If you’re from the East Coast, you were in for some lacrosse after dark on Friday night. The late game came to you from Lee’s Family Forum in Las Vegas, as the hometown Desert Dogs welcomed in the Vancouver Warriors. Vancouver saw themselves in the top eight of the standings, while Las Vegas was towards the bottom and needed to string some wins together. We are at about the halfway point of the season, so business was about to start picking up.
With the exception of the second quarter, this game was very tightly contested. Ultimately it was that second quarter that ended up being the difference in the outcome of the game. Vancouver shut out Las Vegas in the second, while scoring four goals of their own, and that four-goal difference reflected in the final score. The Warriors downed the Dogs, 12-8. If you had to stay up late, get your coffee and let’s do it from Sin City.
Much to the appreciation of the home crowd, Las Vegas opened the game up with two-straight goals, one from Kyle Killen on the power play and the other from Jack Hannah. There was a lull in the scoring until about five minutes left in the frame when Kevin Crowley finally got Vancouver on the board. 2-1 Desert Dogs after one.
We know at the beginning we said that Vancouver scored four goals in the second, which they did. But in total, it ended up being a six-goal run, because of the one to end the first and another to begin the third. For now, the four goals in the second quarter were scored by Payton Cormier, Adam Charalambides, and Marcus Klarich twice. The Warriors defense did an outstanding job of shutting down Las Vegas and limiting quality chances. Aden Walsh very much settled in in net and this one was all Vancouver now. 5-2 Warriors at the break.
“Just trying to play our brand of defense”, said Owen Grant about the team holding Las Vegas to just two first half goals. “Just stay the course, we know we can be a really good team when we play at our best, we have to come out fast. Come out hot and keep this thing rolling.”
The goaltender battle was a good one in the first half. We already said that Walsh was phenomenal. He stopped 18 of 20. On the other end, Landon Kells was also extremely stout, stopping 19 of 24.
Coming out hot was exactly what Vancouver did, as they notched the first goal of the third quarter just 45 seconds in. That goal was courtesy of Keegan Bal on the power play. One thing we’ve grown to learn about Las Vegas is that they’re a feisty group and they aren’t going to just roll over. Cue a three-goal run by the Dogs to cut the deficit to one. Those three goals were scored by Jackson Webster on the power play, Casey Jackson on the power play, and Jonathan Donville. The comeback attempt was short-lived, as Vancouver answered right back with two-straight, one from Klarich and the other from Charalambides. 8-5 Warriors after three.
The Warriors tacked onto their lead with two more to start the fourth quarter, one from Riley Loewen and the other from Bal. The rest of the way saw every other type of scoring, which means Las Vegas was making a valiant effort towards a comeback, but Vancouver matched them every step of the way. Marshal King stopped the Vancouver run with his first but was answered by Klarich’s fourth. Adam Poitras buried his first on the power play, but was answered by Grant. Killen got his second in the waning seconds, but that’d be all she wrote. Your final from Vegas, 12-8 Warriors.
Players of the game for Vancouver were Klarich (4+1), Bal (2+7), and Charalambides (2+4). Walsh was a stud all game long and was a brick wall down the stretch. He made 34 saves on 42 shots. For Las Vegas, Killen (two goals), Hannah (1+5), and Donville (1+2) led the way. Kells had a solid game, just maybe needed a little more offensive support. He stopped 34 of 46.
“The guys on the back end played great”, said Klarich after the game. “Trust in my teammates and coaches, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them. They’re trusting me with the ball and I’m trying to do as much as I can with it.”
Vancouver (5-5) looks to continue building momentum as they scale the standings and remain in the top eight. Their next opportunity is on their home floor when they welcome in Saskatchewan (8-2). That game is this Friday at 10pm. No rest for the wicked for Las Vegas as they ship off to Calgary for a Sunday night matchup. They look to win that one (obviously), and after that, their next contest is also this Friday when they travel to Colorado (6-4). Faceoff in that one is at 9pm.
