TWO MORE YEARS

Three-time NLL Cup champion and two-time 40-goal scorer Ben McIntosh agreed to a new two-year deal with the Rush today. The Coquitlam, B.C., product and Rush alternate captain finished fourth in the NLL last season with 41 goals coming off a 2018 season that saw him set a career-high with 46 goals.

“We are obviously thrilled to have Benny Mac signed for another two years,” said Rush GM/Head Coach Derek Keenan. “He’s been a huge part of our success for the five years he’s been with the team. He’s the consummate team player and the premier power forward in lacrosse.”

For McIntosh, there was little doubt he would return to the Green and Black.

“I’m extremely happy to be back in Saskatchewan for the next two years. It’s exactly where I want to be,” he said. “It’s a first-class organization from ownership down and we have a team filled with not only great players but great people. We have the best fans and the best atmosphere to play in in the entire league.

“I can’t wait to get started and compete to bring the Cup back to Saskatchewan.”

McIntosh kicked off last season with a torrid pace, netting 13 goals and 23 points over the opening three games, including back-to-back five-goal outings. He had a standout game in the Rush’s road win at San Diego, collecting a sock trick with six goals, four of which came during the Rush’s fourth-quarter rally.

McIntosh’s shooting prowess was on display again in a home-turf win over Philadelphia when he sniped five goals – three coming via a second-quarter hat trick and then two more on back-to-back goals in the fourth quarter.

The Rush made McIntosh the first overall pick in the 2014 NLL Entry Draft, and his first season as a pro was a blazing success. He captured NLL Rookie of the Year honors by scoring 31 goals to go with 49 assists and 86 – both of which remain his career-highs. The following season, McIntosh went over the 30-goal mark again and he received the NLL’s Sportsmanship Award.

McIntosh has missed just one regular-season game over the past five seasons and along the way has notched 192 goals and 167 assists for 359 points. He has scored 52 power-play goals over that timeframe and posted a 20.1% career shooting percentage. While helping the Rush win three league titles, McIntosh has racked up 35 goals and 27 assists for 62 points in 18 playoff games.

Lacrosse action outside of the Rush has also been fruitful for McIntosh, both in the box and on the field.

Just a month ago, he played a key role in helping Team Canada win its fifth consecutive gold medal at the 2019 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship. He earned All-American status twice while also receiving the CAA Commissioner’s Academic Award at Drexel University, was named to the FIL All-World Team at the 2018 World Field Lacrosse Championship in Israel, and collected 11 goals in 10 games this past summer playing for the PLL Archers.