Dates announced for Sask. Rush semifinal series against Halifax

After picking up a 13-9 win against the Georgia Swarm at home in the NLL playoff quarter-final this past weekend, the dates have been set for the Saskatchewan Rush’s next stop on the team’s playoff journey.

On Saturday, May 3, the Rush will travel to Halifax to face then Thunderbirds in game 1 of a best-of-three semifinal series.

Read More:

• Sask. Rush defeat Georgia Swarm to advance in NLL playoffs
• Excitement builds as Rush getting ready to host first playoff game since 2019
• Rushing the field, Saskatchewan Rush prepare for important playoff game

After the game in Halifax, the teams will have to wait another week before resuming the series, with game 2 scheduled for May 10 at SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon. The Rush could also host a third, deciding game on May 11 if it is needed.

The Thunderbirds and Rush split their season series this year. The Rush defeated the Thunderbirds 9-8 back on December 14. Then, in March, the Thunderbirds rolled over the Rush and blew them out with a 17-9 win.

Rush head coach Derek Keenan said that although the Rush are the higher seed, facing Halifax won’t be an easy test. But, he added, he’s looking forward to the challenge.

“They’ve been a bit of a nemesis for us, so we’re going to do things a little differently. We’re going to get in there early. I think it’s pretty hard on our guys from the west coast to go (a) day before the game, get in there late, play the next night, have an early morning, shoot around and then play. It’s hard,” he explained.

“We’re going to go in a day early and be prepared and get a good practice in, and it’ll be a lot better for us.

“Then we’ll come back here the next week and if it goes (to) three, we’re going to have two here,” Keenan added.

“We earned that – we earned that second-place position. We’ll be ready.”

In the other semifinal in the NLL, the Buffalo Bandits will take on the Vancouver Warriors in a best-of-three series.

The Bandits and Warriors will play the first two games of their series starting on Friday in Buffalo. The series then shifts to Vancouver on Sunday, May 4 for the second game of that series.

If it’s needed, the third game in the series will be played on May 10 in Buffalo.