The National Lacrosse League paid a second visit to the Langley Event Centre on Saturday in a game that featured the Calgary Roughnecks take on the Colorado Mammoth.
Firstly you should know that this league plays four (4) quarters vs. three (3) periods like the WLA plays. Somewhat different is the fact that music is a constant so as to keep the fans entertained, but not loved by all!
Playing in front of what I assume is just over 4,000 fans (actual attendance was not announced) played an exciting game with Calgary managing a 20-11 win. Last year’s exhibition game saw the Washington Stealth take on the Toronto Rock in an exceptional game that saw the Rock win 16-15 (O/T).
This weekend was a chance for teams to have a training camp as well as put on a three day clinic for the local lacrosse players in the area. In 2012 the game matched the excitement for the fans as the teams that entertained them putting on an excellent show of transitional lacrosse at the pro level.
The game featured several players from BC and Ontario including four players from the Langley Thunder that now plays for the Washington Stealth, which are based out of Everett Washington, just down the I-5.
This game saw the Calgary Roughnecks get five goals each from Curtis Dickson and Jeff Shattler eventually leading the Roughnecks to the victory.
Another local product playing for the Mammoth is Andrew McBride who finished the game as the Mammoth’s top player with 6 points.Calgary and Colorado traded goals in the opening minutes as Jeff Shattler managed his first of five goals just 1:24 in giving Calgary a 1-0 lead.
The Mammoth replied on a goal by Jordan McBride 42 seconds later. Calgary took a 2-1 lead on Shattler’s second of the game at 2:56 and Curtis Dickson got his first of five two minutes extending the lead to 3-1 over Colorado. The Mammoth got within one when Iljia Gajic scored cutting the lead to 3-2.
Calgary then ran off three straight goals to take 6-2 lead. Scoring for the Roughnecks were Dickson his second of the night, Shawn Evans and Scott Ranger in a span of 5 minutes and 48 seconds.
The Mammoth fought back with three of their own as McLeod, Jordan McBride (his second) followed by Adam Jones seeing the game tied 6-6 after the opening quarter. The goals came in a span of 1 minute and 5 seconds shots were 16-12 Calgary. In the second quarter Calgary’s offence unloaded on the Mammoth as they ran into penalty problems.
Dickson got his hat trick goal at 2:24 (S/H) giving them a 7-6 lead only to be followed by his fourth (4th) on the PP at 6:03 extending the lead to 8-6.
Shattler scored his third (hat trick) 49 seconds later to make it 9-6 for Calgary. His fourth (4th) came 44 seconds later and his fifth (5th) came with 4:49 remaining in the quarter giving Calgary a 11-6 lead. Colorado’s Matt McLeod scored his second (2nd) cutting Calgary’s lead to 11-7. Calgary added two more before the half as Murphy scored 50 seconds apart taking a 13-7 lead heading to halftime.
The teams combined for 11 goals in the third and fourth quarter’s finishing an exciting night of NLL at the LEC.
Following the game the players signed autographs and game worn jersey’s were auctioned off to the fans.”
After the game Curt Malawsky (coach of the Roughnecks) told us he was very happy with the team’s performance.” He continued “The trio of Scott Ranger, Curtis Dickson and Jeff Shattler combined for 13 of the 20 goals on the night moving the ball real well and when they do that they are difficult to deal with in the transition game.
We like to have a group of five players moving the ball at all times on the floor and when we do that we are a hard team to contain goalkeeping was solid as starter Frankie Scigliano and Mike Poulin played well all night stopping 31 of the 42 shots they faced.” “Washington General Manager Doug Locker on the tune up for the coming season and having training camp here at the LEC just makes sense as this being our second year here”.
For the league to have three teams here from the NLL and the exposure of the Pro game on the floor the support the fans have showed is tremendous.”
Great game and thanks to the LEC for everything!!!
