Rush looks to shoot past Toronto Sunday afternoon at Rexall Place

Edmonton, AB-- While a losing streak can spark negativity, the key -- according to the Rush brass -- is to remain upbeat and positive this early in the season. Edmonton has a chance to get back into the win column this weekend and the Rush returns to Rexall Place for a Sunday, Feb. 21 matinee at 1:30 p.m. in the back-half of the club's home-and-away series against the Toronto Rock.

The Rush enters the contest on the bad end of a two-game skid, while the Rock sport a 6-2 mark for first place in the East Division. Toronto is on their second western swing in as many weeks, after defeating Edmonton 16-7 at the Air Canada Centre Feb. 12, before dropping a 10-8 decision to Calgary two days later at Pengrowth Saddledome.

Edmonton, even with the losing streak, remains tied for second place in the West with Calgary, sporting an identical 3-3 record with the defending Champion's Cup squad.

"There are many positives going into this game," said Rush head coach/GM Derek Keenan. "We don't want to dwell on the negatives."

The 2010 campaign continues to be one of promise for the new-look Rush as Edmonton's off to their best start in club history and enters Sunday's game with a 2-0 mark on home turf

"It's always positive," said assistant Todd Lorenz. "We're still 3-3 and tied for second in the division, so that's a positive.

"It's not like we're falling apart here, it's just a matter of regrouping and refocusing."

Last weekend in Toronto, the Rush trailed by two goals in the third quarter with the score 7-5, before the Rock exploded for nine second-half goals after some key saves by goaltender Bob Watson that thwarted the Rush comeback.

"In reviewing the whole game from top to bottom, there were many positives to take from it," said Lorenz. "I think that we could be better is moving our feet, though. When we're moving the ball and moving our feet, we're having success.

"Of course, as the game went on we were pushing hard to get back into it and that cost us."
Lorenz also admitted the club might have entered the last two games with the mindset of feeling satisfied with three wins in the first four starts to start the season.

"We seemed too happy at 3-1," he said. "Thinking life is good."

Two consecutive losses that's seen the team outscored 29-15 and outshot 105-75 in those games, has brought the team back to reality and caused some concern in the club's offensive output.

Although the club has averaged a better than 10 goals a game clip this season, Rush players lag behind in shots on net as the club's been outshot 312 to 244 and team leader Gavin Prout's 37 shots on net ranks 30th in the NLL, while Ryan Ward's 56 total shots taken ranks tied for 24th-best among runners.

"We're definitely passing up opportunities to shoot and that's something we have to address," Keenan said. "Those adjustments are definitely needed."

"It's been discussed at length with the players," Lorenz said of the club's lack of shots.

"We have extremely skilled offensively players who are very unselfish. They have great stick skills, they're great passers, playmakers and shooters, but at the end of the day, we're being a little too unselfish and passing up a those opportunities instead of shooting.

"Sometimes, you just have to fire the ball when the chance comes around."

With leading goalscorer Ward, playmakers Prout and Ryan Powell and the rest of the squad looking to rebound from the past two defeats by peppering the opposition with more shots and goals -- a few more wins this season would also allow Lorenz and the Rush coaches to continue to enjoy the club's fast start.

"Obviously, it would be a little more fun if we had a couple of more wins under out belts, but it's been a tremendous experience so far," he added. "This group here can really turn this around and get some more wins, though."