A game that had just about everything saw the San Diego Seals (5-6) hold on to get the better of the Calgary Roughnecks (4-5) to make the West Division even more cluttered.
Showing why he is the reigning National Lacrosse League MVP, Dane Dobbie was the star of the show for Calgary.
12,217 rabid fans filled the Scotiabank Saddle Dome to take in what is becoming a heated rivalry. Dobbie (7g) whipped the crowd into a frenzy with two quick scores and with 3:05 played, the home team was rolling.
With injured stars returning, the Seals can score goals with any team in the league and showed it with Austin Staats (5g,3a) and Kyle Buchanan (2g,2a) potting a Staats and Wesley Berg set up on the man advantage to get it even at 2-2. Keeping the pattern going, Calgary added a pair with Dobbie connecting just :22 later before someone other than Dobbie, Tyler Pace (2g,2a) lit the lamp to put the ‘Necks in front, 4-2. Staats and, who else? Dobbie exchanged markers to close the spirited first stanza with the home team holding a two-goal edge at 5-3.
The upbeat pace continued with Jeremy Noble (1g,4a) banging one home just :21 in and seven seconds later, Cam Holding (1g) followed suit to get it to a 5-5 standoff.
Zach Currier(1g) continued the San Diego flurry with a power-play tally and three goals were posted by the 1:18 mark.
It took twenty-four seconds for the hot hand of Dobbie to strike again. San Diego went back on the power play and Staats sent a pretty pass that Casey Jackson (2g,3a) buried and San Diego went in front, 7-6.
At 4:39, Zach Herreweyers (2g,1a) evened the field on a delayed penalty with the assist going to Dan Taylor (1a).
The Triple D’s, checked in and Rhys Duch (1a) and Curtis Dickson (1a) lent a helping hand on a Dobbie power-play goal to continue the feverish back and forth.
Kyle Buchanan and, yet another man-up goal from Staats with just six seconds left, closed the half with the Seals holding a 9-8 edge. Things calmed a bit in the second half and only five goals were notched in the third. Of course, the first was scored on the advantage with Staats converting a nice feed from Wesley Berg at the 1:47 mark. Staats made it three in a row with a helping hand from Buchanan and it appeared the Seals were taking over.
Herreweyers and Berg (1g,7a) countered to bring it to a 12-9 contest. Reece Caillies (1g,1a) set up a final period with Calgary in a hole,12-10. A defensive battle was set up and Calgary got it tied up with Tyler Pace and Dobbie to bring the Roughnecks back even at 12-12.
Then, the drama began to unfold. Shayne Jackson tallied at 8:54 and San Diego had a lot of time to attempt to burn.
With just over thirty seconds left, an apparent Calgary goal was, after review, nullified. Frank Scigliano, San Diego’s goalkeeper, stumbled and dislodged the net. After a lengthy review, it was determined that the direction of the shot did not break the plane of the net if the jet had been in its proper place. Having dodged a bullet, the Seals were successful in running out the remaining time to pull off a big Division win.
“I think they got it right, that the ball didn’t cross between the plains where the net was supposed to be. But what they didn’t get right was that the goalie knocked the net off and when the goalies knock it off like that, it should be a penalty, that’s my understanding.”
Calgary Head Coach, Curt Malawsky
“We fell a goal short, but it wasn’t for a lack of effort. I think in the first half, it was a tale of two games for us. I think we were undisciplined in the first half and took some penalties which is something we didn’t want to do and we kept them in the game.”
Calgary Head Coach, Curt Malawsky
Dis and Dat:
- The seven goals from Dobbie fell one goal short of the Calgary franchise record of eight, set by Tracey Kelusky.
- Shots on goal were even at 58-58. San Diego was perfect on the advantage at 5 for 5 with Calgary posting 2 of 3.
- The Roughnecks won the faceoff battle, 16 of 29.
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.
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