There’s something that is so special about the season ending the way that it is. No teams are currently eliminated from the NLL Playoff picture and each squad is still playing their absolute hearts out. Three teams absolutely blew me away with their effort on the floor last weekend: New England, Vancouver, and Buffalo. Three teams that desperately needed wins, got wins, in huge ways. Rochester couldn’t be so lucky, but we haven’t heard from the fat lady quite yet.
If you’re one of those people that only really pay attention until the postseason, I don’t blame you (yes I do). That’s what I’m here for. To get everyone caught up and squared away on what’s going down in the NLL Playoff push. Because that’s when they’re really trying…right?
Buffalo Bandits
Holy cow, where did these guys come from? On back to back nights the Bandits walked into the barns of the two toughest teams in the East and came out swinging. Things started rough on Friday night in Toronto, until a switch was flipped in the second quarter and we saw a whole new brand of lacrosse. Buffalo kept pounding away at Nick Rose and the probability game worked out. It was a big night for a lot of their guys. Dhane Smith got on track with a 5 point night and Blaze Riorden even collected 5 of his own, led with 4 helpers. Anthony Malcolm picked up a hatty while Mitch Jones, Ryan Benesch, and Mark Steenhuis followed up with a pair of strikes each. Anthony Cosmo was dialed in, stopping over 85% in the first game and posting double-digits in each quarter.
They took the next game in Georgia by storm too, unfortunately it had to be against a league-leader. They punched in 6 goals right away and made it 10-8 by halftime. Keeping up with the Swarm is one thing, but doing it the night after taking down the Rock, both on the road, is a challenge no one should have to meet. Smith collected another hat trick, with an extra 5 assists, tied in points from a huge 6 goal, 2 assist game from Ryan Benesch. Jones, Malcolm, and Steenhuis would bury two each, but the young wind of the Georgia bench was too much. Up one to start the fourth, three straight strikes against them would be too much to deal with and late strike from Steenhuis and Benesch couldn’t strike up enough momentum to tie it again.
They’ve got the same two teams scheduled for the next two weeks. The Swarm come to town first and it’s must win, followed by must win. They also need the Black Wolves and the Rock to lose their next two games. They’ll get a shot at Toronto, but if either win, it’s over. Tough path, but it’s doable.
Calgary Roughnecks
The Riggers changed their reservations to the heartbreak hotel on Saturday night when they completely let go in the fourth quarter against the Stealth. It was all tied up at 9 to start the frame, then 10 after a Duch/Dickson exchange. Then it was a 5-1 spree, with a dozen or so opportunities for an empty-netter at the end, by the home team really messed up any real chance at the postseason. Curtis Dickson was absolutely on fire and all 5 of his strikes were highlight reel worthy. Unfortunately, no one else really showed up to join him. Tyler Digby and Dane Dobbie were able to collect a pair, each, despite Dobbie’s 17 attempts at scoring. Wes Berg, Holden Cattoni, Jeff Shattler, and Riley Loewen were limited to the assist game and away from the net.
Bob Snider shredded the Stealth, who have been struggling, at the draw circle, 22-30. It looked like Frankie Scigliano was having ease getting pads on just about everything, until a 5-5 final 15 minutes. If Vancouver wins this weekend, so long Roughnecks. If the Stealth drop this weekend, the Riggers can still squeak in if Vancouver loses again in the final weekend and Calgary grabs the last win. It’s not over yet, but it’s not as bad as Rochester.
Colorado Mammoth
The Mammoth have been riding a perpetual rollercoaster all season long and it’s been destroying anyone’s chances at putting a solid gauge on these guys. They beat the Rush, got the piss kicked out of them by the Swarm, then followed it up with a strong arm of the Knighthawks. This team has been nothing short of great, at times, and pretty busted, at others. They already own a ticket to the postseason dance, but can upgrade to a home playoff game for the divisional semifinals by taking down the Stealth on Saturday. That might not be such an easy task with the way Vancouver worked out last weekend. The Stealth is also leading the series 2-1 and in position to lock up their playoff trip with a win in the the game.
This is the game I’m the most excited for this weekend. The Stealth are playing to the reach of their potential and the Mammoth are coming together as a team. 10 different runners buried a goal for Colorado in last weekend’s win, spread pretty evenly between the offense and defense. Stephen Keogh (2+2), Jeremy Noble (1+4), Callum Crawford (2+3), and Eli McLaughlin (2+2) have all avoided the late-season slump and continue to lead stable and exciting offensive production. At .865 in the game, .796 on the season, Dillon Ward is the NLL’s best when it comes to save percentage and he’s getting a little tighter every game. If there’s any guy I’d want to have in the crease through the next month, it’s Ward. The Rush are great, but the Mammoth team can be as good, or better, when they’re at their peaks. At all costs, it’s time to avoid the valleys.
Georgia Swarm
Georgia owns the title as the top team in the East Division. They got the bye and are a couple small steps away from the best overall record in the NLL. Pick up a win over the Bandits and somehow catch a break with the Rock beating the Rush and it’s all theirs. They have three games left, Buffalo and a double-header with Rochester. Ones I’m sure they’ll win the best of, but they’re up against teams clawing for their lives. Those games can be hard to stay sharp focused in, rolling toward the playoffs. They’re not the same caliber as they the road ahead, but hopefully the do or die situations will bring out the best in the New Yorkers to continue challenging the Swarm.
They ended up ahead of the Black Wolves, holding off a late surge in a high scoring affair. Mike Poulin wasn’t great, but he held up late when it counted with 14 saves in the 4th. The Thompson are firing on all cylinders right now, Lyle (4+4) leading Miles (3+4) for a combined 15 points. That’s shoulder to shoulder with Johnny Powless’ 4 goal, 4 assist night. Feeding most of the offensive production Randy Staats and Jordan Hall were scoreless, but racked up 6 and 5 helpers respectively. This team is so much fun to watch (like I have to tell you that). If it’s not Swarm/Rush come June, I’ll likely eat a hat.
New England Black Wolves
That overtime win is going to stick with this locker room for a long time. Knocking the top team in the West back a peg is going to build miles of confidence for the boys. Now they’re in a position to sign the dotted line and clinch that playoff spot. The first way in is pretty simple, just win on Saturday at Rochester. If so, a loss from the Rock hand over the home game in the division semifinals. If that doesn’t work, there’s no freebies. Right now, it’s looking like a strong chance that the playoffs are in their future.
It’s really going to come down on who ends up figuring out who gets the home game between them and the Rock. The Bandits and Knighthawks have their own, really tough, ways into the playoffs that seem more like a wild pipe dream than real scenario. For New England’s sake, to avoid it all and make the Playoffs, all they have to do is one of two games. Getting Rochester and Vancouver next, I feel strongly that they are going to grab a playoff berth. Prepare for May.
Rochester Knighthawks
Just when they could have had even the slightest bit of wiggle room, the got run over by the Mammoth in Colorado. Now they’re in position that if the lose this weekend, it’s complete game over. Their road in couldn’t be any harder at this point. Unlike the rest of the East, they have three games left and must win all of them to even have a shot. While that’s going on, they have to bank on Toronto losing out, the Bandits losing to the Swarm and beating the Rock, and New England dropping both. That’s going to be pretty damn impossible for the squad that put up lackluster numbers all season, made no helpful roster moves, and failed to define a real leader to carry the team if Dan Dawson can’t do it anymore. Torrey Van Every was their leading scorer in last weekend’s 7-10 loss. Who? Exactly!
Only one guy could put the ball in the net more than once and it was a guy playing in his first ever NLL game. No disrespect to Torrey, a guy that tore it up in the ALL, but wow…what?! Their season wasn’t even over yet and that’s how they play? One thing to note, Angus Goodleaf looked pretty solid when he got his shot last weekend between the pipes. Maybe give him the go ahead this week to try to find a new spark.
Saskatchewan Rush
It seems like forever since the Rush clinched a playoff spot, then they went and locked up their home game. Look back a few months on the interwebz and you’ll find Sask doubters all over the place. People acted like they wouldn’t be back in the driver’s position come April’s end. I’m not one of those folks. I don’t think I ever stopped calling for three-peat and I still am. The Rush can clinch the Western Division title with a WIN Saturday vs. Toronto or with a Colorado loss. I’m calling their first home loss a fluke, despite coming in OT to a red hot Black Wolves. Play it again, the green and black take the cake. They’ve got three games left and can be absolute bullies to two teams. They get the chance to ruin Calgary’s postseason and put what could become a devastating leak in Toronto’s ship.
If they beat the Rock this weekend, they’re outright West Division champs. Same thing goes if the Mammoth decide to blow it. If that doesn’t work, next weekend’s head to head between the two will have some fun implications. They lost, but it didn’t mean they didn’t look good doing it. Goals came from all over the floor, as usual, but they stopped in the last 9 minutes and that’s what did them in. It was a run and gun game for the defense and they couldn’t flip the switch in the late minutes to lock it in. None of the offensive momentum carried over into and Aaron Bold was forced in a bad situation where he barely pulled above .500 in the final two frames. We see that there are clearly holes, but I’m not putting any money against the Rush. They get the bye and I don’t see anyone touching these guys in a series.
Toronto Rock
They were obviously the team to beat to start the season and things held pretty steady throughout the season. Now it looks like the wheels are starting to come off of the bus in the worst way. The Rock are still so close to doing it. They can clinch their playoff spot with a win this Saturday against the Rush. Analyzing the three game skid they’re on, it doesn’t look hopeful. They can still get in this weekend if the Bandits and the Knighthawks both lose. Not bad odds. If that doesn’t work out, next weekend is a mess. See what I’ve written for Rochester and Buffalo to understand the tangled web that could start to be woven if the Rock lose and the New Yorkers start winning.
Off to a 4-0 jump in the first quarter, things appeared to be in really good shape to get going. Even at halftime it was 6-3 and smooth sailing. Then they got absolutely dismantled by the Bandits for the next thirty minutes and measly strikes from Hickey and Reinholdt wouldn’t be close to enough cork to plug to leak. It’s like the majority of the offense, Tom Schreiber included, forgot how to score. The defense was playing more than respectable, but they had to spend way too much time doing their jobs. Nick Rose was still 75% despite the peppering in the second half. They’ve got to get their act together and seal the seal. After the miserable year in 2016, so much has been going for this team all season. They have what it takes and can really prove that by shooting down the Rush. I’m not counting on it, but their final game with the Bandits couldn’t mean a lot more than ever expected if they don’t
Vancouver Stealth
I can’t believe that I’m writing this, but the Stealth are now win and in. They put on one of the best shows of the season against Calgary on Saturday night in front of a healthy crowd in the Langley Events Centre. The offense is built to be electrifying and that’s finally what they’re doing…shocking the hell out of all of us! If the Stealth can get the best of the Mammoth on Saturday, it’s game, set, season. We saw it all from Vancouver last weekend: defensive goals from Beers, Salt and Smith; a career first goal for Evan Messenger; lights-out dedication from McCready; 5 mind-blowing connections from Logan Schuss; 12 combined points from Small and Duch; a 78% night from Belanger and so much more.
They played as a team and won as a team. Losing the lead, then tying it up at 9 to end the third, the Stealth finally never lost their cool. Every game it seems that they have looked for a new way to blow it. Finally, the sealed the deal against the Riggers, a team that always gives them the worst trouble. In the event that they lose this weekend, it’s a little more complicated. Then they would need either a win to end the season, or a Roughnecks loss to get in. Their only way out is two losses and a Calgary victory.
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