Edmonton, AB - The National Lacrosse's League two winless teams square off on Saturday night and with a victory either the Edmonton Rush or the Portland LumberJax will immerge from the basement of the West Division.

This is the first of three meetings between the teams this season and the first of a home-and-home series that concludes Sunday, February 17 at the Rose Garden in Portland. The teams will meet for the third time in 2008 on Saturday, March 1 - also in Portland.

The Rush and LumberJax joined the NLL as expansion cousins for the 2006 season and since then Portland holds four wins in five previous meetings. In the first game between the two teams last season, the Rush earned their first overtime victory in club history with a 9-8 win at Rexall Place. Chris Gill led the Rush attack with three goals while Ryan O'Connor notched the game winner.

Portland earned a measure of revenge by taking a 14-10 decision at the Rose Garden. Jimmy Quinlan paced the Rush with four goals and one assist while Randy Daly added a hat trick.

The LumberJax swept all three meetings between the clubs in their augural season. Portland topped the Rush 15-12 at Rexall Place despite a five-point night from Jamey Bowen. Jason Clark set a Rush record (later equalled by Chris Gill) by registering eight points on three goals and five assists but his effort wasn't enough as the Jax won 14-10 in Portland. The teams wrapped up the '06 season with a second straight meeting at the Rose Garden and Bowen notched another five-point game but the LumberJax picked up an 11-7 win.

The Rush made two roster moves heading into Saturday's game. Transition player Chris Seller, who was acquired by Edmonton from Arizona in the 2007 NLL Dispersal Draft, was dealt to the Calgary Roughnecks in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2008 NLL Entry Draft.

Filling the roster spot is free-agent defenceman Troy Bonterre, one of the NLL's most notorious enforcers. The six-foot-three, 250-pounder spent the past two seasons with the Buffalo Bandits but was not re-signed after the 2007 season. In 44 career games, Bonterre has racked up seven assists, 97 loose balls and 192 penalty minutes. His only two goals in the NLL came during the 2006 playoffs.

Mike Accursi leads the Rush in scoring with 14 points on four goals and a team-leading 10 assists. The veteran, who was last year's leading scorer during the NLL playoffs, was acquired by Edmonton in the off-season from Rochester and he has been a leader on and off the floor. Accursi has provided the Rush with some punch on the power play and he is 33-for-60 in the faceoff circle.

A.J. Shannon sits second in team scoring with 12 points while Chris Gill, the Rush's Team MVP last season, leads the club with seven goals. Chris McElroy, who took over the club's captaincy in '07, has collected a team-high 21 loose balls. Accursi and Buck Stobart are next with 15 loose balls each.

Friday, February 1, 2008

9:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Rush practice @ Trans Alta Tri-Leisure Centre, Spruce Grove

Saturday, February 2, 2008

10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Rush Shoot Around

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Portland Shoot Around

6:10 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Pre-Game Warm Up #1

6:50 p.m. - 7:10 p.m.
Pre-Game Warm Up #2

7:30 p.m.
Game Time