NLL lacrosse is fully underway in the 2013-2014 season. This weekend has its share of excitement. Here are the game predictions from yours truly, the ILWT staff: (Numbers indicate staff, not final scores) Friday, January 10 Toronto Rock (10) @ Buffalo Bandits (0) Colorado Mammoth (5) @ Calgary Roughnecks (5) Saturday, January 11 Philadelphia Wings (2) @ Rochester Knighthawks (8) Colorado Mammoth (5) @ Edmonton Rush (5) Minnesota Swarm (4) @…
The Calgary Roughnecks host the Colorado Mammoth on Friday, Jan. 10 in their home opener of their 2014 season. The Roughnecks return home this weekend after a disappointing start to the season. They dropped a 16-11 decision to the Toronto Rock last weekend in a game they were never really in after getting behind 7-3 in the first quarter. In the weekly Coaches Media Conference, Calgary head coach Curt Malawsky…
Now the season gets into full swing and your favorite team will certainly be in action at some point this weekend. With the full slate of games, we will find out quickly how the teams are handling the early season success or failures. The opening game for everyone said a lot about where the team was sitting after the preseason tilts they were a part of. The teams are focused…
The Toronto Rock have taken a huge defensive hit in the past two weeks, losing Chris White, Patrick Merrill and Bill Greer. Replacing them on the roster are three players coming off of the practice squad, none of which have played a game in the National Lacrosse League. “To be on the Rock’s roster is a dream come true,” said Dustin Dunn, recently promoted from the practice squad. “I’ve been…
Hockey, soccer, lacrosse, and water polo have the most consistent action with the fewest breaks. They are also the least exposed via ESPN. When was the last time anyone watched lacrosse on ESPN? (NCAA Final Four doesn’t count!) Field lacrosse is a difficult style to cover, due to the ball being so tiny in comparison to bodies, speed of the game, and the distances between cameramen and the action. Indoor…
It was an exciting week two in the National Lacrosse League over the weekend, starting with the odds on favourite Calgary Roughnecks losing 16-11 in a lopsided affair versus the Toronto Rock and finishing with a nail biter that saw the Colorado Mammoth edge the Vancouver Stealth 13-12. The Rock had several standout players in their home opener on Friday. Garrett Billings was the set up man of the weekend,…
We’ve had one complete week and five games on the NLL season. It’s too early on in the season to predict trends or outcomes, but here’s a look at the early league leaders. Leading in points, we have Adam Jones of the Colorado Mammoth and Garrett Billings of the Toronto Rock. Each has 10 points thus far. Jones’s points come from 7 goals and 3 assists where Billings has…
The Colorado Mammoth are in bit of a quandary right now. Veteran goaltender Tye Belanger #31—who is typically a very strong goalie, can see the ball well and is consistent in higher save percentages—has been lacking in the first two Mammoth games. Against the Edmonton Rush on December 28, 2013, he played a total of 41:12 minutes. During his time on the floor, there were 26 shots on goal, 15…
A small schedule this past week with only two games being played, so not many changes this week. But this weekend we have six games as the NLL will be in full swing. Power Rankings Week 3 (1) 1—Rochester Knighthawks (1-0) The Knighthawks were idle this past week. They host Philadelphia on Saturday night, which is sure to be a great game. (2) 2—Edmonton Rush (1-0) Idle this past…
Please note: the holiday season delayed the start of this column for 2014, but as they say, better late than never. These quotes are from the conference call after Opening Weekend. On Wednesdays, Doug Fritts, National Lacrosse League VP of Broadcast Services & Communications, leads the NLL Coaches & Media Conference Call and each week I will highlight three topics from it that I think stood out. On the…