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Saksatchewan Rush NLL 2017 Rochester Knighthawks Photo: Calvin So box lacrosse goalie
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Goalie Gear of the NLL: Examining All 19

New England Black Wolves

Evan Kirk

New England Black Wolves 2017 Evan Kirk Photo: Khoi Ton
Photo: Khoi Ton

One of the best setups in the NLL has to belong to Evan Kirk. The lightning bolts with a Native warrior and wolf on the sides complete one of the best pieces of art in the game and it looks great with the away whites. The helmet plays perfectly with the jersey and respects everything that the Black Wolves represents. We’ll get to see how it flows with their black jerseys on Saturday. But Instagram is now telling me we may see something new unveiled…

Kirk is one of the few goalies to rock a dyed head and it’s straight money. Orange and white lighting bolts wrap the head until meeting at a NEBW logo in the scoop, with an incredible black overlay. It ends with an all black shaft and black tape work. Best stick in the NLL? It just may very well be.

Hopefully all of that style can rub off on the rest of the team and translate into some scratches in the win column.


Doug Jamieson

Rochester Knighthawks New England Black Wolves NLL 2017 photo Micheline V
Photo: Micheline V

We haven’t seen much of the rookie yet in 2017, about 15 minutes total. Dougie is in the same pads as Kirk, but opts for the Cascade bucket and all white tape, no dye. Maybe he will throw some decals on the bucket over time? We can only wait and see!

Photo: Micheline V

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Rochester Knighthawks

Matt Vinc

Photo: Micheline V Rochester Knighthawks 2017 NLL Box lacrosse goalie Photo: Micheline V Rochester Knighthawks 2017 NLL Box lacrosse goalie
Photo: Micheline V

Now that’s a helmet. Hawkamania is running wild, BROTHHEERRRR! Anyone with wrestling references is good in my book. It feels like the crown and chin piece have such a hard contrast that the bottom looks undone. I’m still a big fan.

I love that Vino goes with the black on black legs with Knighthawks accents. The stick has no rebound knob and the tape it a lot higher since he stays is a permanent scarecrow. I would love to see what a black pair of gloves would look like. I guess my imagination (or Photoshop) could answer that.


Angus Goodleaf

Angus Goodleaf Rochester Knighthawks NLL box lacrosse goalie Photo: Micheline V
Photo: Micheline V

Rochester is another squad with a Cascade-adorning backup. Veteran Angus Goodleaf is relieving Vinc for the 5th-straight season and he looks good doing it. The helmet wrap is perfect. It matches the the rest of the team’s decals with just a little something extra. The all black stick is a nice touch too, but I’m not sure about that white endcap. Everything else matches Vinc this season. What wouldn’t look good in those colors?

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Saskatchewan Rush

Aaron Bold

Photo: Josh Schaefer NLL 2017 Saskatchewan Rush box lacrosse goalie
Photo: Josh Schaefer

Stone Cold! Aaron Bold!

It’s gotta be one of the best chants in the game and the big man backs it up. It starts with the murdered-out stick. All black, no fat knobs, wraps or anything. That is how you do it. It’s held by all black gloves with a hint of green and white, matching his solid black leg pads with just the lettering in Rush green.

His helmet is so sick they made a shed size version and put in on the display in the SaskTel Centre. Hulk SMASH! All too fitting for the muscle man between the irons. It’s a great look to match the Rush attitude and the fans are loving it too.


Tyler Carlson

Tyler Carlson NLL 2017 Saskatchewan Rush Photo: Josh Schaefer
Photo: Josh Schaefer

The pads they share, but the helmets are equally awesome! We’ve always see some sort of animation reference from these guys and this year Carlson is going with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle lacrosse players. If there’s any backup goalie that truly makes a difference each and every game, it’s Tyler Carlson. I’m sure that’s why we see the Turtles symbolizing a BROTHERS theme. Gotta love this guy’s passion for the game and his team, using his voice at their disposal each and every weekend.

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Toronto Rock

Nick Rose

Toronto Rock Rochester Knighthawks NLL 2017 Photo: Micheline V box lacrosse goalie
Photo: Micheline V

The best tape jobs in the goalie business have to belong to Nick Rose. Look up his stick from WILC 2015 when he played for England. Exactly. But he’s also fighting for the best helmet award too. “Can You Smell What the ROCK are Cooking?” How has this not been done every year?! Put The Rock’s face on anything and I’m sold. The trail of maple leafs up the crown and Rock logos with the music notes tie it all together just so beautifully.

From everything I’ve ever seen, the white plastic on blue with red trim is the only clean way to go about the leg pads. Too much red or blue can be an eyesore and the Rock have the perfect balance. They match the UA gloves really nicely, pairing the white and blue together with accents of red.


Steve Fryer

Steve Fryer Toronto Rock Rochester Knighthawks NLL 2017 Photo: Micheline V box lacrosse goalie
Photo: Micheline V

I’m sure Steve is a great guy. But with the job Rosey has been doing so far this year, Fryer isn’t getting his photo taken a lot. I found enough to know that he’s wearing the same exact gear as Rose, with an unpainted white bucket on top. He’s got some Moose Mesh tied up in the head, the only guy going with it this season. How much more we see of him depends on the return of veteran goalie Brandon Miller to the bench.

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Vancouver Stealth

Tyler Richards

Tyler Richards Vancouver Stealth NLL 2017 Photo: Garrett James
Photo: Garrett James

Although it’s a little hard to read at first, if you really look at his custom artwork, T-Rich’s helmet is designed to look like that of a fighter pilot’s. I actually like it a lot up close. When he made the change from the Cascade R, he made sure to bring some quality paint with him.

I’m not a big fan of the switch in leg pads from all black to white and black. I think the Stealth goalie should be just a little more… Stealthy? The stick and gloves too. All black kind of fits the part of the name, doesn’t it? Oh who am I to judge? Richards obviously does whatever he wants.


Tye Belanger

Tye Belanger NLL 2017 box lacrosse goalie Photo: Garrett James / Vancouver Stealth
Photo: Garrett James / Vancouver Stealth

After backing up Ward for a while in Colorado, Belanger couldn’t claim the job over Kirk in New England for a couple of years. Now he’s in Vancouver and he’s not doing a halfway bad job for the BC boys. He’s still sticking with the Cascade R and the matte grey with decals is a pretty good look. It’s even better when matched with those all black legs. If they can ditch the white from the gloves I would be all about it.

The all black stick looks serious when finished off with a few rows of red shooting strings. Belanger gets it. Look good, play good.

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Goalie Guide

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Buffalo Bandits

Calgary Roughnecks

Colorado Mammoth

Georgia Swarm

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New England Black Wolves

Rochester Knighthawks

Saskatchewan Rush

Toronto Rock

Vancouver Stealth

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