Matteo Nobile, NLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Photo Credit Featured Image: Devin Manky
The Vancouver Warriors (1-5) hosted the San Diego Seals (4-2) at the Rogers Centre in downtown Vancouver for the first ever matchup between the two teams. The Warriors were looking for their first win at home, while the Seals looking to finish with four points on the weekend. The Warriors stuck with Aaron Bold in net although pulling him last weekend against Saskatchewan. Frank Scigliano the Coquitlam, BC native was between the pipes for the Seals. The Seals appeared to be in control through most of the game got into some trouble with the Warriors rough play. Austin Staats (2G) now tied the number one spot for scoring, adding two on Saturday night increasing his total to 18. The Warriors defenders did a good job in attempting to slow down Staats as he was on the bench for much of the game with injuries. After a big hit on Staats by Matt Beers (1A), Captain Brodie Merrill (1A) dropped the gloves standing up for his young goal scorer. This was just the start of what was to become a very rough lacrosse game. The Warriors would still remain winless at home losing to the Seals. Final Score: San Diego-11, Vancouver-10
The Seals were showing they had not fully recovered from their game against Calgary Friday night, with Justin Salt (2G, 2A) scoring just 20 seconds into the game with a breakaway goal of the faceoff. It didn’t take veteran Dan Dawson (1G, 3A) very long to answer back putting it between Bold’s legs with an assist from Brodie Merrill. Staats quickly gets his first of the night giving the Seals the lead. After getting into some penalty trouble the Seals were able to kill two penalties by playing lock down defense only allowing five shots on net and the Seals defenders were in the right shooting lanes and blocking shots. After a great defensive play by Garrett McIntosh (3A), he forced a turnover and carried it up the floor passing to Casey Jackson (3G). Jackson scored right on the doorstep with an underhand shot putting it short side bottom corner. The Seals would score again with a transition goal, Johnny Pearson (1G) scores giving Bold a couple fakes before burying it far side. Brody Eastwood (2G) stopped the bleeding for the Warriors as he took a shot around a defender putting it far side, just out of reach from the glove of Scigliano. Jordan McBride (1G, 2A) used the defender as a screen shooting over him and scoring late in the quarter making it a one goal game for San Diego.
The second quarter started with the score of 4-3 in favor of the Seals. With close to five minutes without scoring the Seals would strike first off a shot from the Warriors that missed the net, McIntosh would recover the ball for the Seals at center passing it to Adrian Sorichetti (1G, 1A) for a breakaway goal. Mitch Jones (4G, 3A) would score his 100th NLL goal coming across the top shooting low far side, getting the Warriors back to within one goal. Staats scored again putting it top left after his pump fake froze his defender long enough to get his hands free. The Seals would score a power play goal from Garrett Billings (2G, 3A) who was left wide open at the point and ripped it short side. The second quarter ended with San Diego leading 7-4.
Vancouver’s Tony Malcom (1G, 2A) got his first goal in the second half with a hard jab step to the left getting his defender to commit then went right, with his hands free he sent a bounce shot scoring short side. The Warriors with a power play goal from Eastwood, after a missed shot by McBride, Eastwood got the rebound off the board and snuck it in short side. Immediately thereafter each team picked up a major penalty, (Garrett McIntosh with a five minute major boarding major and a game misconduct; and Colton Porter (1A) with a five minute Illegal cross checking major) the teams would play four on four.
Mitch Jones took full advantage of the extra room; with a natural hat trick Jones gave the Warriors a two goal lead. The Seals would score on the power play with some beautiful passing from Dawson and Billings that left Turner Evans (1G) wide open right on the crease for a quick stick goal. The Warriors led 9-8 heading into the final quarter
With just over two minutes having ticked off into the fourth 32 year old Billings showed his athleticism with a diving cross crease goal in transition that tied the game. Jackson would score his second of the night on another diving goal for the Seals, this one assisted by Kyle Buchanan (2A). San Diego showed that they still had gas in the tank after they appeared exhausted in the third quarter, as Jackson netted his hat trick with an outside shot that went in short side. With the Warriors down two goals the Seals would go on another power play as Tony Malcom was hit with the minute hold and 2:45 left in the game. Justin Salt would run out in transition and was able to recover a pass that was sent over his head, scoring a shorthanded goal for the Warriors bringing them to within one. After the penalty was released Bold was sent to the bench for an extra attacker, the Seals defense stood tall and was able to recover the ball and called a timeout with 23 seconds left. Dawson had the ball for the Seals and was immediately covered by four Warrior defenders; the ball was stripped and recovered by the Warriors. Jones would take the final shot for Vancouver and Scigliano got a piece of it but it trickled in behind him and went right of the net. The San Diego Seals win 11-10.
Garrett Billings was named player of the game with 5 points (2G, 3A).
NEXT UP:
San Diego (4-2) has the next two weeks off and will return to action on Friday February 8 and will host at home the Vancouver Warriors (1-5), game time 10:00 p.m. EST.
Vancouver (1-5) will host the Colorado Mammoth (1-3) on Saturday January 26, game time 10:00 p.m. EST.
Matteo Nobile, NLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©