NLL Insider

Road to the Minto Cup

Northmen capture Minto Cup 9-4

If there’s one thing the 2008 Orangeville Northmen weren’t very good at in this Minto Cup tournament, it was keeping the crowd in suspense. With a 9-4 win last night over the Victoria Shamrocks, the Northmen will be bringing the Minto Cup back to Orangeville for the first time in 12 years.

“I’ve been waiting for this since my first year of junior A,” tournament MVP Stephen Keogh told the Calgary Herald. “All the guys came together. We’ve been wanting this since we came here. It’s been a great year for me, winning an NCAA championship and now this. It’s a great feeling.” READ MORE »

Road to the Minto Cup

Joel Henry is a bull-riding man

From Athan Iannucci and Rob Van Beek’s motorcycle plans last season to Dan Ladouceur and the SWAT team, lacrosse players get up to some fascinating things when they’re not on the floor. But as far as the player with the most intriguing endeavor goes, ladies and gentlemen we have a new contender. For Victoria Shamrock Joel Henry this weekend, the Minto Cup. Next weekend, the world a pro rodeo in New Sarepta, Alberta. (Note: that’s not Henry in the picture.)

In other Shamrocks news, today in preparation for one of the biggest games of their lives the boys will be switching on a Vince Vaughn movie, since every time they watch one on a road trip they are successful. In case you’re wondering, Shamrocks head coach Danny Green says they didn’t get a chance to watch one before the 10-5 round robin loss to the Northmen last week that included six fights and 150 penalty minutes, which is surprising because that one looked like it had Fred Claus written all over it.

• War predicted for Minto finale: Calgary Herald
• Hosts gather mountain of experience: Calgary Sun

NLL Insider

Stealth coach Jeff Dowling talks trade, keepers and draft picks

San Jose Stealth Head Coach, Jeff Dowling,  confirmed with NLL Insider last night that the Stealth did in fact receive the Chicago Shamrox’s first round draft picks in 2008 and 2009 in the keeper swap the two teams completed on Thursday afternoon.

There was some confusion yesterday as to what year the draft picks were in and even the amount of picks that were changing hands, after the team’s sent out contradicting press releases late Friday afternoon.

So again, the official trade sees San Jose dealing starting keeper Anthony Cosmo to the Chicago Shamrox in exchange for tender Matt Roik and Chicago’s first round pick over the next two drafts. READ MORE »

NLL Insider

Chicago GM Jamie Batley confirms NLL Insider’s initial report

NLL Insider has confirmed with Chicago Shamrox’s GM Jamie Batley that the initial report NLL Insider released late last night was indeed the correct terms of the trade that went down between the Shamrox and San Jose Stealth.

The official deal sees the San Jose Stealth trading keeper Anthony Cosmo to the Chicago Shamrox in exchange for goaltender Matt Roik, as well as Chicago’s first round selection in both the 2008 and 2009 entry draft.

Reports from both teams made earlier today contradicted the official deal, but Batley confirms that the above trade is how things played out and the team has since corrected the miscommunication on their website.

Batley coached against Cosmo’s Brampton Excelsiors last night as his Peterborough Lakers were edged out by the now Ontario champion Excels in a hard fought seven game war. Batley had previously coached the Lakers to the past four Mann Cups and just missed out on last year’s NLL post-season as his Shamrox strung together an amazing second half of the season.

NLL Insider

Shamrox and Stealth press releases contain major differences in what was exchanged

Well, the confusion as to what exactly changed hands in the Anthonay Cosmo and Matt Roik deal is getting even more confusing, with the only constant being the two high profile keepers.

Shortly after the Stealth released a reportstating that the team had traded Cosmo to Chicago for Roik and the Shamrox’s first round pick in next week’s entry draft, the Chicago Shamrox posted a vastly different breakdown of the trade on their website.

The Shamrox are claiming, that outside of the two keepers exchanged, Chicago also gave up first round picks in the 2009 and 2010 entry draft, not the 2008 draft as the Stealth have announced. READ MORE »

NLL Insider

Anthony Cosmo for Matt Roik trade made official via press release

The San Jose Stealth have officially announced the deal involving All-Star keeper Anthony Cosmo that NLL Insider had reported late last night, with one minor correction.

Instead of gaining both a first rounder in 2008 and 2009, the Stealth are reporting via a press release that they have only obtained Chicago’s first round pick this year, along with goaltender Matt Roik of course.

The press release also strangely identifies Roik as being a rookie last season with the Chicago Shamrox, the third overall draft selection in fact. Roik has been a long time vet of the NLL, playing for  such teams as the New Jersey Storm, the Anaheim Storm, the Philadelphia Wings and of course most recently with the Chicago Shamrox. READ MORE »

Road to the Minto Cup

Shamrocks barely get by Mounties, Minto final set

Orangeville defender and tough guy Andrew Suitor will lock horns with Victoria again on Saturday night in the Minto Cup final.

Well, the host Calgary Mountaineers continued to play some inspired lacrosse during this year’s Minto Cup, going stride-for-stride with the heavily favored Victoria Shamrocks, but ultimately succumbing to the BC champs in the final minutes of the third period, losing 7-4.

The Mounties stormed back early in the third period with goals from Kiel Donahue, Tyler Prindham and Danny Farmer, knotting things up at four and pushing the Shamrocks right up against the wall.

The momentum was definitely in Calgary’s favor, that is until Victoria got two clutch goals in the span of 28 seconds from Cayle Ratcliff, both goals coming in the 18th minute of the intense Minto semi-final.

“They weren’t willing to give up,” Ratcliff told the Calgary Herald after last night’s late game heroics. “When your season’s on the line, you’re willing to do a lot. They were great competitors. I have a lot of respect for them.” READ MORE »

Major Series Lacrosse, Road to the Mann Cup

Excels dominate game seven for Mann spot, John Grant has emergency surgery

The Brampton Excelsiors dominated an intense Game 7 last night, dropping the Peterborough Lakers 7-2 and snapping the Lakers’ four-year MSL champ streak, which also included three Mann Cup wins.

The Excelsiors will now host this year’s Mann Cup against the WLA champion New Westminster Salmonbellies, who posted one of the most impressive regular seasons and playoffs the Senior game has ever witnessed.

Game 1 of the Mann Cup is expected to start next Friday night at the Powerade Centre in Brampton at 7:30PM.

The Lakers lackluster offense, which was without forwards John Grant and Josh Gillam, could not muster up much production and although the effort seemed there, they just continuously couldn’t connect.

The loss of Grant, who had emergency surgery on Thursday afternoon, obviously didn’t help matters for Peterborough’s O. READ MORE »

NLL Insider

Dan Dawson staying in Boston, Dawson swapped for Veltman

Two months ago, it seemed extremely unlikely, but the buzz leading up to yesterday’s blockbuster trade that saw San Jose and Chicago swap keepers, was that Dan Dawson, the man linked to about 20 rumoured moves this off-season, would be staying with the expansion Boston Blazers.

Many felt a trade between Boston and the Edmonton Rush was imminent, and although none of the parties involved in a possible trade have had any comment for most of the summer, a number of sources close to the situation had told NLL Insider that Dawson will be staying in Boston heading into the 2009 NLL season.

In fact, sources have also confirmed with NLL Insider that the Blazers traded for Dan’s younger brother, Paul Dawson, from the San Jose Stealth in exchange for Peter Veltman yesterday. READ MORE »

NLL Insider

Anthony Cosmo dealt to Chicago for Matt Roik and a pair of first rounders

Anthony Cosmo

NLL Insider has learned from various sources that the San Jose Stealth have dealt keeper Anthony Cosmo to the Chicago Shamrox in exchange for tender Matt Roik, as well as Chicago’s first round picks in this year’s and 2009’s Entry Draft, in a blockbuster move completed on Thursday afternoon.

The trade sends Cosmo back east, a move that’s come close to happening the last couple of off-seasons, in order for him to be closer to home and work in Mississauga, Ontario.

The deal also allows Roik, who recently made the move out west to play for the New Westminster Salmonbellies of the WLA, to set up shop at the other end of the country for both summer and winter ball.

The two will also coincidentally be going head-to-head against one another in this year’s Mann Cup, with Cosmo’s Brampton Excelsiors edging out the reigning Mann Cup champion Peterborough Lakers in a seven game war in the MSL final last night. READ MORE »

NLL

Back in Ontario

I am back in Toronto for the 3^rd time this summer. I drove from Boston to Peterborough on Tuesday to catch game 6 of the OLA Finals. I think Google Maps said it would take 9 hours and 19 minutes, but I swear I was on the road for at least 11 hours.

I have been to a few rinks this summer, and without question Peterborough and Victoria are the most exciting to see a game. Tuesday night’s game was almost sold out at nearly 4,000 fans. Anthony Cosmo had a solid game in net for Brampton, while Blaine Manning stood out among an All-Star line up on the other end with 3 goals and 1 assist. READ MORE »

NLL Insider

Who’s In Who’s Out During NLL Off-Season

Kyle Laverty, who won the Champion's Cup last season with Buffalo, has already been picked up by Boston and then dealt to Rochester this off-season, his likely 2009 home. (Larry Palumbo)

We’re just over a week away from the NLL Entry Draft, where not only will a slew of pro up-and-comers get spread across the league’s 13 teams, but as always with this league, an array of deals involving current vets, usually high profile ball players, will no doubt have the switch flipped on ‘em too.

Actually, with the Arizona Sting re-Dispersal Draft and Boston’s Expansion Draft, which saw players swapped back-and-forth and everywhere else, the player movement before the Entry Draft this summer has been as fast and furious as the league has seen in quite awhile.

So, after the jump, check out the tic-tac-toe that’s already gone on this off-season and see what kinda player movement your crew has already gone through… READ MORE »

Road to the Mann Cup

One more game and then it’s showtime!

Well here we are! One game away from deciding the two combatants for the 2008 Mann Cup and it’s pretty obvious that this is exactly how the Ontario champs should be decided. For the third time in five years, the Peterborough Lakers and the Brampton Excelsiors are battling it out to face the B.C. champs in another much anticipated game 7 match up. Will the Lakers be able to win their 5^th straight MSL title? Or will the boys from Brampton make their first appearance at the Mann Cup since 2003? Regardless, if you are able to get to the game, I highly recommend that you do! READ MORE »

Road to the Minto Cup

Orangeville slips by Calgary 7-5 for a spot in finals

They had to do it in the closest game they’ve played yet at this Minto Cup tournament, but last night the Orangeville Northmen earned the spot in the finals that was expected of them with a 7-5 win over the Calgary Mountaineers.

“Full credit for the effort they put out there,” said Northmen head coach Matt Sawyer. “That was the best test we’ve had since we’ve been out here. Their goalie (Drew Dickie) was unbelievable. He stood on his head.” READ MORE »

Road to the Mann Cup, WLA

WLA: ‘Bellies are Ontario Bound

After finishing second in the Western Lacrosse Association (WLA) each of the previous two years, the Salmonbellies are finally headed to the big dance.

“Our goal is to win the Mann Cup,” added WLA Playoff MVP Ilija Gajic, after New Westminster captured the West title with a 4-0 series sweep of Coquitlam last Monday. “Winning this doesn’t mean anything.”

Winning the next best of seven series won’t be an easy task, however. READ MORE »

Ontario Junior A, Q&A

Zack Greer Q&A: Leaving Duke and heading for Bryant

Hey there indoor lax fans. Over on InsideLacrosse.com right now, we’ve got an exclusive Q&A with former Whitby Warrior/Duke Blue Devil Zack Greer. He talks about his time at Duke, how he explored playing hockey and lacrosse this year and how he landed at Bryant. It’s a good read, so check it out.

Inside Lacrosse: Zack Greer Q&A

NLL

Former Canadian Olympic boxer wants a team in Vancouver for 2011

Dale Walters is no stranger to sports in Canada, but he’s hoping to introduce himself to the world of box lacrosse.

The bronze-medal boxer from the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles tells The Province of Vancouver that he’s chasing a National Lacrosse League team to play out of Vancouver in 2011. Working with Geoff Hughes, the duo had its bid turned in to the NLL in June and is hoping to have plans finalized by the end of this year. “That gives us two full years to build the business, the team and get things going to enter the league in 2011,” Walters told The Province, adding that he’s eyeing the Pacific Coliseum as a home for the team.

• Knighthawks add Soudan, Cincebox to staff: Rochester D&C

NLL

Jeff Ratcliffe hangs ‘em up after pretty stellar pro career

First Jim Veltman had his going away tour during the 2008 season.

Then Pat Coyle decided to call it a career after the Mammoth touched down.

And now, the league is loosin’ another one of the guys that has played a pretty huge role in their history, former Philadelphia Wings, and more recently former New York Titans forward, Jeff Ratcliffe, who late last week made his retirement official.

Ratcliffe, one of the second generation (or third generation depending on how you shake that tree out) Canucks that stormed the NCAA ranks during a successful career at UMBC in the late 90’s, was a fourth overall selection in the 2000 NLL Entry Draft, of course going to the Wings, where he spent seven of his eight NLL seasons. READ MORE »

Major Series Lacrosse, Road to the Mann Cup

MSL: Game 7 showdown in Brampton

So it’s come down to this. Which is nothing really new or surprising when it comes to a seven-game Major Series Lacrosse series against the Brampton Excelsiors and Peterborough Lakers.

The Excelsiors on Tuesday night outscored the Lakers 4-0 in the third period en route to an 11-7 Game 6 victory that ties the series, 3-3. So that leaves us with a Game 7 — for the third time in five seasons — set for Thursday night at 8 in Brampton to decide which OLA team is heading to the Mann Cup. And just because the game is in Brampton, don’t count out the Lakers. Two of their three of their wins in the series have come on the road, but their inability to defend the pick-and-roll Tuesday night is what doomed the squad. “They got three goals like that tonight and it hurt,” Peterborough coach Jamie Batley told the Peterborough Examiner.

Blaine Manning led the winners with three goals and Jeff Shatler added a pair. For a photo gallery of Game 6, check out what the Peterborough Examiner has up on its Web site.

Road to the Minto Cup

Miners loss is Mountaineers gain as Victoria bumps Edmonton from Minto

Last night the Edmonton Miners had one last shot to get one more chance at the 2008 Minto Cup, and perhaps had it been a made-for-TV movie it would have turned out a little differently but as it was the Victoria Shamrocks blew by the Miners 11-5, handing them their third loss of the tournament and eliminating them from semi-final contention.

“The hardest part is saying goodbye to 12 hard-working young men that gave it their all for their last three or four years with the organization,” said Edmonton head coach AJ Jomha. “And not reaching the goals that we’d hoped to reach.” READ MORE »