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Around the Horn: “Brothers Don’t Shake Hands …;” Dawson talks leadership

Rush captain Brodie Merril is one-half of several brotherly bonds in today's National Lacrosse League. (Photo: Larry Palumbo)

Last week was one of brother-related activity, with one of the sport’s high-profile duos broken up via trade and another reuniting on the floor for the first time in nearly six years, with some hard-earned credentials this time around.

With so much brother talk being thrown around, this week’s Around the Horn appropriately compiles the brother vs. brother matchups taking place this season. Additionally, this week’s ATH features the first of a series of interviews with a league captain, as IL Indoor picks the brains of the game’s most recognized leaders to see what makes them tick. Check it out after the jump. READ MORE »

Minnesota Swarm

Rink rug to derby flat track, time lapse vid turnover you’ve never seen, plus the links

We’ve all seen the time lapse videos of either an arena’s hockey ice or basketball court turned over to a rinked in NLL rug in time lapse video (click here to check out the TD North Garden go from Celts’ planks to B’s carpet), but one version of the fasted forwarded vid you’ve definitely never seen is an indoor lacrosse rug converted into roller derby flat track like what went down in the Minnesota Swarm’s home, the Xcel Energy Center, on Saturday night. Co-promoting with the Minnesota Roller Girls this past weekend, after the Swarm dumped the Washington Stealth in OT courtesy of a Ryan Benesch extra frame finish, the floor was rolled out and roller derby track inserted, the ladies setting a new attendance record for flat track wheeling. Above, check out the time lapse vid from St. Paul, and after the jump check out another pretty slick, little watched, speeded up video from Denver in 2010, and the rest of today’s links. READ MORE »

Shanny's Power Rankings

National Lacrosse League Power Rankings: Week 4

In week 4 of the NLL, the Philadelphia Wings served notice to the rest of the NLL that they are no longer doormats. It’s surprising enough that the Wings defeated the Blazers in Boston buts absolutely shocking that they were able to nullify the offense on the team with the Big Three as they embarrassed Boston by a score of 11-5. On Saturday, the Wings continued their winning streak by defeating the Mammoth 11-10. READ MORE »

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Week 4: Saturday Post-Game Scores, Stats and Links

Bob Watson stopped 50 shots in Toronto's win over Buffalo.

Calgary needed overtime but managed to pull out a win over winless Edmonton on Saturday night, making the Roughnecks the winner of the weekend’s Battle of Alberta. Mark Scherman was the unlikely hero, scoring 2:30 into overtime to seal the game for the Riggers. It was his second goal of the season and the fourth of his career.

Further East in Toronto, the Rock and the Bandits played what’s wasn’t the lowest scoring game in NLL history but it’s definitely up there as Toronto prevailed 8-5. A physical and penalty-ridden tilt, 20 players received 35 penalties in the first quarter alone and by the end of the game, Toronto had racked up more penalty minutes (74) than they have the entire season combined.

The Swarm got its second win over the Stealth, the Blazers bounced back from two losses last weekend to top the Knighthawks 16-7 and for the second week in a row, Colorado found itself on the losing end of a one-goal game against the Philadelphia Wings.
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Week 4: Friday post-game scores, stats and links

Brandon Miller had all the answers for a Boston Blazers team that now sits last in the East after Friday's loss. (Ross Prohaska)

Backstop Brandon Miller frustrated and froze up the Boston Blazers high profile forward cast, their Big 3 (plus a seemingly invisible recently added Ryan Powell) lacking chemistry, focus and direction as the Philadelphia Wings dumped the pre-season Champion’s Cup favourites 11-5, Miller keeping the B’s completely goal-less for the last almost 23 minutes of the East division clash. The Wings (2-2) have now jumped over the Blazers (2-3) in the standings, Boston dead-last in an East Division that has eaten them up over the last week’s worth of lacrosse (0-3 since Jan. 21). Also last night, the Calgary Roughnecks clicking offense, plus another outstanding effort from Mike Poulin, dropped the now 0-4 Edmonton Rush, who posted their highest goal output so far this year in the 15-11 L. Newly picked up Rush forward Scott Evans had a goal and two helpers in the loss, both teams back at it tonight in the second half of Week 4’s Battle of Alberta. Scores, stats and links after the jump. READ MORE »

Fantasy Insider

IL Indoor Fantasy: New faces, places, roles and fantasy position for Alex Kedoh Hill

After weeks of being labelled as a defender in NLL fantasy, Edmonton Rush rookie Alex Kedoh Hill is finally a fantasy forward. (Photo: Larry Palumbo)

This week saw our second straight lead change, (Teddy) Jenner’s Juggernauts propelling themselves back into first in IL Indoor’s National Lacrosse League Facebook Fantasy Challenge league thanks to big Week 3’s from the likes of Lewis Ratcliff, Jeff Shattler and even good value rookies like Aaron Pascas and Curtis Dickson. For the second straight week Jeff Dowling changed every spot on his roster, John Jiloty and Danielle Bernstein froze their lineups, and Stephen Stamp’s crew is starting to look more-and-more like the Mann Cup winning Peterborough Lakers. After the jump check our IL Indoor’s movers and shakers leading up to a full slate of games in the NLL’s Week 4.   READ MORE »

The Buzz

The Dirty Dozen: Powell could be greatest ever US goal scorer after Week 4 double

Can Gavin Prout and the Edmonton Rush offense ignite during Week 4's Battle of Alberta? (Photo: Larry Palumbo)

Every Friday IL Indoor will track-back through the past seven days, looking at the stories that stole headlines and how they’ll affect the sport moving forward this weekend (and in some cases beyond).

The Boston Blazers have definitely not been shy when it comes grabbing headlines in 2011, and we’re talking past their Big 3 of Casey Powell, Dan Dawson and Josh Sanderson. With more roster moves, some of the unavoidable variety (John Orsen injury), at both the top and bottom of their lineup, the B’s hog time in this week’s Dirty Dozen, again, and this time were able to do it without a XXX rating. READ MORE »

Pick 'Em, Staff Pick 'Em

National Lacrosse League Week 4 Picks

Buffalo and Toronto meet again this weekend.(Photo: Larry Palumbo)

Calgary and Edmonton’s home-and-home series highlights this weekend’s schedule of games along with a rematch of last week’s game between the NLL-leading Toronto Rock and the Buffalo Bandits, a game Toronto won in overtime. Ted Jenner and the fans were the only two to pick Buffalo to top the Rock last week and this week, everyone stayed with their pick with the exception of the fans, who chose the Bandits to pull the upset.

There were some very close votes this week as well as the fans chose Edmonton to top Calgary on Friday night by just two votes and Boston to top Rochester on Saturday by 10 votes. After the jump, find out how the IL Indoor staff thinks this week’s games will shake out.
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Boston Blazers, Q&A, Rochester Knighthawks

Catching up with Casey Powell; Four #22s in Rochester on Saturday night?

Casey Powell has been in MVP form in 2011 and will try to help Boston get back over the 500 mark in Week 4. (Larry Palumbo)

Reigning National Lacrosse League MVP Casey Powell is preparing for a busy weekend as he and the Boston Blazers take on the Philadelphia Wings at home Friday night and then travel to Rochester for a rematch of last Saturday’s 11-10 loss to the Knighthawks.

This weekend also will reunite Powell with his oldest of three younger brothers, Ryan, who was signed by the Blazers this week. For Casey, now with 541 career points, it feels much longer than 6 years ago that he and Ryan joined forces on the floor for the first time professionally. READ MORE »

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Edmonton Rush eager to turn around 0-3 start with home opener, plus the links

Pat Jones and the Rush are hungry for their first win with rival Calgary coming to town. (Photo: Richard Olson)

April 16, 2010. That’s the last time the Edmonton Rush enjoyed the comforts of home and the return to Rexall this weekend couldn’t come soon enough. Especially after all 3 road games to start the 2011 National Lacrosse League season were losses, which puts the Rush in a tough position as Calgary comes to town tonight. It’s been a while since any NLL team started its season with 3 straight roadies, the last team to do that being the 2008 New York Titans. But it’s nothing new for Edmonton, which played its first 2 of 2010 on the road. In 2009, the Rush opened with 3 of its first 4 games on the road and in 2008, it was 2 of the first 3. So how will the Rush respond this season? READ MORE »