Di Miller, NLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome
On Friday January 20, 2017 the New England Black Wolves (0-3) headed down south to Infinite Energy Arena in Atlanta, Georgia to face the red hot Georgia Swarm (3-0). Even though the Swarm have been playing extremely well, they still can’t pull the fan base they need and would only see 2,386 fans on hand. Too bad for those who didn’t see the game live because the Swarm are definitely looking like a team to be reckoned with this season. Final Score: Georgia 14—New England 9.
Having three of the infamous Thompson brothers on your team is fantastic especially when you’re the Georgia Swarm. They would start out again on fire controlling the first quarter of play, shutting out the Black Wolves 4-0. The fans would have to wait nine minutes to see their team put one up on the board, and it would be Bryan Cole. Lyle Thompson would score at 13:15; Randy Staats on the power-play at 14:05; and Mitch Belisle on the empty netter with only one second remaining. Pulling Evan Kirk in favor of the extra attacker and hopes that New England would score just didn’t pay off. Score at the end of one: Georgia 4—New England 0.
New England would come out in the second with Reilly O’Connor who would finally get the Wolves on the board at 2:59. The fans would have to sit through almost ten minutes of scoreless lacrosse, before Swarm forward Shayne Jackson would net his first and only of the game at 12:17. Next up New England forward Kevin Crowley would get his first of two on the night at 14:07 and the final goal of the half. Heading into the locker room at the half, Georgia would still hold the lead 5-2.
Starting off the third, it would be Georgia this time with forward Kiel Matisz getting his only point of the game at 1:43. New England would come back three minutes later on the power-play opportunity with Chad Culp hitting net. The Swarm would net back-to-back goals off Jordan Hall at 6:12; and L. Thompson at 7:13. New England would answer back two minutes later when Shawn Evans would get his only goal of the game at 9:15. 
L. Thompson would net the hat-trick on a short-handed goal at the 11:45 mark; followed by his brother Miles Thompson only 54 seconds later. Pat Saunders would close out the quarter at 13:24 giving New England their fifth goal of the night. Score at the end of three: Georgia 10—New England 5.
It was do or die for the Black Wolves heading into the fourth. They wanted to break their two game slide and go away with the “W”. The Swarm would start out the last 15 with L. Thompson getting his fourth on the night at the 2:16 mark; followed by back-to-back goals from Hall giving him the hat-trick as well. His first would come at 8:11 on the power-play, followed by another at 10:26. New England found some life and would go on a four-goal run. Saunders started it off with his second on the night at 10:52; and amazingly Jay Thorimbert would score only five seconds later. Culp would net one at 11:23; and Crowley with the extra-attacker would put the final point on the board for the Wolves at 14:15. In a desperate, but futile attempt, New England would stay with the EA and the Swarm would take advantage with Connor Sellars hitting the empty-netter at 14:23. Lights out for the Black Wolves. Final Score: Georgia 14—New England 9.
New England forward Shawn Evans would again net an enormous number of penalty minutes with 26. He now leads the league with 33 penalty minutes, while being tied for 12th in points with 13 (4 G, 9 A).
Next week the Swarm (3-0) head to the Langley Events Centre to face the Vancouver Stealth who will play back-to-back games the first in Saskatchewan against the Rush on Friday January 27, 2017; and the second on Saturday January 28, 2017 against the Swarm in Vancouver.
Di Miller, NLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome