IL Indoor

The Washinton Stealth still are the National Lacrosse League’s lone undefeated team as we head into Week 6, even though they did get a bit of a scare against the Minnesota Swarm. The much-hyped Rochester offense has yet to find its consistency, and the Toronto Rock got itself back on track last weekend with a pair of victories, one on the road in Buffalo. And speaking of Buffalo, is a 1-5 record too late to turn around? Minnesota and Philadelphia are in the same boat, and all 3 organizations say they’re facing must-win weekends if they want to harbor any shot at the playoffs. News, notes and thoughts for each team come after the jump.

Boston Blazers (3-3) East Division

Last week: defeated Rochester, 14-8.
This week: at Rochester, 2 p.m. (EST).
TV/radio: Webcast on NLL.com.
Reported injuries: none.

Hot: The Blazers have won 3 straight after an 0-3 start … G Anthony Cosmo ran his streak of single-digit games to 4 (8, 9, 9, 8). “He had a solid performance, but I was happy too with our team defense,” coach Tom Ryan said. “We limited the amount and the quality of their shots. There are no weak links in their offense so we’ve got to take that team defense mentality into the game.” … Rookie T Ryan Hotaling won 15 of 25 faceoffs and scooped a team-high 11 loose balls … F Dan Dawson has 8 goals and 14 points in his last 2 games … F Jamie Rooney had 2 goals, 1 assist and 8 loose balls in his first game since being acquired via trade with Rochester …
Not: The power play is worst in the league at 27% (10 of 36), but went 4-for-6 against Rochester … The Blazers have had to defend 38 man-down opportunities, tied for second-most in the NLL … F Matt Lyons has just 1 goal in his 4 games (25 shots on goal) after scoring 21 goals last season.

Buffalo Bandits (1-5) East Division

Last week: lost to Toronto, 14-10.
This week: Saturday at Philadelphia, 8 p.m. (EST).
TV/radio: WWKB (1520-AM), Webcast on NLL.com.
Reported injuries: John Tavares, F.

Hot: Rookie F Kyle Clancy had 2 goals and 5 assists … D Kyle Schmelzle won 7 of 19 faceoffs … F Tom Montour is third in the NLL with 55 loose balls, 19 of those coming in the last 2 games.
Not: The Bandits led 10-9 going into the fourth, but allowed 5 unanswered goals to let Toronto pull away … The Bandits have been outscored 19-10 in the fourth quarter this season, which includes 2 games with 0 goals in the 4th. “We’re having trouble putting things together in the fourth,” GM Derek Graham said … Graham said this is a must-win weekend. “It’s a playoff game. That’s basically the bottom line,” he said. “You don’t want to come right out and say it, but if we don’t start winning in the next 2 or 3 weeks, we might have to make some wholesale changes.”

Orlando Titans (3-1) East Division

Last week: defeated Colorado, 12-5.
This week: off.
TV/radio: WHOO 1080-AM (Orlando), WQIK 1240-AM (Eustis), Webcast on NLL.com.
Reported injuries: none.

Hot: NLL Defensive Player of the Week G Matt Vinc made 47 saves. He’s not allowed more than 3 goals in the first half of all but 1 game this season. He gave up 9 vs. Boston, Orlando’s only loss … F Pat Maddalena’s first goal was his 300th career goal … F Ryan Boyle has 8 goals in 4 games and is on pace for a career-high 32 … The Titans killed all 4 Colorado power plays and are 7-for-23 (69%) in killing this season … F Casey Powell has scored at least 2 goals in each game this season, including 3 in each of his last 2 … D Greg Peyser leads the team with 35 loose balls through 4 games and is on pace for a career high of 140.
Not: Of Orlando’s 12 goals last week, just 1 (Jordan Hall) was scored by a defensive or transition player … The Titans have been outshot in 3 of 4 games, including 53-40 last week.

Rochester Knighthawks (3-3) East Division

Last week: lost to Boston, 14-8.
This week: Saturday vs. Boston, 2 p.m. (EST).
TV/radio: WZNE (94.1-FM), Webcast on NLL.com.
Reported injuries: T Bobby McBride (shoulder).

Hot: F Craig Point had 1 goal, 2 assists and won 10 of 22 faceoffs. “He really prepared for the season,” coach Paul Gait said of the forward who is third on the team with 18 points, second with 37 loosies and the top faceoff man at 50% (58-of-115). “He’s been working on his stick and I was expecting him to have a good season and so far, he’s proving me right.” … F John Grant had 4 goals and 2 assists last week and is No. 5 in the NLL with 36 points (15-21) … T Matt Danowski had 4 loose balls in his debut for the Knighthawks.
Not: The defense has allowed 68 goals, tied for second-most in the NLL … The offense has scored 8, 16, 8 and 3 goals in each of the last 4 games. “We have a split personality,” Gait said. “It’s extremely frustrating, but I’ve lived through it. In my 3 years playing in Rochester, we were a home team. It’s preparation, something the guys have to do on their own.” … F Shawn Evans has just 5 goals in 5 games and is on pace for a career-low of 16 goals …

Toronto Rock (5-1) East Division

Last week: Friday defeated Philadelphia, 19-11; Saturday defeated Buffalo, 14-10.
This week: Friday vs. Edmonton, 7:30 p.m. (EST); Sunday at Calgary, 6:30 p.m. (EST).
TV/radio: TSN2/Webast on NLL.com.
Reported injuries: none.

Hot: F Colin Doyle had 3 goals and 4 assists in the win over Philadelphia, then added 1 goal and 4 assists against Buffalo to become the 3rd player in NLL history with more than 1,000 career points … Rookie F Garett Billings had 3-4 and fellow rookie Stephan Leblanc, who was named Rookie of the Week, added 3-6. “We didn’t really expect them to accumulate this many points,” Sanderson said of the rookie duo. “But you surround them with guys like Colin Doyle, (Offensive and Overall Player of the Week) Blaine Manning and Kasey Biernes, it makes the game a heck of a lot easier for them.” … Against Philly, the Rock scored 3 power-play goals in the final 3 minutes of the first half to turn a an 8-5 lead into an 11-5 halftime advantage … F Kim Squire had 2 goals, 1 assist and 4 loose balls in his first game back and finished the weekend with 3 goals and 2 assists … Toronto coach Troy Cordingley and GM Terry Sanderson return to Calgary, where they lead the Roughnecks to last year’s NLL title … Against Philly, F Kasey Biernes scored a season-high 4 goals on just 7 shots.
Not: D Stephen Hoar (8 of 20) and D Sandy Chapman (2 of 14) were just 10 of 24 on faceoffs against Philly.

Philadelphia Wings (1-4) East Division

Last week: lost to Toronto, 19-11.
This week: Saturday vs. Buffalo, 8 p.m. (EST)
TV/radio: Webcast on NLL.com.
Reported injuries: F Merrick Thomson, D Shawn Nadelen.

Hot: F Max Seibald played his first game, scooping 3 loose balls and bringing some very aggressive and positive defense. “He gave us some good energy,” coach Dave Huntley said. “And that was nice, considering that was the first time he’d be’d been inside boards.” … The Wings scored on their first 3 shots and had 4 goals on their first 9 shots … Geoff (22 of 31) and Bob (2 of 3) Snider were a combined 24 of 34 on faceoffs … The Wings have 7 players who have scored in double-digits this season, led by Drew Westervelt’s 20 points (9-11).
Not: Geoff Snider had 8 of the team’s 12 penalty minutes … Wings were outshot 36-16 in the first half … The PKs gave up 5 power-play goals on 7 chances to Toronto … The Wings gave up 19 shots in the first quarter to Toronto. “We were bad in all aspects of the game,” coach Dave Huntley said. “Coaching, playing … We have to turn it around this weekend. It’s a massive game for us. We’re running out of second chances.” … The Wings don’t have anyone among the NLL’s top 20 individual scorers.

Calgary Roughnecks (2-3) West Division

Last week: defeated Edmonton, 13-8.
This week: Saturday vs. Toronto, 6:30 p.m. (EST).
TV/radio: TSN2/CFAC 960-AM.
Reported injuries: T Rob Van Beek.

Hot: Calgary scored on its first 3 shots for a 3-0 lead … T Nolan Heavenor won his first 4 faceoffs and finished 14 of 21 … F Josh Sanderson’s 3 goals came on just 6 shots, and all 3 were PP goals. He’s tied for the league lead with 6 PP goals … After 3 straight games with save percentages at 68% or less, G Matt King stopped 33 of 41 shots (80%). “He found some new confidence and made key saves for us,” coach Dave Pym said. … Pym also liked the team’s hustle out of its own end. “We weren’t getting off the floor (offensively) as quickly as I’d like and our transition was anemic,” he said of prior games. “These were 2 of the bigger areas that cost us in previous games.” … D Devan Wray had 8 loose balls and won 3 of 4 faceoffs … F Jeff Shattler had 2 goals, 2 assists and led the team with 10 loosies.
Not: The Riggers went just 3-for-7 on the PP … F Kaleb Toth was scoreless on 8 shots on goal … T Rob Van Beek, acquired in an offseason trade, hasn’t played since Jan. 15 and has just 3 loose balls in the 2 games he has played. Pym says he’s nursing a minor injury and is expected to travel with the team next weekend to Washington. … F Dane Dobbie scored just 1 goal on 9 shots on goal.

Colorado Mammoth (2-4) West Division

Last week: lost to Orlando, 13-5.
This week: off.
TV/radio: Webcast on NLL.com.
Reported injuries: D John Gallant (hand).

Hot: F Jed Prossner has 5 goals in 2 games after scoring just 1 in his first 2 … Newly acquired G Chris Levis made 26 saves on the 35 shots he faced in relief of starter Andrew Leyshon … F Chris Gill scored a goal in his first game back since being signed last week.
Not: Leading scorer Jamie Shewchuk was scoreless on 3 shots before his game misconduct at the end of the first half … The 5 goals against Orlando tied the franchise mark for lowest output in a single game … The Mammoth are 0-3 at home … The Mammoth took 14 shots before scoring their first goal against the Titans … The Mammoth went 0-for-4 on the power play and gave up 3 PP goals to Orlando on 5 chances .. Just 2 of Colorado’s 5 goals came at even strength; 1 was short-handed and 2 came with the extra attacker … The Mammoth went 22:15 between scoring their 2nd goal and 3rd goal.

Edmonton Rush (3-2) West Division

Last week: lost to Calgary, 13-8.
This week: Friday at Toronto, 7:30 p.m. (EST).
TV/radio: CFRN 1260-AM, Webcast on NLL.com.
Reported injuries: D Pat Jones (calf) is day to day.

Hot: With 54 goals in 5 games, the Rush are averaging 10.8 per game and are on pace for 172 goals, which would be the most in a season in franchise history … F Ryan Ward leads the NLL with 3 short-handed goals … Coach Derek Keenan is prepared for the pressure system of the Rock, having faced similar systems in Calgary and Buffalo in the weeks prior. “We just need to be more assertive,” he said. “We need to be better in our own end, eliminate things like rebound goals, turnover goals and short-handed goals.” … F Ryan Powell scored 2 goals last week after scoring just 1 goal in his previous 3 games.
Not: The Rush allowed 2 short-handed goals to Calgary … Missing injured D Pat Jones, the Rush won just 8 of 25 faceoffs … The Rush scored just 2 goals on 16 shots in the first half … The Rush were 2-for-7 on the PP vs. Calgary.

Minnesota Swarm (1-4) West Division

Last week: lost to Washington, 12-9.
This week: Saturday vs. Washington, 8:35 p.m. (EST).
TV/radio: Webcast on NLL.com.
Reported injuries: none.

Hot: F Callum Crawford scored 3 goals on just 7 shots on goal and his 9 goals this season puts him on pace for a career-high 28 … The Swarm were tied, 8-8, with the Stealth at the end of the third quarter before Washington pulled away with a 4-1 fourth quarter … The Swarm outshot Washington, 48-41, and have outshot their last 3 opponents, but they’ve all been losses. “We just can’t bury the ball,” coach Mike Lines said. “We can’t get too negative about it. If we weren’t getting the looks, then we’d have a problem.”
Not: Expect lineup changes this week. “There’s not much else we can change,” Lines said of what he can do to produce more offense … Kevin Croswell may get the start in goal … F Ryan Benesch scored just 1 goal on 11 shots on goal … The Swarm scored just 4 goals on 23 shots in the second half … The Swarm had a 7-minute power play in the third quarter after Paul Rabil’s game misconduct, but scored just 1 goal.

Washington Stealth (6-0) West Division

Last week: defeated Minnesota, 12-9.
This week: Saturday at Minnesota, 8:35 p. m. (EST).
TV/radio: Webcast on NLL.com
Reported injuries: none.

Hot: The penalty killers. The Sealth killed just 2 off 3 last weekend, but one of the man-down situations was a 7-minute power play for the Swarm and the Stealth PKs allowed just 1 goal. They lead the NLL at 81% (5-for-27). “(Matt) Roik was outstanding and our defense was fantastic,” coach Chris Hall said. “Our man-down has been nothing short of excellent.” … F Jeff Zywicki had 4 goals and 4 assists and leads the NLL in overall points with 43 (17-26) … The Stealth have 8 players in double figures and 3 of them have more than 30 … G Matt Roik made 39 saves on 46 shots faced in his second start of the season … D Matt Beers led the team witih 12 loosies … T Peter Morgan had 2 goals and 3 assists to earn Transition Player of the Week honors.
Not: With everything working so well, it’s tough to find any fault. Hall says there are plenty of challenges, though. “We’ve had a lot of guys in and out of the lineup,” he said. “And there are areas we are less than stellar and the challenge is trying to repair that while trying to maintain the things we are doing well.” … F Lewis Ratcliff didn’t have a goal for the first time this season, but he did have 6 assists … T Paul Rabil and D Eric Martin combined for 36 of the team’s 40 penalty minutes after both received game misconducts in seperate incidents.

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