Marcelo A. Sagüez, Correspondent Calgary Roughnecks
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: Candice Ward
The Calgary Roughnecks (9-8) put together back-to-back wins over the last two weekends, this time against the visiting Eastern Division Georgia Swarm (12-5) in a back and forth scoring game. Over 11,800 in the seats and a multitude of event dressed fans attended Hero Night in Calgary all the while enjoying an edge of your seat game from start to dramatic finish. Final Score: Calgary 14—Georgia 13.
The Swarm opened up the first at the two minute mark and it only took seven seconds for Calgary’s D/T (94) Tyson Bell to tie the game at one faking high forcing Mike Poulin to leave the five-hole open for the goal. Returning to the starting line up (19) Jesse King scored his first goal as a Roughneck. While former Roughneck attackman and home town kid (9) Holden Cattoni is shining in Georgia and scoring the Swarms first two goals. The Riggers would win the first quarter 4-2.
A different second quarter had Georgia scoring four straight after Cattoni scored his hat trick early in the quarter. The Swarm were 1-4 on the power-play thanks to a stingy defence backed by Del Bianco. Each side would put up six apiece. Scoring twice in the frame for Calgary were: Curtis Dickson (4g, 2a); and Riley Loewen (2g, 1a); and one apiece from Dan Taylor (1g, 1a); and Rhys Duch (1g 3a). Georgia would see two from both Cattoni (4g, 1a) and Zed Williams (3g, 3a); and one apiece from Miles Thompson (3g, 2a); and Lyle Thompson (2g, 5a). Three minutes before the end of half, Mike Poulin was escorted off the floor by training staff on what appeared to be a hamstring injury. Second string keeper (29) Kevin Orleman finished the half between the pipes and was tested with a minute and nine seconds on the ticker as he was scored on by lefty Loewen the quick-stick feed from Dickson. Score at the end of two: Roughnecks 10—Swarm 8.
The pace slowed dramatically in the third with a low scoring and penalty free frame. The Swarm headed into the half chasing the Roughnecks 10-8. Georgia would win the frame outscoring Calgary 3-1. Orleman settled into his position for Georgia making key saves and keeping it tight. The lone goal from the Riggers would come from Dane Dobbie (4g, 4a) on the extra attacker. Shots on goal favored the Roughnecks 43-34. Georgia would tie the game at the end of three at 11 apiece.
The Swarm would go ahead by one with a nifty shot by M. Thompson at the 1:18 mark. But the Roughnecks would tie the game at twelve with some trickery. Dobbie received the feed from Dickson from behind the net for the ‘Dunk’ goal. There was a challenge on the play by the Swarm only to be cleared as a good goal for the Riggers. Moments later Calgary would challenge a Lyle Thompson diving goal, but again another overturned challenge as Crew Chief Todd Labranche would confirms a good goal after review. Georgia would hold a one goal lead for less than two minutes. Counting down the fourth, the Riggers played catch up lacrosse as Dobbie tied it up at 13 apiece and finishing his night at (4g, 4a) leading the league with 107 points. The go-ahead corkscrew goal fed by Zach Currier to Dickson coming off the bench on a short-handed goal to take the lead. Calgary would successfully kill a penalty to Curtis Manning for the crosscheck. With 22.5 seconds in the game Dickson went through the crease and received a goalie interference penalty for bumping into Orleman giving Georgia the penalty shot. The last Swarm shot from Shane Jackson beats Del Bianco over the shoulder, but was unable to beat the crossbar for a monster rebound that ran out the remainder of regulation time.
Contributing on the stats sheet were Curtis Dickson (4g, 2a); Rhys Duch (1g, 3a); Tyler Pace (4a); and Riley Loewen (2g, 1a).
“It’s big,” said Coach Curt Malawsky. “You don’t write it up like this, but it’s nice to go through that and win that one-goal game. I think for us to battle back late in the game, be able to tie it, have Dickson score the big goal, not freak out and kill the power plays – it’s huge.
We were just trying to kill it off and I got the ball trying to rag it, but we had an odd-man rush,” explained Dickson of his game-winning goal. “Zach [Currier] got me the ball, someone set a pick in front and I put it in the back of the net. It was fortunate timing.”
NEXT UP:
Calgary (9-8) will host one last regular season game at home in the Scotiabank Saddledome against the Saskatchewan Rush (10-6) on Saturday April 20, game time 9:00 p.m. EST.
Georgia (12-5) welcomes the Philadelphia Wings (3-14) to the Infinite Energy Arena on Saturday April 20, game time 7:05 p.m. EST.
Marcelo A. Sagüez, Correspondent Calgary Roughnecks
Lacrosse is Awesome©