Powell scores last three goals in Edmonton victory

Edmonton, AB-- Ryan Powell scored Edmonton's final three goals as the Rush edged the Washington Stealth 14-13 in overtime in National Lacrosse League action Friday night at Rexall Place and Edmonton punched their first-ever post-season ticket in the win.

The top two teams in the West, deadlocked at 13 goals apiece after four quarters of play, needed extra time for a winner and Powell completed his hat-trick with his 40-foot ripper 6:07 into overtime to give Edmonton their fifth win at home and improved their record to 8-4 on the season.

Washington, despite a nine-point (4G, 5A) effort from Lewis Ratcliff, took the loss and fell to 9-4,

The Rush have won five of their last six games and continue play tomorrow night at Minnesota, trailing first-place Washington by one game.

On Friday, the two teams traded goals throughout the contest and the lead was never larger than two-goals for either team and although the teams combined for 20-goals in the first half, only six were scored in the second half before Powell's heroics in overtime.

"We just gutted it out," said Rush head coach/GM Derek Keenan of the victory. "We got a late goal to tie it and Ryan Powell had an unbelievable fourth quarter and overtime for us.

"He started to feel it and got hot when we needed it."

In the extra frame, both teams didn't give up a significant chance until Powell came into the middle and ripped a hard shot that bested Stealth netminder Tyler Richards at 6:07 for the Rush victory.

"It was a huge for us," said Powell, who had seven points (3G, 4A) in the game. "To be in a tight contest and win it in overtime tonight it was a real gutsy win for our team.

"Being an offensive player you thrive on those situations and I'm the type of guys who want that ball on my stick."

"We battled through some time times and it was a hell of an effort. Every week we're getting to higher ground and now we've got a shot at first place so that's huge," added Keenan.

Gavin Prout (3G, 4A) also had seven points for Edmonton, while Brodie Merrill (2G, 3A and 16 loose balls), Corey Small (2G, 2A), Dan Stevens (2G), Andy Secore (1G, 5A), Ryan Ward (4A) and Brett Mydske also hit the scoresheet.

Netminder Brandon Atherton (1-1) earned the win for Edmonton in relief of starter Matt Disher and Richards took the loss for Washington.

Edmonton outshot Washington 57-54 in the game that saw the Rush donned pink helmets along with their tradition black home jerseys in the contest as part of NLL's Black Out Breast Cancer Night at Rexall Place in raising funds for research and awareness.

Washington opened the scoring 66-seconds into the first quarter as Ratcliff found the net, however the Rush came back with two goals of their own as Secore finished off some crisp passes with his 20th of the year, at 2:21 on the power-play and then Small ripped Edmonton's second goal with a 40-footer just 20-seconds later.

After Ratcliff fired his second of the game, Small notched his second of the night, on the power-play at 6:18, after he picked up a rebound in front and buried past Richards to put Edmonton up 3-2.

Sedgwick then evened the score for the Washington with less than four minutes remaining in the quarter, before Prout's shot through a crowd put the Rush up 4-3 two minutes later. The Rush then continued the run as Merrill snuck into the crease and scored his ninth at 14:00, before Sedgwick notched his third of the quarter, on the power-play with just 10-ticks left in the first with Edmonton up 5-4.

Ratcliff sniped his hat-trick goal just 36-seconds into the second quarter to tie the score, before Merrill jumped into the play for Edmonton and his well-placed shot found the mark at 1:50 and then Merrill ignited another goal as he fed Prout in front and that shot dribbled behind Richards at 4:33 for a 7-5 Rush lead.

Washington then responded back with two goals to tie the score 7-7 midway through the first quarter and then Merrill set up Stevens in front and the rookie deposited his fifth of the year at 7:50 to give Edmonton the lead.

The see-saw battled continued as the Stealth then scored twice in 24-seconds to take their first lead in the game since the game's opening goal and then Edmonton's Stevens clawed back with his second of the night, with a left-handed blast with 4:09 remaining.

The teams then traded one goal a piece to end the scoring in the half deadlocked at 10-10.

After combining for 20 goals in the first half, the third quarter started quiet for the first eight minutes before Washington found the mark on a delayed penalty as Washington jumped ahead 11-10. There was no more scoring in the quarter.

Brett Mydske got Edmonton back onto the scoresheet just 34-seconds into the fourth quarter as the rookie defender showed some finish to tie the game again, however Washington then went back ahead 32-seconds later.

Play tightened up over the next eight minutes before Powell tied it again for Edmonton as his one-bouncer beat Richards at 9:50 to make the score 12-12.

After Washington got the lead back with less than five-minutes remaining, Powell then nailed his second goal of the game, through a screen at 12:49, to tie the game at 13-13 and eventually force the extra frame.

Edmonton plays at Minnesota Saturday, April 3 at 6:30 p.m. (MT) at Xcel Energy Center and returns home next weekend for a game against the Colorado Mammoth Friday, April 9 at 7 p.m. at Rexall Place.

Rush mush: Edmonton's only other OT game this year was a 12-11 victory over Rochester Feb. 27 ... Edmonton improved to 5-1 at home ... Washington's power-play went 4-5 and Edmonton 3-3 ... Bruce Alexander missed the game with an ankle injury and Ian Crashley filled in his place ... Chris McElroy, Scott Tinning, Dean Hill and John Lintz did not dress ... Washington defeated Edmonton 15-7 in the Rush season opener.

Story by Bruce Rakoczy