Rush begins three-game homestand against Blazers

Edmonton, AB-- Saturday night's all right for fighting.

Elton John and Nickelback both sing a version, however, on an evening when mixed-martial-arts legend Randy Couture comes to town, the Edmonton Rush will have some beefcake on display when the club hosts the Boston Blazers March 20 for 7 p.m. start at Rexall Place.

No, defender Ryan McNish and goalkeeper Matt Disher aren't expected to put their dukes up against Couture Saturday, however, the duo expects to continue to give the Rush some bulk and physical play in the backend.

The Rush (6-3), come into Saturday on a three-game win streak after two consecutive road wins and have also won three in a row at Rexall, while Boston comes to Edmonton for the first time.

The Blazers (5-5), who sit in a tie for third place in Eastern Division, lost last weekend in overtime against Buffalo.

Edmonton now find themselves just one-half a game behind the first-place Washington Stealth in the Western Division and could tie the idle Stealth for tops in the division with a victory Saturday. The Rush, also could record a season-high seventh win of the season in the contest.

"I really felt we'd have a good team," said Rush head coach/GM Derek Keenan of his club's recent success. "I'm not terribly surprised we're at 6-3 so far.

"We're in a good position, but we want to look forward, not back. We need to stay focused. Boston is a very good team so it's a good challenge for us.

"It's nice to be back at home," Keenan added. "Our guys feel real comfortable there and our fans are great." This is the first-ever meeting between the two teams and Boston boasts one of the premier players in the game in forward Dan Dawson, the league's top scorer from 2009.

Expect the Rush, who play five of the remaining seven games at home, to give Dawson -- who scored 104 points last season to lead the NLL -- plenty of attention.

"Any team with Dan Dawson on, there's going to be a battle because he brings so much to the table," said Keenan. "He makes everyone around him better, so we need to prepare for him and the rest the ones around him. It's going to be a real challenge for us."

Keenan also likes what the Rush has going on the carpet these days.

Goaltender Matt Disher, who was under siege last weekend in the victory at Colorado, enters Saturday tied for the league-high with six wins and is among the league leaders in saves this year.

"He was great last week as he's been many times for us," said Keenan of his 6'3", 250-pound netminder. "He faced a lot of shots and the guys allowed him to see the ball and when he can see the ball, he'll make a lot of saves.

"Yeah, he's been great," he added. "He had a bit of a slow start, but he doesn't play in the summer anymore, so it took him some time to find his ground."

Keenan also praised the play of McNish, who's added his physical presence to the Rush defense and also added a touch of offence as he notched his first goal last weekend.

McNish has also limited his physical errors and his temperament on the carpet this season as he's only sat in the penalty box for two minutes.

"McNish has just been really solid," he said of the six-foot-two, 230-pounder. "Not only how he's played physical. He keeps things simple and gives of some size out there, which we like."

The extra size adds to an already impressive grouping with six-foot-four defenders Ian Crashley, Bruce Alexander and Brett Mydske.

"Brodie Merrill's six-four, so he's not small," Keenan added, on his club's bulk. "I like my big-bodies back there for sure."

Loosies: Edmonton will be without both Pat Jones and Chris McElroy this weekend as the two are nursing injuries.

Roster moves: Released Justin Norbraten, Activated John Lintz from practice roster, Signed Luke Forget to the practice roster.

Story by Bruce Rakoczy