Editor’s Note: We’re back with another NLL Game of the Week! Thanks to the help of the innovative team at SISU Guard, the Official Mouthguard of the NLL, we are beefing up our National Lacrosse League coverage for 2016! We hope you enjoy our look at the NLL season through a new lens with the aid of our partner SISU!
With four games on the docket for Week 6, we are now rolling through our first third of the 2016 NLL season. Of the seven teams competing this weekend, two squads have yet to be featured in a Game of the Week and both benches have something to prove. Last week’s featured matchup went down to the wire and we’re expecting the same type of nail-biter from the Georgia Swarm visit to the Calgary Roughnecks on Saturday night.
Both teams can push a high-scoring contests; run and gun will be the name of the game. If New England loses and Georgia wins, the Swarm take 1st in the Eastern Conference. Even with a Black Wolves win, they can stay just a half game behind in the race. Calgary could end up a half game back in the Western Conference and a step above .500. With wins coming from both sides last weekend, both teams will push to carry the momentum into the first quarter.
NLL Game of the Week
Georgia Swarm (3-2) at Calgary Roughnecks (2-2)
When: 2/6/2016 – 9 pm ET
Where: Scotiabank Saddledome – Calgary, Alberta
Watch: Fox Sports GO
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[mks_one_half]Standing: 2nd in Eastern Conference
Watch For: The young guns to light up Scigliano. The offense is completely clicking now and it looks fun to be a part of. I’m sure they want to keep that going.
Points Leader: Johnny Powless (13 g, 13 a – 5th)
Things to work on: Tightening up things in front of MacDonald and limiting the opposing offense to shots he can handle.
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[mks_one_half]Standing: 3rd in Western Conference
Watch for: The Riggers haven’t lost to the Swarm since 2013. Look for the veteran squad to bang up on the youngsters a little and attempt to slow the game down when they have the rock.
Points Leader: Dane Dobbie (9 g, 13 a – 12th)
Needs to work on: Staying out of the penalty box and capitalizing on powerplay opportunities. It’s going to be a long weekend, they can’t afford to not take care of the easy stuff.
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Saturday’s hosting of the Swarm will be the second contest in as many nights for Calgary. On Friday they’re in Saskatchewan before flying back to Alberta to host an incredibly youthful Georgia team in front of crowd that’s sure to bring the ruckus. The Necks have a well-balanced offense that can rely on scoring from either side of the floor. Between Shattler and Dobbie causing Hell on the lefty side with Dickson, Digby and Berg mirroring them, MacDonald is going to have his work cut out for him. Dobbie (9 g, 13 a) is lethal with if he’s left open for even a split second and Dickson (10 g, 4 a) always finds a way to get creative on the crease. With 24 a piece, Berg and defenseman Jon Harnett have been great on the looseball game, which is a strong suite for the young legs of Georgia. Weekend double-headers are never easy, especially when you start with a conference rival.
Twelve different guys have found the back of the net for Georgia. Johnny Powless has found a home in Georgia for the first time since leaving Rochester. He’s leading the team with 26 points coming from 13 goals and 13 assists, but right on his tail is rookie Randy Staats (11 g, 14 a) and veteran Shayne Jackson (10 g, 15 a) with 25 points a piece. The Thompson brothers are off to a slower start than most expected, each scoring 6 goals in 5 games. Although their scoring has been limited, Lyle gathered 12 assists, Miles has 7, and both have been a focus of their opposing backline, freeing up other guys to take control. Ethan O’Connor and Joel White have been all over the loose ball came with 36 and 35 respectively. White and rookie Chad Tutton have been strong on-ball, Tutton has forced 11 turnovers to White’s 10.
Both squads have been fair, at best, at the draw circle. MacIntosh is to go-to guy for the Swarm, but Calgary has passed the job around and nothing seemed to be clicking until McIntosh took over in the second half last week and won 10 of 17. The goaltending jobs seemed to be locked up at this point by both starters. Scigliano and MacDonald are above average through the first quarter of the season. MacDonald sits right behind Kirk, Ward and Cosmo with a .784 average and Scigliano is right behind him, post a .776 average. Defensively this will be Calgary’s biggest test, that is if either defensive group even shows up. This is run and gun lacrosse, baby!
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Week 6 Games
Friday
- Calgary Roughnecks at Saskatchewan Rush – 8:30 pm – Fox Sports GO
Saturday
- New England Black Wolves at Buffalo Bandits – 7:30 pm – Fox Sports GO
- Colorado Mammoth at Vancouver Stealth – 10 pm – Watch ESPN
Which game are you looking forward to the most? Make your predictions for this weekend and the rest of the 2016 NLL season in the comment section below!
