Cutting-edge NLL and boxla coverage
2008 mighta been the year of parity (just in case you hadn’t heard… like a million times), but it was also the year of guys steppin’ up extra large.
So after the jump, checkout the top 10 players whose stock went up the most now that 2008 is in the books. They may not be MVP’s, well not all of ‘em, but each of the following ten guys made 2008 “their” year. READ MORE »
The name of the game was defense for the Orillia Rama-Hammond Kings last night, as they defeated the Toronto Beaches by a score of 8-3. Rama Kings goaltender Brandon Noble turned away 45 of 48, holding the Beaches to just one goal for 54 minutes, with the final two Toronto markers coming in the last six minutes.
Colin Boucher and Caleb Wiles led at the other end of the floor for the Rama Kings, scoring two goals and two assists apiece. This is Orillia’s second win in a row and second win on the season, improving their record to 2-3 while the Toronto Beaches fall to 0-2.
In other Ontario Junior A action, the Orangeville Northmen improved to 2-0 with a 14-10 win over the Whitby Warriors. Jesse Gamble, Matt Macleod, Andrew Suitor and Glen Bryan chipped in with four points apiece for the Northmen, while Nick Rose allowed just four goals on 26 shots before being relieved of his goaltending duties at the 44 minute mark. The Whitby Warriors — who lost almost the entirety of their 2007 line-up — fall to 1-5.
It took them a period of overtime to do it, but the Peterborough Lakers bumped their record up to 3-2 with a 9-7 win over the Mississauga Tomahawks. Tied 6-6 after regulation, Jesse Guerin scored twice for the Lakers while Kyle Clancy added one to the win. Paul Ryan had one OT marker for Mississauga.
Welcome to the final four.
Not THAT final four. It’s THIS final four. The important one! Well, we suppose that all depends on your perspective but in the grand scheme of things what’s more important? Lacrosse or dance team girls? Hmmm … that’s a tough one. Well, not really. But press on we will with the final four contestants of our NLL Girl of the Week contest. With Ashley’s 372-163 win over Sabrina this past week, we are down to the final four contestants. And going up against each other this week in the first semifinal is Crystal of the New York Titans and Megan of the San Jose Stealth.
NLL Girl of the Week Matchup 13
Total Voters: 545
If we’ve gotta explain the process from here, you’re new to these parts. But we’re gonna give you the benefit of the doubt and just tell ya to turn the page, take a look at the contestants and let you figure it out from there. Go ahead. We trust ya.
As impressive as the Portland LumberJax were in their run to the National Lacrosse League title game, keeping the team together for next season may prove to be a bigger obstacle.
This news is not coming as a surprise. Dan Dawson and Derek Malawsky were in Portland only because of the hibernation of the Arizona Sting. Yet while the Sting slumbered, Dawson and Malawsky didn’t. These fellas were key cogs in the offense of the Jax and Dawson was practically unstoppable in the playoffs. The duo combined for 141 points (63 goals, 78 assists) in the regular season. Dawson’s on the record as saying he’d love to stay in Portland, and coach/general manager Derek Keenan tells The Oregonian he’s working on it.
On top of this, there are other issues such as free agency (Matt Disher and Dallas Eliuk are both free agents) and the expansion draft. Still, the Jax are confident with the young nucleus they have with gamers like Pete Jacobs and Cory Conway, along with Ryan Powell, who would likely step in as the club’s No. 1 scoring option in Portland should Dawson and Malawsky both exit. Should be an interesting offseason in Portland.
National Lacrosse League (NLL) Commissioner Jim Jennings gave a quick State of the League address prior to last week’s Championship game. Here’s a breakdown from that conference where Jennings talked about you the fan, coverage, sponsorships, expansion and the players.
Attendance and Coverage
“I’d like to thank all of our fans for another season of outstanding support,” said Jennings. “Overall attendance once again averaged more than 10,000 fans per game and more than one million total fans for the entire season.”
The Calgary Roughnecks just sent out a news release announcing that general manager Kurt Silcott has been fired.
The news release says team owner Brad Banister will serve as GM for the time being. “It has been great working with Kurt over the past three years, but we were both heading in different directions,” said Banister as quoted at NLL.com. “We all want to thank him for his time spent with the team and wish him well in the future.”
Rumours began circulating last week that Silcott was going to be let go but both he and Banister denied them when contacted.
Simply put, Saturday’s National Lacrosse League Champion’s Cup game delivered.
No matter what you paid for a ticket, you got your money’s worth in watching the Buffalo Bandits defeat the Portland LumberJax, 14-13, to win it all. If you were there, you ain’t gonna forget it anytime soon. Still, in this day and age, we’re blessed by fans with cell phones recording parts of the game and posting it on YouTube. So I undertook the tough task of browsing lacrosse videos (hey, someone’s gotta do it) and found some real dandies for ya. And even if ya couldn’t make it to the game, be sure to catch a replay of the title tilt on ESPN2. It starts this afternoon at 2 p.m. Eastern time and is followed right after that by Inside Lacrosse TV: 2008 Season Review.
We’ll kick things off here with what was my favorite part of the game: the John Tavares goal where I swear he borrowed the legs of a 20-year-old. Who knew dude still had these kinda moves left in him? It was a goal of beauty, and NLLFAN2008 was kind enough to get the sequence posted for our enjoyment. Turn the page to watch the clip and to see what else we found.
Having the two slickest clutch ballers in the post-season didn’t end up meaning much when it was all on the line. Portland’s snipe-show, Dan Dawson and Ryan Powell, as usual took their game to another level in their Champion’s Cup loss against Buffalo, only thing was, there weren’t many else clicking like the two of them. READ MORE »
With a little thing called the Champion’s Cup out of the way (not that we’ll be leaving the NLL behind any time soon), we can now turn our attention to the summer leagues where the BC Junior A Lacrosse League has been in action for over one month. From the surprisingly surging Burnaby Lakers to the struggling South Fraser Stickmen, here’s a quick catch-up on what’s been going on and what we can expect from the premier junior players on the West coast. The standings so far:
READ MORE »
So, I got to watch a couple of incredibly exciting back-to-back sporting events on Saturday. First up was another stunning performance by a very special horse named Big Brown followed by the National Lacrosse League’s Champion’s Cup game, won by Buffalo. Was there any doubt that the Buffalo Bandits were going to win in Buffalo after Big Brown won in Baltimore?
Mind you, while Big Brown destroyed the rest of the Preakness field, it took until the final buzzer (yes, that’s another B), for the Bandits to dispatch the LumberJax. Buffalo exploded out of the gate, taking a 1-0 lead on the very first shot of the game.
It came via the ‘ol hidden ball trick that was missed by just about everyone including the two Lumberjax defenders who were confidently helping their goalie Matt Disher (much to his later blustery ballyhoo) by pointing to the Bandit player without the ball. Meanwhile, John “the Magician” Tavares, drifting around the opposite side of the floor, calmly lobbed the ball into a gaping net with the first shot of the game.
The music was blarin’ and the boys were whoopin’ it up in the locker room Saturday night, but Pat McCready stood there. Then he smiled and nodded. He knew.
Yeah, the Buffalo Bandits defenseman knew that his dad, legendary goalie Buff McCready who died almost one year ago, was smiling down on his boy on this night. They’d done so much in their life together but beating the Portland LumberJax 14-13 Saturday night for the National Lacrosse League championship was something special this time around. Yet just because Buff wasn’t standing there physically next to him Saturday doesn’t mean he wasn’t there. “We got some help from up top, for sure,” said McCready, who assisted on two goals and scooped nine loose balls for the champs. “Right at the start of the game, I just looked up and said ‘This one’s for you, Pops.’ ”
Darris and Rich Kilgour walked those same shoes Saturday night. Darris, the Bandits coach and Rich, the team’s captain, lost their father just one month after Buff McCready passed away. “Yeah, I really wish my father was here to see this,” said Darris.
The game is a gift from the Creator, played with honor and pride. And while the Bandits — McCready and the Kilgour brothers notably — walked off the floor as champs Saturday night, they could also walk away with the knowledge that the men who guided and shaped their careers as lacrosse players, and men, should be the proudest of all. Not just because their boys were champions of the National Lacrosse League, but because they’re champions of the way lacrosse is played.
Talk about a picture-perfect championship game.
Back-and-forth action, plenty of highlight-reel goals, big hits and some great defense in a title tilt that all came down to one last shot for the tie to force overtime with less than 30 seconds left to play.
Hate to harp on this point but didn’t many fans - especially ones whose teams played in the East Division - think this game was going to be a sham, a joke, a blowout by whichever club came out of the mighty East against the winner of the lowly West? READ MORE »
Earlier this week we saw the question posed to Buffalo sports fans: does an NLL championship really count?
The 105 comments left on his blog may not have changed Paul Peck’s mind, and neither did the 18,690 fans in attendance. But I’ve got a new question for you, Bandits fans. At this moment in time, fresh from seeing your team hoist the Champion’s Cup in front of a sold-out HSBC arena, do you really care what he thinks?
Opinions, as the saying goes, are like belly buttons. Some people’s have no business being unleashed upon the unsuspecting public. But if you’re looking for an opinion that matters, here’s one.
“Some people say it’s not a major sport,” said John Tavares, “but it’s still a major championship. I’m biased, of course. But our sport has a lot to offer. It’s fast and action-packed, with a lot of hitting and goals and great plays. I don’t know what makes us different, except popularity.”
They’ve come so close, been so teased and left their broken hearts swimming in pools of sweat and, sometimes, blood.
Tonight, though, it’s different in Buffalo. Tonight, the Bandits are celebrating and those same hearts that were broken in the past are now spraying champagne and smiling hugely. For tonight, the Buffalo Bandits are the National Lacrosse League champions, having won the Champion’s Cup with a 14-13 victory over the Portland LumberJax in front of 18,690 at HSBC Arena.
“To get this monkey off our back, it’s really great,” said Bandits coach Darris Kilgour.
Just how did the Bandits do it? Keep reading and you’re gonna find out.
Checkin’ in from the barn in Buffalo. It’s barely 7 p.m., the scene is insane and it started long before I got here.
I rolled into Buffalo around 3:30 p.m. and was looking for a lot to park in? And just as I was wondering if I were anywhere close to HSBC Arena for tonight’s National Lacrosse League Champion’s Cup game, I nearly ran over my clue. Orange. Everywhere. It was either a hunter’s clothing convention, a construction vest-wearer’s convention … or a Bandits game. And since I’ve been a regular reader of NLLInsider.com, I knew there was a lacrosse game in town tonight, so I parked my rig and started to hoof it over to the arena.
And like I said: Orange. Everywhere. Even the rust spots on the Chevy Cavalier I walked past were orange. How appropriate, I thought. And I suppose my life is complete now that I’ve seen — in person — those huge foam cowboy hats. Whose idea was that? Would they even admit to it today? Orange wigs, orange faces and, of course, orange shirts. I even saw orange arms and legs, but that guy coulda been a pro wrestler or just got finished at the tanning booth. I didn’t bother to ask.
OK … enough pickin’ on Bandit fan. They’re passionate, no doubt. And in my book, passion can’t be knocked. Bandit fan even held a door open for me and I got plenty of “hello” nods as I wandered the vicinity for a while before coming inside. Speaking of, the crowd’s starting to file in and there’s a healthy vibe in the building as players from both sides run their drills. I’ll be back in a bit to start keepin’ track of the game.
It’s just a few hours before gametime here in Western New York and for those of you can’t make it to the National Lacrosse League’s Champion’s Cup game, we feel bad for ya. ‘Cause you know that HSBC Arena’s gonna be oozin’ energy when the Buffalo Bandits and Portland LumberJax butt heads tonight at 7:30.
So what to do if ya can’t make it? You’ve got a few options. For starters, we’re gonna provide an in-game coverage sorta deal. We’ll be compiling news and notes, along with the score as the game progresses, so if you keep yourself logged in right here at NLLInsider.com, we’ll have your back. If you’re in Canada, The Score will be broadcasting the game live on television for you lucky dogs, and there’s always the B2 option as well. Those of you with Sirius can tune into Ch. 119 at 6:30 for a pregame show, followed by game coverage and ESPN360 will also have live coverage. ESPN2’s gonna carry the game Tuesday on a tape-delay. If you happen to be anywhere else in the world and know where to find Eurosport2, you can check that out for live coverage of the game and if you’re in the Buffalo area, tune into WGR 550-AM for live coverage.
But if you’re sittin’ there in Buffalo, trying to make up your mind, you know what the answer is. It’s just a matter of getting up and moving and while there obviously isn’t much time left, there aren’t many tickets left, either. As of Thursday, the Bandits announced there were just about 2,500 tickets remaining. So stop thinking and just do it!
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.
There are plenty of good stories at play as we head into the apex of the 2008 National Lacrosse League season.
There’s Rich and Darris Kilgour, the heroes of the reservation and Western New York.
There’s the Buffalo Bandits’ surprisingly speedy race against Father Time to get one more championship while Rich Kilgour and John Tavares are still around to hoist the cup.
There’s the fact that it wasn’t too long ago that the Bandits were here before, as told by Peterborough boys Kyle Laverty and Chris White, who says you have to lose before you can win.
And if that’s true then everybody make way for the Portland Lumberjax. The Western Division champions come lumbering into town equipped with ten losses and a few successful stints as the underdogs.
And last but certainly not least is the Globe and Mail what to watch this weekend list, where not only do they get a crack in about televised poker tournaments, but the game is also ranked ahead of the AT&T golf classic.
In the 5 years since 2004, the NLL Championship game has included either the Buffalo Bandits or a Dan Dawson team. And in each of those games, when the final buzzer ended, neither the Bandits nor Dawson have held coveted Champions Cup. Tonight will be the third attempt for the Bandits in 5 years. It will also be the third attempt for Dan Dawson. Tonight something has got to give and one side will end 5 years of frustration. READ MORE »
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
Inside Lacrosse Inside Lacrosse Blog Central TSN News Feed NLL.com
