Rush hoping for heroic effort in regular-season finale

Members of the Saskatchewan Rush will get a hero’s welcome Saturday when they take the floor at SaskTel Centre for a National Lacrosse League game against the Colorado Mammoth.

While Iron Man and Captain America will be busy with Thanos during this weekend’s “Avengers: Endgame” opening weekend, members of the Rush will be dedicating their performance to the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital and the young patients from whom they draw inspiration.

“We have the kid captains every week that always get a kick out of the game that run in with Chris (Corbeil),” transition player Nick Finlay said of Saturday’s heroes-themed game. “I think having a whole night for them is huge.

“Really what it’s all about is for the fans, and a large majority of our fans are kids.”

The Rush will don special-edition hero jerseys that are to be auctioned off on the team’s Facebook page. There also will be special hero merchandise sold on the concourse, with all proceeds going to the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital.

Another highlight will include children from the hospital reading the starting lineup and running onto the field for player introductions.

Sash Broda, manager of development and engagement with the hospital, is still getting bothered about previous heroes games.

“We’ve got kids that came out last year … (and) they still talk about it being one of the highlights of their year,” Broda said. “It’s hard to even really put into words how much it means to them.”

The Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital is in the final stages of construction. Broda said final tests on the building are being done, with proceeds from Saturday’s game going toward the furniture and equipment that needs to be moved into the structure ahead of its opening. The opening is slated for sometime in September.

A win for the Rush means it will host Colorado in a May 3 playoff game. Finlay and the rest of the Rush are looking to use that scenario as motivation for a successful showing in front of their loyal fans.

“To see these kids looking up to you is pretty special, and being able to give them that feeling is a pretty awesome feeling in and of itself,” Finlay said.