Edmonton, AB - Mike Hominuck made an impressive debut with the Rush notching a hat-trick, including the game winner 1:13 into sudden death overtime as Edmonton edged Rochester in National Lacrosse League action Mar. 15 at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta.

With his four points (3 goals and an assist), Hominuck shone in the matinee matchup, earning the Rush its first home win of the season, in the prelude to the NLL All-Star game weekend in Edmonton.

The win pushed Edmonton’s record to 2-6 on the campaign, while Rochester, the defending NLL champions, fell to 4-5.

Dan Stroup led Edmonton with five points (2G, 3 assists), while Scott Evans (3G, 2A) and John Grant (2G, 3A) both had five points for Rochester.

Curtis Palidwor earned the win in net for Edmonton, while Pat O’Toole was tagged with the loss for the Knighthawks in the first-ever meeting between the two teams.

The Rush win was the first home victory of the season and second win in three games since Bob Hamley was named as Edmonton’s coach and general manager.

“This was a huge win for our organization,” said Hamley. “We got the monkey off our backs a few weeks ago and now we’ve won at home. The guys really worked their tails off and I’m really proud of them.”

Hamley was also pleased with the debut of Hominuck. “He had a really big game and it was a huge win for us,” Hamley said. “He’s a tremendous five-on-five player and has great feet and a great stick. He makes all of us better and I’m glad he’s here.”

Rush newcomers Brenden Thenhaus and Lindsay Plunkett combined for Edmonton’s first goal as Thenhaus sniped from 39-feet at 2:41 of the first quarter to put the Rush up 1-0.

Matt Lyons of Rochester tied the score at one apiece when his blast from just outside the crease beat Palidwor at 10:00 of the quarter.

The Knighthawks went up 2-1 at 13:12 of the quarter as Scott Evans tallied, before John Grant fired a power-play marker at 14:02 to put Rochester up 3-1.

Edmonton’s Plunkett made it 3-2 with a sidewinder shot at 1:10 of the second quarter, while Jimmy Quinlan squared the score at 4:06 with a left-handed blast through traffic and past goaltender O’Toole.

Scott Ditzell put Rochester up 4-3 at 6:28 of the quarter after he capitalized on a Rush turnover and his low shot squeaked through Palidwor’s legs, before Matt Cougevan upped the Rochester lead to 5-3, converting on a two-on-one rush with 6:32 remaining the first half.

Rochester then doubled the lead to 6-3 as Shawn Evans fired his second of the game, converting a three-way passing play at 12:38 on the power-play.

Rochester outshot Edmonton 15-10 in the quarter and led 25-23 in shots at halftime.

Edmonton’s Hominuck, recently acquired from Minnesota, scored his first goal as a member of the Rush, at 5:20 of the third quarter to close the score to 6-4, before Shawn Evans earned his hat-trick goal, on four-on-four play at 8:52 of the quarter to give the ‘Hawks a three-goal lead.

Stroup ripped his 10th goal of the season for Edmonton, converting a two-on-one with Rory Glaves at 11:31 of the quarter to make the score 7-5. Palidwor earned an assist for his long outlet pass in transition.

Steve Hutchins inched the Rush closer with a goal at 12:33 of the quarter on assists from Hominuck and Quinlan to end the scoring in the quarter with Rochester leading 7-6.

Hominuck then jacked the Edmonton crowd up early in the fourth quarter, finishing off a three-on-one rush with his second tally of the game, at 1:14 to tie the score, before Grant drilled his second of the game for Rochester at 3:43 to lift the ‘Hawks 8-7.

Edmonton’s Quinlan, with his second of the game and 11th of the season, tied the score 8-8 with 3:57 remaining in the quarter, before Stroup ripped his second goal, on a Rush two-man advantage at 13:41 to put Edmonton up 9-8.

The Knighthawks then responded with 50 seconds remaining to tie the score 9-9 as Shawn Williams bested Palidwor, before Hominuck’s overtime winner earned Edmonton the hard-fought 10-9 win.

The Rush next host the NLL All-Star game Sunday at 2 p.m., and then travel to Toronto to face the Rock March 21.