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Let’s make something clear up front. I’m not out to kiss some Rush a$$. I’m simply taking a look at which teams are coming together at the right time because you can see in Tutka’s player poll this week, he asked the guys: “What is the most important factor in being successful in the playoffs?”

Well, in my opinion it’s chemistry! Hands down! Just look at the Washington Capitals or the Nashville Predators. Both those teams were on the outside looking in and then there came a point in the season where both teams (and all teams for that matter) said, “OK boys, this is the time to check your egos at the door and put it all on the line.”

So that got me to wondering about something. I did some rearranging and came up with some National Lacrosse League standings. Now I know they’re not the current standings, but here’s what they’d look like if the season started the week Bob Hamley joined the Edmonton Rush. To say the least, it’s pretty interesting.

Since Hammer’s introduction to the Rush, he has completely turned that team’s fortunes around and I still believe if the Rush make the postseason, he has to be a huge candidate for GM/Coach of the Year. Plus, he’s helping my pre-season prediction of a Rush vs. Bandits final a little more realistic!

Which leads into the other team that has been on a tear as of late, los Banditos! What an amazing bunch of go-getters coach Darris Kilgour has on his hands. Injury plagued all year and constant early scrutinization for not having a solid No. 1 tender led people to question the depth of this team and whether they were a legit contender for the Cup. Well, Darris has stood behind every single one of his players, young and old, backed up each of his coaching decisions this season, even the Teat trade, and his team has done everything he has asked of them in a very heated and close Eastern Division.

That’s the hot, so what about the not so hot?  Well, the Roughnecks have been an absolute shocker this season. Could it be due to the number of man games Tracey Kelusky and Steve Dietrich lost to concussions? Maybe, but this team is so deep in offensive talent that they should have been able to win games purely on goals-for alone! Pat Campbell has played his best lacrosse since he made his arrival in Alberta 2 seasons ago with the Rush and returning from Ulcerative Colitis to stand on his head like he is, is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

But again, I think it’s a chemistry thing. Much like what is going on in Rochester! The Hawks have 4 players on the top 25 scoring chart, arguably the top tender in the world and are the defending champs! So what gives? Well as the saying goes, there is only one ball. I think it’s a matter of when the ship starts to go down everyone wants to be the one that saves the ship, the one that helps turn things around. However, when you get 18 guys all
going in different directions, the ship continues to sink. Everybody has to be on the same page to get things going smoothly and this ship back on the upside of this downward spiral.

Sure, throughout each season teams go on hot and cold streaks. It’s  just like during a game, but the biggest question is, can you put it all together at the right time!? I said a few weeks ago on the NLL Sirius show, that I thought New York would get in and Toronto and Rochester would miss out due to team chemistry. Well guys, this is the time of year where personal goals and achievement mean Jack Squat. There are only three weeks left in the regular season. Every game has playoff implications. Every goal is huge and every lost opportunity could mean the difference between TV time and Tee Time.

Strap on your boots, bring your hard hat and lunch pail fellas. It’s time to go to war! 

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