NLL Insider

Here’s a few more picks on this weekend’s National Lacrosse League (NLL) Champion’s Cup game from members of our usual Pick ‘Ems team.

Tutka and Jenner provided previews below, with Tutka later stating for this post he’s goin’ out on a limb… Portland wins 14-12.

Kevin Fixler, Lauren Ward and Chris Hall are going the opposite way and taking the Buffalo Bandits. Fixler’s predicting a 13-9 Final.

Fixler: “I picked Buffalo to win it all at the beginning of the season, and i’m not going to change my mind now. I’ll take BUF by 4 over POR, 13-9.”

“Seems obvious, but keys for Buffalo will be limiting opportunities for Dawson, Malawsky and Powell. I think they will need yet another strong game from their goaltending, but otherwise, just need to play their game. For Portland, they’ll need to get a quick start to quiet down the home crowd early, and then just weather the storm. But i gotta be honest, I think it’s the Bandits’ title to lose.”

Ward: “I am going to have to go with Buffalo for the finals. I think the key to their success will be to not underestimate the non-Dawson scoring threats on the Lumberjax. Shutting down Dawson will be a big part of their success, sure, but they’ve got to stay on guys like Powell, Malawsky, and even Peter Morgan who has a knack for scoring in bunches or Peter Jacobs who is playing way above and beyond what can be expected of an 18 year old rookie. Aside from that, it’s the obvious: keep the penalties under control. The last thing Buffalo needs is a repeat of 2006, but considering how in-control they were vs. NY I don’t see that happening. Nevertheless, the Jax have a potent powerplay, second best in the league I think — you don’t have to be playing like a team full of Bob Proberts for these guys to capitalize. The last time these teams met the Bandits held them to one for six on the man-up but they can’t let them get those opportunities. They have to get to Eliuk and get to him early and keep that big crowd in the game.”

“Simply put, Portland needs big games from their big game guys. Dawson, Powell, Malawsky, Eliuk — they have to play exactly as they’re expected to. If Buffalo is keying in on Dawson and he can’t produce as he usually does that’s a lot of points that somebody else is going to have to make up. We’ve seen Powell do it he just has to step up one more time this season. Transition transition transition — both ways. Merrill getting good chances on the fast break is just as important as shutting down Steenhuis going the other way. Steenhuis, Tavares, even Billy Dee Smith, these guys have been nothing short of inventive and acrobatic in their offensive attempts and it’s paying off. That big Jax defense has to be ready for anything.”

Hall: ”I think there is only one key to the game and that is the diversity of the Buffalo offence – too many scorers for Portland to handle.”

Shanny also went with Buffalo, along with 71% of the players.

So to try and even it out, I’m gonna take the under-dog and go with the ‘Jax, for the same reasons I picked them in the first two rounds of the playoffs. Dawson’s too difficult to contain, and they’ve got the secondary scoring to get it done. The confidence is there, the guys are feeling it, and I’ll think they’ll have enough to shut-down Buffalo on the back-end. Tavares will still be a stud in this game.

Whoever you’re cheering for tonight, enjoy the game!

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