A member of the Chicago Shamrox fights to make it to the goal. Chicago beat Edmonton at home to get their first win on January 26 at the Sears Centre Arena.
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HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. - With both the Edmonton Rush and Chicago Shamrox looking up from the bottom of their respective divisions after 0-2 starts, neither team could afford a third consecutive loss to begin the season.
The Shamrox offense ignited like a stack of dynamite submerged in a can of kerosene, goaltender Brandon Miller rejected 27 opposing shots, and Chicago picked up its first victory of the season 17-11 on Saturday night before 5,107 fans at the Sears Centre.

Leading 10-7 entering the fourth quarter, the Shamrox quickly did away with any comeback attempt from Edmonton. Chicago bombarded the Rush with four straight goals to open up a 14-7 lead within the first five minutes of the final period. Forward Jason Clark led the attack with three assists. Edmonton’s’ forward Chris Gill answered with consecutive goals but it was not enough. Lindsay Plunkett began another Shamrox run. His goal ignited another 3-0 run that put Chicago up 17-9. Edmonton’s final two goals came when the game was already decided.

“Tonight was a matter of focus and our transition game came alive, we were happy to see guys making great decisions in transition, something we haven’t done yet this year,” Shamrox coach Jamie Batley said. “We’re also healthy for the first time this season; all our scratches were healthy scratches tonight.”

The Chicago Shamrox team does a victory lap after beating the Edmonton Rush at home. Saturday's game was Chicago's first win of the season.
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Chicago’s offense began the game firing shots early and often. Thomas Montour found the back of the net one minute into the game and Jonas Derks gave the Shamrox a 2-0 lead before the game was six minutes old. Edmonton responded and tied the game with two unanswered goals and each team scored on a power play to draw even 3-all after the first quarter.
“When the defense is playing great and not allowing quality opportunities, not to take anything away from [Brandon Miller] who made some spectacular saves, just with fewer shots it’s easier for the goaltender to make great saves,” Batley said.

The Shamrox ambushed Edmonton with three unanswered goals in the first three minutes of the second quarter to take a 6-3 lead. But Rush forward AJ Shannon came back with back-to-back goals and closed the game to 6-5.

Forward Jason Clark responded for Chicago. Clark quickly grabbed a ball that rebounded off the glass behind Edmonton’s goal and put it past Rush goaltender Mat Disher to give the Shamrox a 7-5 advantage entering halftime.
Coming out of halftime, Chicago increased its lead to 10-5 with three straight goals. Edmonton’s pesky team would not surrender, however. The Rush answered with back-to-back goals to end the third quarter.

“We didn’t have a really good training camp because of the injuries,” Scott Self said. “But we had a good practice last Wednesday with all our guys back and had a lot of confidence getting accustomed to each other’s playing style.”

WGN-TV morning producer Nick Mitrovich talks to students who participated in the High School Reporter Night before the game on Saturday, January 26 at the Sears Centre Arena.
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Eleven different players found the goal for the Shamrox. Callum Crawford led the way with four goals and four assists. Plunkett also scored twice and added four assists. In the second half, Edmonton switched goaltenders from Disher to Curtis Paldiwor, who gave up four goals and was credited for the loss. The Rush had five players score goals. Chris Gill netted four shots and Mike Accursi added three with three assists. Jimmy Quinlan recorded five assists.

The Shamrox next game will be against the San Jose Stealth on February 9, at the HP Pavilion. Chicago returns home on Saturday February 16 to take on the New York Titans in a battle between two of last season’s expansion teams.

Notes: Chicago is now (1-1) against the Edmonton Rush all time....Last season the Rush defeated the Shamrox on April 1, 8-6, at the Sears Centre....The Shamrox scored the first two goals of the first quarter, the first three goals in both the second and third quarter and four straight to begin the fourth....Chicago had 11 different players with a goal compared to Edmonton’s five.