SAN DIEGO — The Saskatchewan Rush came into San Diego on Sunday (Jan. 12) afternoon and quickly made their way home with a 12-9 victory over the Seals at Pechanga Arena San Diego in front of 4,145.

With the win, the Rush keep pace with Colorado for first place in the Western Division and only a half-game behind New England and Halifax for the top overall spot in the NLL. The loss is the Seals fourth in only five games.

Ben McIntosh and Mark Matthews made sure the Seals (1-4) wouldn’t get “healthy” against the Seals on this day. McIntosh scored four goals, he loves playing the Seals, last year against the Seals in April he netted six goals. In his career he has 18 goals and 11 assists in five games against San Diego. Matthews added a goal and five assists in the contest, half of his season assist total.

“I am going to do what I can to make this team better.”

• Head Coach/GM Patrick Merrill on if a trade is coming

Neither team could keep a solid handle on the ball early in the game.

What appeared to be the Rush’s (3-1) fourth goal in the first quarter was disallowed as there was a Rush player that had not established himself outside of the crease when the ball went into the net. Ben McIntosh was the player that put the ball in the net. He would go on to score the fourth and final goal of the quarter. There were three different goal scorers for the Rush in the opening quarter (Matthew Dinsdale scored twice).

Saskatchewan challenged the Seals’ third goal for a crease infraction. There was no infraction so not only did the goal stand, it also created a Power Play for the Seals for delay of game.

Jeremy Noble, Connor Fields, Wes Berg and Connor Kearnan all chipped in a pair of goals (Kyle Buchanan only scored once to round out the scoring).

Kearnan scored for the Seals 79 seconds into the second quarter to pull the Seals within two. Saskatchewan would answer back just over a minute later when Jeff Cronwell scored his first of the season, his brother Travis was awarded the primary assist on the goal.

Fields scored his ninth goal of the season about four and a half minutes into the second. Saskatchewan challenged the goal for crease violation. Looking at it live there might have been something, but after looking at it on replay, the referees ruled that there was no violation and the goal stood. With the failed challenge, the Rush was penalized for delay of game. Just after the power play ended, Fields found the back of the net again, pulling San Diego to within one. As close as they would get. The Rush would score twice in a 27 second span, first on the power play and then on a juicy rebound. Kearnan would bookend the goals in the quarter with one six seconds before halftime to make it 7-5 Saskatchewan.

The Rush, powered by three goals in less than three minute span closed out the game on a 5-4 span.

The Seals will be back in Pechanga Arena, San Diego on March 7th when they host Rochester. Between then and now, they will have “home” games at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas (February 1 vs Colorado) and against Vancouver on February 22 on the flightline at MCAS Miramar. Tickets for the Miramar game are only available for Season Ticket holders and Marines on MCAS Miramar.

NOTES: The Seals have yet to score the first goal of the game in the 2019-20 season. They did that eight times (5-3) in their inaugural season last year…Austin Staats is continuing his rehab from his lower body injury from last year. The timetable is looking like late February, early March time frame…With his five points (2g/3a) Wes Berg (10g/15a=25) moves into a tie for third in the season scoring race, while Zack Greer (6g/16a=22) who had five assists jumps to sixth in the same race. Jumping into a tie with Greer was Mark Matthews of the Rush. Matthews (7g/15a=22) had six points (1g/5a) on the night.

1st Quarter Recap: Shots: SAS — 22, SD — 11.
SAS — 6:21 Dinsdale (2) (Thompson 1, Rubisch 1) 1-0 SAS
SAS — 8:51 Keenan (3) (Dinsdale 3, Matthews 11) 2-0 SAS
SAS — 10:42 Dinsdale (2nd, 3) (Unassisted) 3-0 SAS
SD — 11:49 Noble (4) (Berg 13, Greer 12) 3-1 SAS
SAS — 14:36 McIntosh (3) (Keenan 8, Matthews 12) 4-1 SAS

2nd Quarter Recap: Shots: SAS — (15/37), SD — (16/27).
SD — 1:19 C. Kearnan (4) (Fields 6, Noble 7) 4-2 SAS
SAS — 2:30 J. Cronwell (1) (T. Cronwell 2, Rubisch 2) 5-2 SAS
SD — 4:25 Fields (9) (Greer 13, Buchanan 9) 5-3 SAS  Challenged, Call Confirmed
SD — 7:28 Fields (2nd, 10) (Greer 14, Berg 14) 5-4 SAS
SAS — 11:00 R. Keenan (2nd, 4) (Matthews 13) PP 6-4 SAS
SAS — 11:27 McIntosh (2nd, 4) (Cornwall 2, Garlent 1) 7-4 SAS
SD — 14:54 C. Kearnan (2nd, 5) (Buchanan 10, Berg 14) PP 7-5 SAS

3rd Quarter Recap: Shorts: SAS — (12/49), SD — (14/41).
SD — 1:55 Berg (9) (Greer 14) 7-6 SAS
SAS — 2:53 Corbeil (1) (Unassisted breakaway) 8-6 SAS
SAS — 3:58 J. Shattler (3) (Murphy 1, Matthews 14) 9-6 SAS
SAS — 5:37 Matthews (7) (unassisted breakaway) 10-6 SAS SD Goalie change
SD — 8:26 Berg (2nd, 10) (Greer , Buchanan ) PP 10-7 SAS
SAS — 11:12 McIntosh (3rd, 5) (J. Shattler 6, Matthews 15) PP 11-7 SAS
SD — 14:21 Buchanan (4) (Fields 6) 11-8 SAS

4th Quarter Recap: Shorts: SAS — (9/58), SD — (11/52).
SAS — 6:11 McIntosh (4th, 6) (Church 6, Keenan 7) PP 12-8 SAS
SD — 14:59 Noble (2nd, 5) 12-9 SAS

Power Play: SAS — 3-4, SD 2-4.
San Diego Sports Domination Player of the Game: Ben McIntosh (4g/1a).