The Calgary Roughnecks are off to the worst start in franchise history, an unprecedented 0-3
In their very first game they were on the receiving end of the most goals surrendered in a single game—but they didn’t start the season 0-3. And here we are in 2015, where the Roughnecks were expected to once again challenge for the Champion’s Cup. Instead, they have the worst record in the NLL.
So is it time for Calgary to push the panic button?
In a word, no.
The Roughnecks front office has even thrown their support behind head coach Curt Malawsky, in spite of the slow start, by giving him a contract extension.
And under Malawsky’s direction, the Roughnecks have consistently gotten off to slow starts. In 2013 the Riggers started 0-2, giving up 13 goals per game; in 2014 they started 1-2, giving up 14 goals per game. So while this year’s 0-3 start and 17 goals against per game look really, really bad, it isn’t the end of the world.
Although starting goalie Mike Poulin (17.22 goals against average, .623 save percentage) and backup Frankie Scigliano (13.69 GAA, .682 SV PCT) have posted some terrible numbers so far, it hasn’t been all their fault.
The Roughnecks have had to kill the second-most penalties in the league, almost seven per game, and Calgary has the second-worst penalty-kill rate in the league, putting them behind the eight ball. They’ve lacked team discipline and it has cost them a ton of goals.
The good news is that the Roughnecks have dramatically turned things around after the slow starts the last few years—in 2013 they reeled off six straight wins after dropping the first two games; in 2014 they won five of their next six after the 1-2 start.
Additionally, the offense has still been clicking this year, scoring 12.7 goals per game. If they can continue to score the ball, they’ll always have a puncher’s chance at winning games.
This coming Saturday, Calgary travels to Toronto to face the Rock (3-1), led by former Roughneck Josh Sanderson (28 PTS). If the defense settle in and contain Shooter to less than the seven points per game he has been good for this year, the Roughnecks should be in good shape to break into the win column.
