammoth losses in order to qualify for National Lacrosse League post-season play.

With nothing but pivotal matchups this weekend and the next, any combination of Edmonton (4-11) losses or Mammoth (4-10) wins and the Rush are eliminated from contention for fourth and final playoff spot in the West and even if Edmonton and Colorado both win one game, the Mammoth advances to the playoffs with the tiebreaker.

Edmonton -- who controlled its own playoff destiny until this weekend --- hopes to still grab its ticket to the post-season dance for the second consecutive season and Colorado looks to return after missing out last year.

The scoreboard watching begins April 15 as the Rush need help from their southern neighbours when Calgary visits Colorado at the Pepsi Center and then the Mammoth conclude their regular season at Xcel Energy Center against the Minnesota Swarm April 23.

As much better results were expected by the Rush in the 2011 campaign, it's obvious Derek Keenan and his club didn't think to be in this predicament near season's end.

"There's no question about that. The expectations were a lot higher than that," said Edmonton's head coach and general manager. "But, we have a game to play and hopefully with something at stake. If not, we're going to give it everything we have. We have to. You got to show some pride in those circumstances no matter what."

The Rush host the Toronto Rock Saturday at 7 p.m. at Rexall Place as Edmonton wraps up its regular season with a must-win situation in the all-Canadian team matchup with plenty on the line in a rematch between two clubs that opened their regular season Jan. 8 at Air Canada Centre with a 13-7 Toronto victory.

Despite the Rock's 10-5 record and a clinched berth in the East playoffs, Toronto still needs another victory for a chance at top spot in the standings as the defending East champs battle with the Buffalo Bandits.

And though Edmonton and Toronto meet on the carpet Saturday, the fate of the Rush may be decided Friday in Denver with the West-clinching Roughnecks against the red-hot Mammoth.

"Regardless of what happens Friday in Colorado, we have to come out and play a good game on Saturday night against a good team. That's the bottom line," said Keenan, who's looking for a bounce back for Edmonton after two straight losses and Toronto looks to snap a two-game losing skid. "Proceed and prepare as we normally do and let the chips fall where they may and be ready to go Saturday regardless of the result Friday night.

"You got to bring it no matter what and hopefully we'll be prepared and bring a good effort no matter what's at stake Saturday night."

A consistent effort from the offense, defense and special needs is required going forward for Edmonton Saturday after Keenan's club missed two opportunities to bury the Mammoth when Edmonton laid eggs offensively in back-to-back contests falling 13-6 last weekend at Rexall Place and 7-6 in Denver April 2nd.

While the defense was respectable in those contests, the offense went missing of late scoring a combined 12 goals in two losses after racking up 42 tallies in three consecutive games prior to the recent skid and will have to come back to life against the Rock.

"We just have to keep working on our principles and try to create quality shots," Keenan said of his dried up attack. "We know we're going to face a really good defense and goaltending this week and we have to be prepared for that. It seems like some of the guys' sticks that were hot there for a month just cooled off for two games and all you can do is hope they get hot this Saturday."

By Bruce Rakoczy