What an exciting weekend of lacrosse action. If this past weekend doesn’t prove that the 2013 NLL season is packed with excitement each week, nothing will!
We have a new #1, the defending champions sweep there weekend road games and played like the team that won the title last year. The Battle of Alberta was just that, as the Rush stayed with the Roughnecks for 60 minutes. The Swarm sting the Rock at the Hive in OT. Stealth bomb Mammoth again.
Calgary Roughnecks. After starting 0-2, this Roughneck team has run off four straight wins, 3 of them on the road. Curtis Dickson was the MVP this weekend for the ‘Necks scoring four times, three in the final quarter. The Roughnecks are starting to send a statement to the rest of the teams that they want the title this season. The Roughnecks now go on another three game road trip, two of them this weekend. But 5 of the final 7 games are back at home. Next Opponent Fri 2/15 @ Toronto 7:30pm Sat 2/16 @ Minnesota 7pm
Toronto Rock.. The Rock drops a spot to #2 after a 13-12 OT loss to the Swarm on the road. This was just another game this season where you can never underestimate your opponent. This was a tough battle as Minnesota returned the favor from the first meeting this season between the two teams.
Next Opponent: Fri 2/15 vs Calgary 7:30pm
Washington Stealth. After having a minor slump, the offense woke up and filled the net thirteen times against the Mammoth. Rhys Duch (hat trick), Brett Bucktooth, Cliff Smith, Mitch McMichael two goals each led the way for the Stealth who remain only a half game out of first place.
Next Opponent: Fri 2/15 @ Edmonton 9pm
Rochester Knighthawks. Our biggest jumper of the week!! The defending champions played like champions by sweeping both road games this past weekend. First stop was an 11am game versus the Wings. This game remanded me of last years home opener in Philadelphia when the Hawks beat the Wings 22-12, this time it was 20-10. Former Wings Dan Dawson 4G/7A led the way. Immediately after the game the Hawks boarded a bus (flight cancelled) for the trip to Buffalo before a storm was to hit. This did not bother the Hawks at all, as Saturday night they silenced the First Niagara Center in a 15-7 beating of the Bandits. Corey Vitarelli(4G), Stephen Keogh (3G/3A), Cody Jamieson (2G/7A) led the way this game. The Hawks are now home for 5 of the next 6 games. They need to get the confidence going during this time as they finish the season with four games on the road.
Next Opponent: Sat 2/16 vs Buffalo 7:30pm
Buffalo Bandits. Drop a big home game to the Knighthawks 15-7, this was the second week in a row John Tavares was scratched, and the veterans did not step up this weekend. Goaltender Anthony Cosmo was again pulled for Kurtis Wagar, then was put back in at the start of the second half, but that didn’t give the Bandits any type of pick-up. Season series is now tied at 1 game each. .
Next Opponent: Sat 2/16 @ Rochester 7:30pm
Minnesota Swarm Jump three spots to #6 as they battled the Rock to a 13-12 overtime victory in The Hive. Swarm were up 12-10 with 1:56 left when a penalty shot was awarded to the Rock as the Swarm had too many men on the floor. The Rock capitalized on the opportunity, then tied the game 27 seconds later. But at 4:30 of OT Tyler Haas(hat trick) registered the game winner. Corbyn Tao, Kiel Matisz, Jay Card, and Andrew Watt all had two goals apiece.
Next Opponent Sat 2/16 vs Calgary 7pm
Philadelphia Wings.. After having a bye week following the back-back losses to Buffalo and Calgary, the Wings still were not able to solve the Rochester mystery as the Hawks came in and made the game a laugher by halftime being up 11-2, and making the final score 20-10. Captain Brodie Merrill was the one bright spot registering a hat trick. Brandon Miller was pulled for Kevin Croswell, but that didn’t last long in the second quarter. Wings have lost 3 in a row after a 2-0 start. They have another bye week to fix these errors before the season starts to get away from them.
Next Opponent: Sat 2/23 @ Rochester 7:30pm Sun 2/24 vs Colorado 4pm
Colorado Mammoth.. A week after looking as if they resolved the goaltending with a 15-9 win over the Swarm, the Mammoth fall to the Stealth 13-7. Do you chalk this up to a Stealth team that needed the offense to get back on track, or is their goaltending in need of severe help still.
Next Opponent: Sat 2/16 vs Edmonton 9pm
Edmonton Rush.. Still with only one win so far this season. Yes they been in every game so far and lost two straight to Calgary, but only by a total of 4 goals. But you need wins to make it to the playoffs and if they where to start now, the Rush would be buying tickets to watch them. Back to Back games this weekend for the Rush
Next Opponent: Fri 2/15 vs Washington 9pm Sat 2/16 @ Colorado 9pm
- 2 (+1) Calgary Roughnecks 4-2
- 1 (-1) Toronto Rock 5-2
- 4 (+1) Washington Stealth 4-3
- 8 (+4) Rochester Knighthawks 3-3
- 3 (-2) Buffalo Bandits 3-3
- 9 (+3) Minnesota Swarm 2-3
- 5 (-2) Philadelphia Wings 2-3
- 6 (-2) Colorado Mammoth 2-3
- 7 (-2) Edmonton Rush 1-4
