NLL Insider

The West is signed, sealed and delivered, now we just gotta figure out who’s playing who.

I’m likin’ Colorado vs. Portland and San Jose vs. Calgary to open up the West side of the bracket. Why? Find out after the jump.

Colorado Mammoth (9-6 overall, 8-3 division)
To say they smashed the Rush over the weekend would be a massive understatement. After two losses to tough Eastern teams in New York and Buffalo, that 2-0 weekend was just what the doctor ordered for a somewhat slumping Mammoth team. Real big weekend for tranny Nick Carlson. For me, like I said a while back and still think it rings true, Carlson has been their most consistent threat on the break this year, and that says something when you have Josh Sims and Nenad Gajic in the lineup. Carlson has had a solid 2008 and really is one of this year’s unsung heroes not just in Colorado but anywhere in the league. Obviously ditto for Jamie Shewchuk, but I gave that dude a ton of ink earlier in the week. Think this weekend will spell-out a lot for them when they tangle with San Jose. It’ll dictate home floor advantage in the West (and maybe beyond) and it’ll be a monster confidence builder (or shaker) heading into the post-season. Last time they played against the Stealth, Luke Wiles had a huge game in the Stealth win. So did rooks Frank Resetarits and Tom Johnson, a duo that has rocked a few other teams this year too. No Wiles this weekend and the rookie duo came away with just two combined goals in the Portland loss last week. Are the Stealth ripe for the pickin’? In my opinion, whoever wins this weekend’s battle between these two Western leaders will win the West in the post-season too. Think this game means a sh** load heading into the post-season. It’s not just some nothing game. It’s the real deal.

San Jose Stealth (8-7, 6-5)
The Stealth ran into three money guys that really stood ‘em up last week (Merrill, Dawson and Disher). Same thing happened a couple weeks back against the Jax in the second half of their double header. This weekend they’ll definitely need to shut down the Mammoth’s money guys and get to Gee Nash early, if not, they may be entering the post-season with back-to-back losses, which is never a good thing. Sounds like the only chance we might see Luke Wiles back in the lineup is if the Stealth make it to the Champ’s Cup final. Wiles’ cast on his broken foot will be coming off this week, but to expect him playing in the first two weeks of May might be a bit too optimistic by the sounds of it. With that said, the previously long time healthy scratch, Gary Rosyski, continues to put up solid numbers, torching Dish for a trick. The vets also been pretty slick on the PP too. Defender Shaydon Santos will likely be back in the Stealth lineup after jamming his wrist a couple weeks back in the Jax double header.

Calgary Roughnecks (6-9, 5-6)
That win over the Rock was the first one goal game the Necks won this year. Real clutch fourth period and obviously TK’s goal was about as clutch as you can get. Another beat-down of the Rush would be beyond ideal heading into the post-season. Calgary’s 2-2 since the deal that sent Lewis Ratcliff to Toronto and Josh Sanderson to Alberta, nothing amazing, but the team has had a ton more stability, especially on O, since the deal. It’s the exact opposite route we’ve seen from the Rock and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that one team has floundered and the other has surged (kinda). Either way, this recent stint has seen the Necks mesh as a team and play much more consistent ball versus prior to the deal. Who do they want to see in the first round of the post-season? Not really sure. They’re 1-2 against both San Jose and Colorado, but I’m sure if you ask them, right now, they’ll play anyone, anywhere, anytime.

Portland Lumberjax (6-9, 6-6)
Just like with Mike Accursi trade in Buffalo, the Matt Disher deal in Portland may end up being a loss five years from now, but it looks like it’s at least paying off short term for the team. Disher’s apparently given the entire Jax roster a new belief in themselves the team didn’t have previous to the trade deadline day move, and after a clutch OT win over San Jose last week, the franchise’s confidence must be through the roof right now. Although he’s not leading The Money Ballers, Dan Dawson has picked up more clutch points on the boards than any other player over the last three weeks. The same can be said for Brodie Merrill at the other end of the court. Although they likely won’t meet again this year (although ya never know), I’d love to see Portland and Calgary play once more this year. Would be a beauty of a clash for sure with the way those two teams are coming together. And like I asked in Calgary’s breakdown, who would the Jax rather see in the first round of the playoffs? Well, they’re 2-1 against San Jose and 1-2 against Colorado, so the stats would definitely say the Stealth, especially considering all those games against San Jose have come in recent weeks. For that to happen, they’ll likely need San Jose to lose to Colorado and maybe even beat Buffalo depending on what Calgary does. Oh yeah, both wins against SJ have come away from home, at the HP, which is where their first round game would end up happening if they draw the Stealth.

Edmonton Rush (4-11, 3-8)
Man, some real uninspired play from the Rush over the weekend. That nail in the coffin looks like it was plunged extra deep after the ass kickings from the Mammoth. From what it sounds like, there will be more major changes coming this off-season in Edmonton, especially after what’s transpired on the rug in recent weeks. You’d have to think Bob Hamley will make a major play for Dan Dawson if the Sting remain in limbo. And those first rounders he picked up in this year’s draft, although I’m just speculating, I’d have to think those will be used more as trade bait versus picking up impact ballers that will play everyday next year. Outside of one, maybe two guys, the draft this year will have quality ball players, but not immediate impact ball players, the ones Edmonton needs. Do they stick with Curtis Palidwor, who looked like a brick wall a month back, but whose play has dropped off in the last few weeks? What ends up happening with Andy Turner? Hopefully guys are playing like their jobs are on the line against Calgary this weekend, cuz if not, the Necks will sink ‘em. A playoff spot might not be on the line, but pride and gigs in 09 definitely will be.

Rate This Story:

(8 votes, average: 4.13 out of 5)

 Loading ...