The defending champion Calgary Roughnecks will face the Edmonton Rush in a preseason edition of the battle of Alberta.
CALGARY & EDMONTON IN PRESEASON MATCH
Game to take place Dec. 19; Rush announce several signings
11/09/2009
The Battle of Alberta is scheduled to hit Lethbridge's ENMAX Centre on Saturday, December 19th as the Calgary Roughnecks take on provincial rivals, the Edmonton Rush. Game time is 7:30 p.m. MST."We're excited to be showcasing our team and the game of lacrosse to the City of Lethbridge and our fans from across Alberta," said Roughnecks' defenceman Bruce Codd.
"The rivalry between Calgary and Edmonton is always a good contest, and we look forward to getting back to another year of Roughnecks lacrosse."
"This pre-season game against the Roughnecks is a great opportunity for us to not only prepare for the upcoming National Lacrosse League regular season but also to further expose the sport of lacrosse and the NLL in Alberta," said new Rush GM and Head Coach Derek Keenan.
The last time these two teams met in an exhibition matchup, the Roughnecks defeated the Rush, toppling them 10-5 in preseason action.
The Roughnecks were 3-0 against the Rush last season.
"We're very excited to once again offer Lethbridge and the surrounding area an opportunity to see professional lacrosse at its best," said Lori Skriver, Marketing Manager for the ENMAX Centre.
Tickets go on sale to the general public starting Saturday, November 7th at 11 am. For ticket information, please call the Ticket Centre at 403-329-7328 or visit www.enmaxcentre.ca.
The Calgary Roughnecks kick-off the 2010 regular season on Sunday, January 10th at the Pengrowth Saddledome against the Minnesota Swarm. The Edmonton Rush begin the 2010 on the road against the Washington Stealth on January 15th.
Rush Signings
Keenan also announced that the Rush have signed 2009 first-round pick Corey Small to a contract for the upcoming season.
The ninth overall pick out of the University of Albany should provide the Rush with some much-needed scoring punch. Small notched 31 goals in 10 games for Albany last season.
"We're excited to have Corey signed with us and also living in the Edmonton area for the season," said Keenan. "I've been watching his development... for a number of years and I've always like the way he plays. He will bring speed and skill to our offense."
The Rush also solidified their netminding for the 2010 NLL season as both Matt Disher and Brandon Atherton have signed new contracts.
Disher rejoins the Rush after being reacquired in July. He finished third among NLL goaltenders with a .792 save-percentage and sported an 8-5 record last season while earning the starting nod in the 2009 NLL All-Star Game for the West Division. He was seventh in the league with a 10.80 goals-against average and totaled 502 saves - fourth-best in the NLL.
"We have to have solid goaltending to be successful and Matt, Brandon and Chris Levis provides us with that security," added Keenan.
Disher, an 11-year NLL veteran, spent part of the 2008 season with the Rush.
The Rush secured some depth at the position as well by re-signing Atherton, who appeared in six games for the team last season. Atherton finished with an 0-1 record along with a .714 save-percentage.
"Brandon is top up-and-coming goaltender who will continue to get better," said Keenan. "I think he is getting very close to becoming a regular fixture in the lineup."
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