Marcelo A. Sagüez, Correspondent Calgary Roughnecks
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: Calgary Roughnecks
On Saturday December 21, the 2019 NLL Champion Calgary Roughnecks (1-1) hoisted the championship banner to the rafters in front of just over 12,000 Calgary fans, each who received a mini replica banner to commemorate the event. But their home opener did not go as planned as they would lose to their West Division rivals the Colorado Mammoth (1-1) by the score of 8-7 at the 7:11 mark of sudden death overtime at the Saddledome.
This was probably one of the best and may turn out to be the best goal-tending games you can expect to see all season. Both Christian DelBianco (.854 Sv%) and Dillon Ward (.868 Sv%) each had stellar performances in their respective cages on the night.
Missing from the line-up was Calgary’s captain Dane Dobbie who is currently serving a six-game suspension handed down from the league for an incident against the Vancouver Warriors on November 29. The sharp shooting Dobbie was not only missed on the score sheet, but his leadership and motivation that ties this Roughneck team together was missed as well. Rhys Duch was also out of the lineup with a ‘lower body’ injury. Both absences played a key part in the loss.
After a bye-week the Roughnecks took to the floor with a mission. Curtis Dickson (1g, 1a) opened the scoring within the first two minutes of play. Calgary had a soft scoreboard cushion going into the first quarter break leading 3-1.
Colorado rallied in the second outscoring the home team 4-1 to take a one goal lead into to the halftime break 5-4.
“They’re a defensive team, that’s how (the Mammoth) play. They rely on their goaltender (Dillon Ward, who made 46 saves) and they jam it inside the dotted line. If you hit your shots, you’re going to beat them. If you don’t hit your shots, you’re not. Then they’re going to run it down the other way. I thought full marks (to a) goalie-driven team. Well done.” said coach Malawsky.
Eli Salama was the lone scorer in the third quarter and tied the game at five, shooting through a crowed to get it by a solid Mammoth goaltender Dillon Ward, saving 46 of 53 Calgary shots.
A questionable call against the Roughnecks Greg Harnett with 1:18 left in the third put the Mammoth on the power play to close out the quarter but they were unable to capitalize on the man up.
The pace in the fourth quarter gained momentum, which led to the love hate relationship these teams have for each other. Fans were quite vocal this night on questionable infractions.
Dan Taylor tied the game for the Riggers at seven squeezing the ball under the elbow of Ward just 22 seconds after the Kyle Killen ‘Dunk’ goal from behind the net. That would be it in the fourth and would send the game into OT.
Colorado took a delay of game penalty only 24 seconds into sudden death overtime. Dickson would draw a Mammoth penalty in front of the crease, giving the Riggers a two man advantage for 30 seconds, but Colorado would not submit.
With time ticking down on the shot clock and the Roughneck’s in possession a Dickson side arm bouncer rebounded off the end boards and was converted into a defensive transition opportunity for Jordan Gilles who took the rebound and scored on the breakaway for the win 8-7.
Notable milestones on the night:
Roughnecks—Curtis Dickson is two goals away from 400 on his career
Mammoth—Rookie Will Malcolm scored his first career NLL goal
Mammoth—Rookie Brett Craig scored his first career NLL goal
Mammoth—Rookie Dylan Kinnear scores his first career NLL goal and it was a “ BTB no look goal” off a BTB pass from Chris Wardle which ended up as the GEICO highlight of the game.
Scoring for Calgary: Marshall King (2g, 1a); Dan Taylor (2g, 1a); Curtis Dickson (1g, 1a); Tyler Pace (1g, 1a); Eli Salama (1g)
Scoring for Colorado: Will Malcolm (2g, 1a); Jacob Ruest (2g); Kyle Killen (1g, 2a); Brett Craig (1g); Dylan Kinnear (1g); Jordan Gilles (1g)
NEXT UP:
The Calgary Roughnecks (1-1) have a double-header weekend coming up. The first on Friday December 27 they’ll head down to San Diego to face the Seals (0-2) at Pechanga Arena, game time 10:00 p.m. EST; and the second on Saturday December 28 when host the Philadelphia Wings (0-1) at the Saddledome, game time 9:30 p.m. EST.
The Colorado Mammoth (1-1) head back out on the road to face the Georgia Swarm (2-0) at Infinite Energy Arena on Saturday December 28, game time 7:00 p.m. EST.
Marcelo A. Sagüez, Correspondent Calgary Roughnecks
Lacrosse is Awesome©