What another great weekend of NLL Week 4 lacrosse! Every game, with the exception of the Buffalo and Rochester game, went down to the wire and several players came up huge in helping their teams win. Let’s see who won the weekend and who struggled.
NLL Week 4: Winners
Ben McIntosh
The Saskatchewan Rush needed a bounce-back win after losing to New England in their first game. Ben McIntosh had a great performance for them, scoring five goals and adding five assists to lead them to a 16-12 victory over San Diego. McIntosh was a man on a mission and scored in a variety of ways against the Seals defense. He would have had six goals, but a San Diego challenge wiped off what would have given him a sock trick on the night.
Five goals, four assists: @BenMcIntosh had a NIGHT!
He speaks candidly with media about facing former teammates and the energy of a winning Home Opener in #RushNation. https://t.co/8d1wtgig1K
— Saskatchewan Rush (@SaskRushLAX) January 6, 2019
Adam Jones
Jonesy had a quiet night in the Rock’s loss against Georgia last week, but went off in their overtime win over Philadelphia, including scoring the game winner in OT. Jonesy finished with 5 goals on the night and scored the golden goal with a laser to the top corner giving the Rock their second win on the season.
OT heroics from @thejonesy16!@TorontoRockLax 11@NLLwings 10#NLL #LaxOn #PHIvsTOR pic.twitter.com/OxFBc8Kl5x
— NLL (@NLL) January 5, 2019
Brendan Bomberry
Not only did Bomberry score his first NLL goal in the Swarm’s comeback win against Vancouver, he also finished the game with his first career hat trick. Bomberry is known more to lacrosse fans as an offensive player, but has been running out of the back door so far in his rookie season to play defense. Leftybombz finally got to show NLL fans his scoring ability and I think we will see him scoring more in transition the rest of the season.
.@Leftybombz21 with his first career NLL goal… and he DUNKED IT!
Watch now: https://t.co/10Ynt54c1n#NLL #LaxOn #VANvsGA pic.twitter.com/GF6Kegy7c3
— NLL (@NLL) January 6, 2019
NLL Week 4: Honorable Mentions
Matt Vinc
Vinc became the all-time saves leader in NLL history during the Bandits win against Rochester, in which he only allowed 4 goals. Congratulations to Vino and I’m sure he is going to continue to rack up saves and make it very difficult for any goalies to beat his record anytime soon.
Tom Schreiber
Captain America made a huge play with about 30 seconds left to tie the game against Philly with a diving goal. He would finish the night with eight points in the Rock’s OT win.
Joakim Miller
Miller became the first player from Finland to record an NLL point with his assist on a Wings goal against Toronto. What a great moment for international lacrosse and for the growth of the game. I’m sure we will see the Big Fin get his first goal as well at some point this season.
READ MORE: Read this week’s installment of Lacrosse GIFs here on LaxAllStars. Also, check out our NLL Week 4 Twitter reactions here.
NLL Week 4: Losers
The Rochester Power Play
In a game that featured 18 total penalties between Buffalo and Rochester, the Knighthawks extra man unit was only able to convert on 1 of their 8 power plays. The Knighthawks offense struggled to score throughout the game 5-on-5 and could have sparked their team by burying some opportunities on the power play, but the ball was just not finding the net for them on Saturday night. Rochester would only score four goals on the night.
SportsCenter
How was Kyle Buchanan’s backhanded diving goal not a No. 2 or No. 1 play on Sportscenter’s Top 10? They showed it as the #9 play, but the level of difficulty on this goal is insane. Buchanan is a righty and was on his wrong side of the floor and was still able to bury it backhanded in the top corner while diving in the air. We are only in Week 4 of the season and we have seen some goal of the year candidates. Hopefully, SportsCenter should learn from their mistakes and put the next major highlight reel goal at No. 1.
DA DA DA! DA DA DA!
The #9 play on @sportscenter #SCTop10 last night! Kyle Buchanan with the diving goal??? #DiveIn pic.twitter.com/ehq4e67vvv
— San Diego Seals (@SealsLax) January 6, 2019
