Marcelo A. Sagüez, Beat Writer Calgary Roughnecks
Lacrosse is Awesome
It was Superhero Party Night at Scotiabank Saddledome and the Twitter Game of the Week. The Calgary Roughnecks (5-8) hosted the Toronto Rock (7-6) in front of 12,097 screaming Riggers fans. Both teams came into the game with a “W” the weekend before. At this point in the season, every win is more significant, and one step closer to clinching a playoff berth. In the case of the NLL Eastern Division, it’s a virtual deadlock. Toronto has moved back to the top spot, but with Georgia; Rochester; and Buffalo each only a half game back, this win was huge.
The ‘kid’ Christian Del Bianco sporting his new mask started between the pipes for the Roughnecks. At the other end Nick Rose less than a minute into the game opened last night’s highlights with a floor long assist to a wide open Brodie Merrill, Del Bianco stepped out to challenge the breakaway only to be beaten over the shoulder. Toronto set the pace in the game; caught flat footed, the Roughies find the net for Toronto’s Reid Reinholdt (2G, 2A), as Greg Harnett accidentally kicked the ball back to Del Bianco for an ‘own goal’. The Rock would score three more to close out the third. The ball clearly not bouncing in Calgary’s favor, bench boss Curt Malawsky in what some think was an error, pulled Del Bianco at 13:56 in favor of Frank Scigliano. It’s understandable to pull the kid; but he needs to be able to prove himself in difficult games, not only for the experience but for his growth as a professional net minder. Calgary could only find net once early in the frame when Dane Dobbie (4G, 2A) found twine. The Rock definitely dominated the frame. Score at the end of one: Toronto 6—Calgary 1.
Scoring in the First:
Calgary – Dane Dobbie
Toronto – Brodie Merrill (1G); Sheldon Burns (1G, 1A); Reid Reinholdt; Challen Rogers (1G); Kieran McArdle (3G, 1A); and Rob Hellyer (3G, ,6A)
Starting out the second, Roughnecks mounted a comeback on the power play off a late first quarter Toronto tripping penalty. Finisher Dobbie on the power play wasted no time in beating Rose low for a goal. Calgary went onto score four in a row, the second quarter resembling more of a Roughneck’s game. In grand fashion Curtis Dickson scored on the “Superman” dive, giving him 600 career points. Calgary dominated the second quarter, outscoring Toronto seven to two. Heading into the locker room, the score would be tied at 8 apiece.
Scoring in the Second:
Calgary – Dobbie; Tyler Pace (2G, 1A); Curtis Dickson (4G, 1A); and Wes Berg (1G, 4A)
Toronto – McArdle; and Adam Jones (2G, 4A)
The second half started with Toronto on the power play scoring quickly with Dan Lintner (1G, 1A) getting the feed from Brett Hickey only 32 seconds in. Scigliano spotted a breaking Dickson and floated a perfectly timed pass for the assist. A tied game at 11, the third quarter was back and forth with shots favoring the Rock 48-39. Roughnecks were better on the power play going 2-3; while Toronto was 1-4. Goals would be equal in the third.
Scoring in the Third:
Calgary – Dickson would be the only one to score
Toronto – Lintner; Reinholdt; and Jones
The fourth quarter was all Toronto as they rolled over the Riggers. Calgary failed to take the lead at any time in the game. Toronto quickly jumped out into the lead putting pressure on the Roughnecks 14-11 as the clock counted down in regulation. A late challenge by Calgary on a diving Hellyer goal
was reviewed multiple times before the referee made the call. Unfortunately for the Roughnecks, the goal stood and only added frustration to the Roughnecks bench. To make things worse, Toronto’s empty netter summed up the night for Calgary as they could not shake the better prepared, Toronto Rock team. A late drive was not enough for the Roughnecks, losing the battle at home 17-14
Scoring in the Fourth:
Calgary – Holden Cattoni (1G, 2A); Riley Loewen (1G, 2A); and Dobbie
Toronto – Phil Caputo (2G, 1A); McArdle; Hellyer; and Latrell Harris (1G, 1A)
Next Up:
Calgary heads to Vancouver on Saturday March 31, to face the Stealth (2-12) who are coming off an exhilarating victory over the Mammoth. Toronto will host the Colorado Mammoth (9-4) at the Air Canada Centre on Friday March 30.
Marcelo A. Sagüez, Beat Writer Calgary Roughnecks
Lacrosse is Awesome