Marcelo A. Sagüez, Beat Writer Calgary Roughnecks
Lacrosse is Awesome
Featured Image Photo Credit: Candice Ward
On Saturday January 13, 2018 the Calgary Roughnecks (1-4) hosted the Georgia Swarm (2-2) at the Scotiabank Saddledome in front of 11,843 Calgary fans. The attendance at the Roughnecks games clearly shows loyalty to their struggling team. In the past four games Calgary has scored on 36 goals with their two highest tallies at 12. But the Swarm need to get back on track to redeem themselves. All of their victories or losses have been by three or four goals, surely not the dominance they showed in 2017. Final Score: Georgia 15—Calgary 12.
Running out of time… Calgary Roughnecks were in a free fall losing at home to the Georgia Swarm. Calgary has struggled this season and were looking to find the balance going into the game with a record of 1-3.
Returning to Calgary was former net-minder (30) Mike Poulin as the starter for the Swarm. During the game Poulin was on point successfully keeping Calgary’s top shooters off the scoreboard.
The game began with (83) Randy Staats of the Swarm opening the scoring only a minute into the game. Even though Calgary seemed to be lacking the intensity the fans were accustomed to, (44) Dane Dobbie tied the game at one sneaking it between the legs of Swarm goaltender Poulin on the power-play. Ending the first quarter the Swarm led 4-3.
SCORING STATS FIRST QUARTER:
Swarm – Staats; (32) Shayne Jackson; (19) Jesse King; and (93) Johnny Powless
Roughnecks—Dobbie; (89) Riley Loewen; and (14) Wesley Berg
In the second, a better motivated Roughnecks team would tie the game at four a minute into the action off Holden Cattoni. A quicker pace for the Roughnecks but still fighting the ball Berg gave the Roughies the lead with eight minutes remaining in the first half on a dive through the crease beating Poulin in a highlight reel goal. With the lead, Calgary was content on running down the clock. Score at the end of two: Roughnecks 8—Swarm 6.
SCORING STATS SECOND QUARTER:
Roughnecks—Cattoni with two; (17) Curtis Dickson; and Berg
Swarm—Staats; and (2) Miles Thompson
Calgary started off the third with 1:67 remaining on the two minute holding call on Jerome Thompson and attempted to score on the man-up situation. But Poulin held tough between the pipes killing the penalty for the Swarm. Unfortunately, Curtis Manning would get hit with a holding call with 17 seconds remaining on the Swarm penalty. The Swarm could not take advantage of their man-up as Scigliano allowed the Roughnecks to successfully kill the Swarm power play; although the Roughnecks took advantage of their man-down situation and Tyson Bell would find a hole between the pipes and putting them up 9-6. Roughnecks bench Boss Curt Malawsky pulled Frank Scigliano in favor of back-up goaltender Christian Del Bianco who made a brief appearance with nine minutes remaining in the third quarter. Scigliano would allow the Swarm to go on a six-goal run putting the Roughnecks down 12-9 to end the third quarter.
SCORING STATS THIRD QUARTER:
Roughnecks – (94) Tyson Bell; Berg (hat-trick); and Dobbie
Swarm –Jackson with two (hat-trick); (24) Jordan MacIntosh; Staats with two (hat-trick and four on the night; (M) Thompson, (82) Randy Staats
Even though shots were tied at 42 apiece, the Roughnecks found themselves playing catch up lacrosse to start the fourth. Del Bianco looked more comfortable for the Roughnecks even though he hasn’t logged much floor time this season. Penalties riddled the quarter with 13 and the barrage starting at the 12:28 mark. The Roughnecks would be hit with 12; and Georgia one. Three Roughneck penalties with two minutes remaining, and Georgia was content to run the clock out. As the clock ran down, Dickson; Digby; and Dobbie would each be hit with multiple 15 minute penalties. Rubbing the salt into the wound, an empty netter by Swarm defenseman Alex Crepinsek sealed the deal and the Roughnecks would suffer loss number four.
Final Score: Swarm 15—Calgary 12.
SCORING STATS FOURTH QUARTER:
Roughnecks –Loewen
Swarm – (46) Kiel Matisz; Jackson (four on the night); and (10) Alex Crepinsek
The Roughnecks (1-4) have a bye week and will face the red hot Saskatchewan Rush (4-0) at Scotiabank Saddledome on Saturday January 27, game time 7:00 p.m. EST. The Swarm (2-3) also have a bye week and will head up to Vancouver to play the Stealth (1-4) at Langley Events Centre, game time 8:00 p.m. EST.
Marcelo A. Sagüez, Beat Writer Calgary Roughnecks
Lacrosse is Awesome