The Calgary Roughnecks (9-7) not only defeated rival Vancouver Warriors (6-11) but, Clinched a playoff spot in the process
To top it off. By virtue of a 6-1 record against Canadian teams, Calgary wrested the Alterna Cup.
Kevin M. Neibauer.
LaxPhilly– A Division of the Edge of Philly Sports Network
“We were focused on getting into the playoffs, but the Alterna Cup is something that the league implemented a few years ago and it’s a battle with all the Canadian teams, so it’s a good thing for the sport if it brings a bit of a rivalry between the Canadian teams. It’s good that the league put that in.” Calgary Head Coach, Curt Malawsky.
To the Game..
A very entertaining tilt started off with a bang
Tanner Cook (1a) teamed with Zach Herreweyers to start off the big night from Tyler Pace (3g, 4a) and with 7:59 played, the Roughnecks were in front.
All it took was 1:23 for defensive phenom, Reid Bowering (1g,1a) to bury a pretty feed from Brett Mydske (1a) to knot it up, 1-1.
Pace turned playmaker for Dan Taylor (2g,2a) with 4:46 remaining and the goals were coming in rapid succession.
How rapid you ask? Three goals in 83 seconds arranged by, Kyle Killen (3g,1a) for the Warriors answered twenty eight seconds later by Calgary’s Herreweyers (2g,1a).
Not to be outdone, Riley Loewen (2g) countered :55 after the Herreweyers marker.
The teams took a breather until Christian Del Bianco hit Shane Simpson (1g) in stride for a shorthanded goal as time expired on a 4-3 Calgary advantage.
Quarter Two.
If you thought the opening quarter was wild, what do you think of eleven goals!
It took just 1:00 for Logan Schuss (1g,4a) to get it in a familiar place, tied up. The game was only 16 minutes old and it was knotted up four times.
Despite that, Calgary,. In the person of Jesse King (4g,2a) went on a run with King nailing a natural hat-trick and capping it off by teaming with Curtis Dickson (6a) for a man up goal from Pace to push it to a Calgary lead at 8-4.
Vancouver thwarted the run with a pair of their own from Keegan Bal (6g,3a) at 7:15 and again at 8:53 off a transition goal started by Steve Fryer.
Rookie Defenseman, Harrison Matsuoka (1g,1a) answered to get it to 9-6.
Vancouver seemingly was unimpressed with Killen, Loewen and completing the second hat trick of the quarter, Bal converting off the generosity of Logan Schuss and Matthew Dinsdale (5a) that ended the half with the fifth tie of the game, 9-9.
As hectic as the second was, quarter three would only witness five goals .Eli Salama (1g,1a) unassited at 3:50 followed by tie number six off a quick stick marker from Bal on the man up ..
Bal would go back to back a second time.
A minute twenty later, back to familiar territory off Dickson and Pace setting up Taylor for an 11-11 score
At the 12:05 mark, Dickson was still in a giving mood, this time for Pace to end the third with Calgary up 12-11.
King and Bal exchanged goals but, Calgary put it in overdrive to rattle off goals from Zach Currier (1g) and Herreweyers at 12:41.
Bal assisted on a Killen marker that ended the scoring at 12:54.
Calgary, the hottest team in the NLL, had their fifth win in a row and clinched a playoff spot in the process.
Extra, Extra..
• Shots on Goal were 55-46 for the Riggers.
• Power play had Calgary 2 for 5 with a shortie and Vancouver going 3 of 4
• Loose balls were 72-59 the Calgary way
• Killen and Bowering each had 7 for the Warriors and Currier snagging 10 for Calgary.
• Face offs had Tyler Burton go 19 of 31 with 13 loosies for Calgary
• Christian Del Bianco stopped 33 Vancouver shots. For Vancouver, Alex Buque allowed seven goals with 12 saves in 18:56
Steve *Deep” Fryer had 28 saves in his 41:03
Kevin has followed and promoted the game of lacrosse since May 19, 1974.
The same day the Philadelphia Flyers won the Cup, the Philadelphia Wings were introduced to Neibauer and Philadelphia.
Kevin has covered many sports, including baseball, football, basketball, and.. lacrosse. A former licensed football referee and baseball umpire, Kevin brings a unique insight to his game coverage.
A published writer in JustHockey Magazine, Kevin covered the American Hockey League as well as a monthly story on a pugilist where Kevin used the pen name, The Rink Rat. Neibauer turned his attentions to lacrosse for a few years and does his part, whether podcasting or writing to grow the game. Kevin branched out to his roots and currently provides insight for all Philadelphia teams for Edge of Philly as well as his full-time duties with LaxPhilly.
