Wings improve in standings with win over Rush

by Tom Hoffman

For the second time this season the Philadelphia Wings followed up a big win in Toronto against the Rock with a matchup against the Edmonton Rush. And for a while it was starting to look like another disappointing loss that would tighten up the National Lacrosse League's Eastern Division standings. But the Wings would take advantage of killing off an Edmonton fourth quarter five on three while scoring twice on their own five on three to finally slay the Rush 16-15 Saturday at the Wells Fargo Center.

The Wings jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on goals from Dan Dawson and Kevin Crowley and led 3-1 after a Mike Hominuck goal. Edmonton would then score five of the next six goals to lead 6-4 through the opening 15 minutes. Dawson and Crowley would tie the game at six before a three goal run gave the Rush a 9-6 lead. The Wings trailed at half 9-7 though their final goal of the first half, which was Crowley's third of the night, would start a seven goal run for Philadelphia and give them a 13-9 lead 7:05 into the third. During this run Edmonton coach Derek Keenan would pull starting goalie Aaron Bold for former Wings draft pick Brodie MacDonald and then re-insert Bold following a pair of Philly scores on MacDonald. Once Bold came back into the game the Rush countered with a four goal run to tie the game at 13 and were poised to add to that at the start of the fourth as they went on a two minute five on three power play after both Drew Westervelt and Brett Manney were called for penalties to end the third.

This is where Brandon Miller, who struggled most of the night in the Wings net, came up big and kept the Rush off the board for the full two minutes. Edmonton's Shawn Williams, who became the NLL's Ironman by playing in his 189th consecutive game, would give the Rush the lead back 30 seconds after the power play ended. After Brendan Mundorf tied the game at 14, former Wing Ryan Ward scored a shorthanded goal that would give the Rush their final lead of the night. With 3:11 left in regulation though, the Rush would be called for a pair of penalties that would give the Wings their own five on three power play. The Wings would convert here thanks to two more Mundorf scores and seal the victory.

While it would be yet another big point night for Dan Dawson (2G, 10A including his 500th NLL assist) it was also another big night for Mike Hominuck who added three goals and nine assists after coming up big last week in Toronto. For Hominuck, the last two games have been a result of a simple change with his stick.

"The beginning of the season I opened up with a mesh stick," Hominuck said. "Growing up I played with a leather stick. I decided to go with a mesh stick and I didn't feel that same confidence as I normally did. I went back to my roots and went back to something I was a little more comfortable with. I don't know if it's luck or coincidence or actual confidence in having a leather stick but the first game in Toronto I ended up scoring two goals and tonight another three. I'm back to having confidence and being comfortable with my stick."

That confidence, along with a two game win streak, will get a huge test next weekend when the Wings play a home and home with the league leading Colorado Mammoth starting Friday night in Denver. Not only can the Wings tighten their grip on first place in the East but they could put themselves in a position to let the rest of the NLL know they're not the pushovers they have been in recent seasons.