NLL Insider

For a full three quarters on Saturday night in Rochester, the Knighthawks and the Toronto Rock engaged in an old-fashioned, classic, defensive struggle. Both teams raced to and fro for 45 intense minutes featuring punishing defense (D) and brilliant goaltending. The score at the end of three quarters was 4-2 Rock.

Then, at the 47-second mark of the fourth quarter, John Grant Jr. (Junior) found himself with a breakaway on Rock goaltender Bob Watson. He cashed to make it 4-3 and you could sense the flood gates were about to open. They did. In a span of 2:42, the Hawks went from down 2 to up 2 at 6-4 and you knew the game was virtually over. Rochester went on to pump in near-record 9 goals in the quarter while cruising to an 11-4 victory. Clearly, Grant’s goal had triggered the avalanche that was to follow. But how did he get so open at such a critical point in the contest? 

The answer lies in the “bench game.”

There’s a whole game-within-the-game happening on the benches in every NLL tilt. In the fast paced transition style of today’s game, how you manage your bench is often a critical factor in victory or defeat. In the Grant goal situation, there were two critical bench configuration issues that led to the turning point. In the fourth quarter in Rochester, the Knighthawks bench is closest to their offensive end. It is also on the same side of the floor that Grant plays (Grant is a lefty and plays on the right side of the floor going to goal). Conversely, the Rock bench in the fourth quarter was closest to their defensive end. This configuration of the benches in the fourth quarter at Blue Cross Arena leads us to a quick lesson in player intelligence, geometry and the bench game.

Consider the situation. Toronto turns the ball over in the offensive (O) end and the Knighthawks begin their breakout. Who are the two most critical players on the floor at this time? It’s the Rock right-handed O player who is closest to the nearest gate at the Rock bench and the Knighthawk defender who was checking that player. It becomes a case of smarts, angles and speed between these two. The Rock O player either has to defend against his man transitioning or get to the closest bench gate as quickly as possible to let a defender out. The Knighthawk defender simply starts sprinting up the floor on an angle that takes him to the nearest gate at his bench. Meanwhile, Junior is anxiously waiting at the far gate to sprint out the door ahead of the defender trying to catch him. A couple of well-executed passes and Grant sprints in naked on Watson. Bingo! Its 4-3 and you’ve just witnessed the game’s turning point.

So, let’s talk a little more about the benches. The terminology used to describe various bench situations are long bench, short bench, far (or deep) gate, near gate, in gate and out gate. The terminology used to describe your bench configuration changes as the quarters change. For example, in the first and third quarters, your bench will usually be at the same end of the floor you’re defending. In this case, this would be a short bench for your defenders (in other words, the defenders need only travel a short distance to get to their  bench and would exit the floor via the near gate – the one closest to their goal). This would also be called the in/out gate for the defenders in that quarter. The O heads out the far gate (which is also the O in/out gate for the quarter). But what is the short bench for the D in this quarter is conversely the long bench for the O as they have to travel farther distance than their D to exit to the bench when getting off the floor after an O turnover. In the second and fourth quarters, it’s the reverse.

As illustrated by the Grant goal on Saturday, most bench breakaways occur when the O is coming out the far (or deep) gate from the short O bench. Not as many bench breakaways happen when the O is operating from the long bench simply because there is much more traffic at the benches where the O is coming out (they find themselves running into the opposing O getting off the floor at their long bench “in” gate). So, are you confused yet?

Now, add in the non-player bench personnel. You are only permitted 6 non-player personnel on the bench for a game. Let’s consider who these people are. There will be a head coach, at least 2 assistant coaches (one for the O and one for the D), and at least one trainer and one equipment person. Somewhere in this mix you have to designate two gate persons. Usually, the head coach and his O/D assistants stand behind the players on the bench in order to coordinate their respective tasks. That means the operation of the gates default to the remainder of your non-player personnel and the backup goalie. If there is an equipment, injury or starting goalie issue, there is some quick shifting of gate operators that has to happen.

Gate persons are key personnel. Often, they are the people controlling who and when players go out the gates given the coaches are managing other things. Players (whether they are O or D guys) are always anxious to get on the floor to gain any advantage. Frequently, the gate persons are physically holding back players to prevent against too-many-men penalties. Then there’s the issue of the over-exuberant line jumper. Some players (who shall remain nameless for the purpose of this piece) are continually trying to bump up their position at the gate in order to get more floor time. So, if the coaches are pre-occupied with their prime tasks of coordinating the O and D, it’s the gate people who have to play the disciplinarian role and handle the personnel changes.

The bench is a frenetic place during the entire game. Given so many NLL games are one goal decisions, a poorly executed change by any of the players or non-playing personnel could cost you a game, a playoff spot or a championship. Saturday, in Rochester, we saw it turn a game. Next time you’re watching an NLL contest, check out the “bench game.” It’s fast, frenzied and entertaining.

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