Red-hot Saskatchewan Rush to host Vancouver amid seven-game win streak

Staring up at the scoreboard last Saturday with the Saskatchewan Rush trailing by four goals in the second quarter to the San Diego Seals, Zach Manns didn’t panic.

Neither did the rest of his Rush teammates, tying up the score late in the third quarter before netting five of the final seven goals of the night to secure a big 12-9 victory.

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“I thought that we had a terrible start,” Manns said. “They kind of took it to us to begin the game, it was 6-2 at one point in the second quarter. I thought that our composure was just fantastic, no one was really stressing out on the bench at all.”

That kind of resiliency has been a constant throughout the 2025-26 National Lacrosse League season for the Rush, who have rocketed to the top of the league standings with an 8-1 record.

“A lot of teams near the end of games they tend to slow down,” Manns said. “I think we’re the opposite, we almost speed up at the end and we can really take advantage of teams.”

Starting the season with a 1-1 record following an 11-8 collapse at the hands of the Ottawa Black Bears on Dec. 12, Saskatchewan has gone two months without a loss winning seven consecutive games.

In his third season with the Rush, Manns said not much is getting in the team’s way.

“I think this is probably the most confident the group has been,” Manns said. “When you stack that many wins in a row, it’s hard not to feel good about yourself. At the same time, you got to check yourself a little bit because every team in this league can beat you any week.”

Manns co-leads the Rush with 22 goals in nine games along with captain Ryan Keenan, who is putting together one of the best seasons of his lacrosse career.

Keenan sits seventh in league scoring with 22 goals and 54 points on the year, and is on pace to surpass 100 points for the first time since turning pro back in 2017.

“He’s really improved as a captain just in the last couple years,” Manns said. “From his first year being captain to now, you can tell he’s confident and he plays the right way. It’s not like he’s just on the outside all game, he grinds harder than almost any guy on our team.”

After two games on the road, the Rush are back at SaskTel Centre on Saturday night to host the Vancouver Warriors in what will be their lone game played at home in February.

A game Manns said the team is determined to win in front of their home crowd, but isn’t underestimating a Vancouver team on their tail for top spot in the NLL.

“We want to win in (SaskTel Centre) and we want to stay undefeated at home,” Manns said. “It’s been a goal for us this season. Vancouver is a tough team, they got a big defence, great goalie and a great offence. They’re one of the top teams in the league, it’s going to be a great game.”

The Rush (8-1) and Warriors (6-2) hit the floor on Saturday at SaskTel Centre at 7 p.m.

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