Di Miller, NLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: Jaclyn McKee
On Friday January 10, 2025, the Vancouver Warriors (2-2) hosted the San Diego Seals (3-3) at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, BC. The Warriors had lost 8 out of 11 to the Seals and four in a row, but tonight it was magical as the hometown squad would put up an astounding 8 goals in the fourth and go onto win. Keegan Bal (6g, 1a) would be the hero on the night notching a sock trick in the fourth pushing Vancouver over the top. Final Score: Warriors 11—Seals 9.
San Diego would be the first to get on the board 3:42 into the first. The Seals were lefty strong and Kyle Jackson (2g, 2a) with the slide, pulled the defense and went five-hole 1-0. Vancouver would get their first extra man opportunity with 5:41 left in the frame off a holding call and they’d capitalize. With six seconds left in the power-play, Adam Charalambides (2g, 2a) had possession, faked left, faked right, tucked the ball, twisted and went short side tying the game at 2’s with 3:55 left in the first. Seals Bench Boss Patrick Merrill would throw the challenge flag, unfortunately for them there was no conclusive evidence to overturn the call so they would lose their only time out in the first half. It took only 40 seconds for San Diego to notch the go-ahead tally. Seals Captain Wes Berg (4g, 1a) on the run, turned and fired finding the top corner and it was 2-1. With 1:53 left in the frame, the Warriors worked with the delayed penalty pulling Walsh from the cage, got three shot clock resets but couldn’t capitalize on their second man advantage. Then with 38 seconds left in the first, San Diego would be nicked with another penalty which Vancouver let slip by and the ticker would run out to end the first. Score at the end of one: Seals 2—Warriors 1.
Just 11 seconds into the second quarter, Vancouver would get hit with their second penalty on the night and the teams would start the frame with a four on four, but neither team could find twine. Once again, the Warriors would go man down 3:02 into the frame. The Seals used some nifty ball movement, and some fancy tic-tac-toe action, Berg got the feed and fired an offside rip on the run 20 seconds later for the two-goal lead 3-1. Six minutes ticked off the timer and Vancouver would score in transition. Owen Grant (2g, 1a) on a fast break with Matt Beers matching him step for step, would look off Beers, went to the middle and bounced one five hole and it was 3-2 with 5:28 left in the half. This was the first goal for Vancouver in almost 14 minutes. Christopher Origlieri (46 saves) was spectacular only having allowed two goals in 67 minutes of play (includes their game against Ottawa on 1/4/25). With 1:03 left in the second, there was a scuffle at the Vancouver net. Berg and Charalambides would head to the sin bin. In the second the teams would combine for a total of 24 SOG and only two goals scored. Neither team could find the back of the net so they’d head to their respective locker rooms and would start the third with a four-on-four. Score at the end of two: Seals 3—Warriors 2.
First Half Stats:
San Diego—SOG 26; Saves 22; Sv% .917%; FO 2-7; PP 1-4; PIM 6; LB 31; TO 11
Vancouver—SOG 24; Saves 23; Sv% .885%; FO 5-7; PP 1-2; PIM 10; LB 33; TO 16
The teams would start the third on a four-on-four and 51 seconds in, the Warriors would get nabbed for a boarding call just as the four-on-four was ending giving the Seals another man up and they’d capitalize. Ryan Benesch faked, and the defense froze, he flipped to Berg, and he fired a low side arm shot past Walsh for his hat-trick power play marker 2:40 in and they’d double up Vancouver 4-2. Fourteen seconds later, Grant got the center line flip toss from Alec Stathakis (1a, 14LB), headed down the floor, bounced one in and it was 4-3. San Diego would get that one back three minutes later with some fantastic ball movement. Berg was patiently waiting out in front, got the feed, and found a little opening on the far side for his fourth on the night 5-3 Seals. The final tally came with 7:41 in the third. Kyle Jackson (2g, 2a) got the cross-field pass, headed to the net, jumped, brought his stick down and went low to double up Vancouver. Neither net minder would allow anyone to find the back of the net in an amazing defensive battle between the pipes. Score at the end of three: Seals 6—Warriors 3.
After having only scored a combined nine goals in the first three frames, the teams would combine for 11 goals in the fourth. Riley Loewen (2a) fed to Charalambides on the give and go, he bull dozed his way to the cage, leapt and put it top cheddar 22 seconds in for their first 5 on 5 goal on the night and it was 6-4. That’s when the Warriors would break it open. Keegan Bal (6g, 1a) got a step on his defender and from distance, threw a skipper that got by Origlieri 3:57 into the fourth getting them to within one 6-5. It only took 14 seconds for Ryan Benesch (1g, 2a) to get his first on the night. He was set up out in front, and bounced it five-hole, but Calgary Bench Boss Curt Malawsky would toss the challenge flag because it looked as though Jesse Gamble had a toe on the crease. After review, it was found that he had established a position outside the crease, so it was called a “good goal”, and the two-goal lead had been re-established. Vancouver would get their fifth power-play opportunity on the night 5:26 in off a high sticking call and they’d make the Seals pay. Bal would stutter step, get in tight and put it far side low for a power-play tally at 8:06 continuing his spectacular run on the night. The next marker came in transition. Reid Bowering would feed to Bal coming out the front door, he headed to the crease, dove and put it five hole to tie it up for the first time since it was 0-0 and it was 7-7. They’d get their first lead on the night with 5:44 to go. Bowering (1g, 2a) got the feed, headed to the crease, fired across his body and put it opposite side up top 8-7 Warriors. Bal would get his fourth on the night with three seconds left on the shot clock firing a low side arm shot five hole to make it 9-7 and 4:33 to go. Off the ensuing draw, Cam Holding (1g,1a) grabbed the loosie off the center line scrum, headed down the floor and bounced it short side reducing the lead to one, 9-8. Vancouver would get their sixth extra man opportunity with 2:04 to go and lose possession to the Seals who’d put up a short-handed marker. Rob Hellyer (1g, 3a) off a spin dodge, found an opening and fired one on the outside down low tying it up 9-9 and 1:27 remaining, but the Warriors would still have time on the power-play and Bal would be the recipient. On the give and go, he’d send a rocket top corner 10-9 and 1:08 remaining. Vancouver would win the ensuing face-off, lose possession and with 33.8 on the ticker, the Seals would call a time out. In a bold move, they’d pull Origlieri for the six on five, they’d fire on the cage, Walsh would make the save and with 13.7 in the fourth, he sent an outlet pass to Bal who was standing ready on the opposite end of the floor, and he’d tickle the twine for an empty netter sock trick. San Diego would not gain the final possession and would be on the losing end of the score sheet. Final Score: Warriors 11—Seals 9.
Stars of the Game:
Keegan Bal, Vancouver Warriors—6g, 1a
Wes Berg, San Diego Seals—4g, 1a
Aden Walsh, Vancouver Warriors—43 Saves; .857 Sv%; 1a
GAME STATS:
San Diego Seals—52 SOG; 46 Saves; .827% Sv; FO 6-24; PP 2-6; PIM 12
Vancouver Warriors—57 SOG; 43 Saves; .857% Sv; FO 18-24; PP 3-5; PIM
NEXT UP:
The Vancouver Warriors (2-2) have a double header weekend coming up. On Friday January 17, 2025, they will head to Ontario to face the Ottawa Black Bears (3-2), game time 7:00 p.m. EST. This is the Game of the Week for fans in Canada and they can see the action on TSN5, TSN+ and TSN. Then they will head to Wells Fargo Center on Sunday January 19, 2025, to face the Philadelphia Wings (3-1)***, game time 6:00 p.m. EST. Fans in the USA can see this game on ESPN+ while fans in Canada can catch the action on TSN+.
The San Diego Seals (3-3) will head to Henderson, NV to take on the Las Vegas Desert Dogs (1-4) on Saturday January 18, 2025, game time 10:00 p.m. EST. Fans in the USA can see the game on ESPN+ and fans in Canada get to see the action on TSN+.
Di Miller, NLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
***Record at the time of the article