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BUF at SD - Sat. 10pm ET on ESPNews Schedule

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WK
1
Fri, Dec 2
FINAL
Philadelphia
8
Halifax
18
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Vancouver
8
Toronto
19
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
San Diego
15
New York
14
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Albany
11
Buffalo
10
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Rochester
16
Georgia
11
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Colorado
6
Saskatchewan
18
WK
2
Fri, Dec 9
FINAL
Las Vegas
11
Panther City
13
Fri, Dec 9
FINAL/OT
Saskatchewan
12
San Diego
13
Sat, Dec 10
FINAL
Toronto
7
Rochester
11
Sat, Dec 10
FINAL
Vancouver
9
Calgary
11
WK
3
Fri, Dec 16
FINAL
Calgary
14
Vancouver
5
Fri, Dec 16
FINAL
Panther City
9
Las Vegas
3
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Buffalo
11
Toronto
8
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Rochester
14
Albany
13
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Philadelphia
13
Georgia
12
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Halifax
20
New York
11
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Colorado
12
Panther City
9
WK
5
Fri, Dec 30
FINAL
Halifax
13
Buffalo
18
Fri, Dec 30
FINAL
San Diego
17
Calgary
14
Sat, Dec 31
FINAL
Panther City
9
Saskatchewan
11
WK
6
Fri, Jan 6
FINAL
Philadelphia
14
Las Vegas
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Panther City
9
Rochester
17
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Halifax
14
Albany
11
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Buffalo
18
Georgia
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Toronto
15
New York
7
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Calgary
8
Colorado
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Vancouver
11
San Diego
16
WK
7
Fri, Jan 13
FINAL/OT
Albany
11
Halifax
10
Fri, Jan 13
FINAL/OT
Saskatchewan
10
Colorado
11
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Halifax
8
Toronto
17
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Panther City
12
Philadelphia
10
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Georgia
9
Buffalo
11
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
San Diego
10
Calgary
14
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Las Vegas
16
Vancouver
19
Sun, Jan 15
FINAL
Rochester
11
New York
8
WK
8
Fri, Jan 20
FINAL
Buffalo
12
Rochester
15
Fri, Jan 20
FINAL
Vancouver
14
Las Vegas
15
Sat, Jan 21
FINAL
Toronto
14
Philadelphia
5
Sat, Jan 21
FINAL
New York
16
Albany
10
WK
9
Fri, Jan 27
FINAL
Rochester
7
Halifax
17
Fri, Jan 27
FINAL
Buffalo
13
Philadelphia
9
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Buffalo
16
New York
10
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Las Vegas
10
Saskatchewan
15
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL/OT
Toronto
11
Calgary
10
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
San Diego
13
Colorado
9
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Panther City
20
Vancouver
7
WK
10
Fri, Feb 3
FINAL
Georgia
10
Colorado
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL/OT
Calgary
12
Halifax
11
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
New York
14
Toronto
22
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Albany
5
Philadelphia
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Rochester
10
Buffalo
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Panther City
10
San Diego
12
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Saskatchewan
14
Vancouver
8
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Colorado
8
Las Vegas
13
WK
11
Fri, Feb 10
FINAL
Toronto
11
Georgia
10
Fri, Feb 10
FINAL
Saskatchewan
6
Calgary
13
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Halifax
14
Rochester
16
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Albany
12
New York
14
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Vancouver
13
Panther City
14
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Colorado
9
Calgary
13
WK
12
Fri, Feb 17
FINAL
Calgary
14
Vancouver
9
Fri, Feb 17
FINAL
Saskatchewan
16
San Diego
11
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Georgia
7
Toronto
16
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Las Vegas
12
Albany
10
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL/OT
Philadelphia
12
Buffalo
13
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Colorado
7
Panther City
13
Sun, Feb 19
FINAL
New York
12
Halifax
13
WK
13
Fri, Feb 24
FINAL
Panther City
12
Colorado
14
Fri, Feb 24
FINAL
Calgary
9
Las Vegas
11
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL/OT
New York
10
Rochester
11
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL
Albany
4
Georgia
20
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL
Vancouver
16
Saskatchewan
12
WK
14
Fri, Mar 3
FINAL
Buffalo
10
Halifax
9
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
New York
12
Philadelphia
19
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Las Vegas
12
San Diego
15
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Rochester
8
Toronto
9
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL/OT
Georgia
9
Albany
8
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Saskatchewan
10
Panther City
16
Mon, Mar 6
FINAL
Toronto
10
Philadelphia
11
WK
15
Fri, Mar 10
FINAL/OT
Halifax
9
Buffalo
10
Fri, Mar 10
FINAL
Calgary
16
Colorado
10
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Albany
6
Toronto
12
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Philadelphia
10
New York
13
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
San Diego
12
Saskatchewan
11
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Vancouver
14
Las Vegas
5
Sun, Mar 12
FINAL
Rochester
19
Georgia
18
WK
16
Fri, Mar 17
FINAL
Saskatchewan
6
Calgary
11
Fri, Mar 17
FINAL
San Diego
16
Vancouver
9
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Georgia
13
Philadelphia
12
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Toronto
12
Halifax
14
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Albany
10
New York
13
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Colorado
13
Buffalo
8
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Las Vegas
8
Panther City
11
Sun, Mar 19
FINAL/OT
Philadelphia
9
Rochester
8
WK
17
Fri, Mar 24
FINAL
San Diego
17
Panther City
9
Sat, Mar 25
19:00:00
Toronto
Albany
Sat, Mar 25
19:00:00
Halifax
Philadelphia
Sat, Mar 25
19:30:00
Georgia
New York
Sat, Mar 25
21:30:00
Calgary
Saskatchewan
Sat, Mar 25
22:00:00
Buffalo
San Diego
Sat, Mar 25
22:00:00
Colorado
Vancouver
Sat, Mar 25
22:30:00
Rochester
Las Vegas
WK
18
Fri, Mar 31
19:00:00
New York
Georgia
Fri, Mar 31
21:00:00
Las Vegas
Colorado
Fri, Mar 31
22:00:00
Calgary
San Diego
Sat, Apr 1
19:00:00
Buffalo
Toronto
Sat, Apr 1
20:00:00
Albany
Panther City
Sat, Apr 1
21:30:00
Vancouver
Saskatchewan
Sun, Apr 2
13:00:00
Georgia
Halifax
Sun, Apr 2
18:00:00
Rochester
Philadelphia
WK
19
Sat, Apr 8
19:00:00
Albany
Rochester
Sat, Apr 8
19:00:00
Saskatchewan
Georgia
Sat, Apr 8
21:00:00
Panther City
Calgary
Sat, Apr 8
21:00:00
Vancouver
Colorado
Sat, Apr 8
22:30:00
San Diego
Las Vegas
WK
20
Fri, Apr 14
21:00:00
Las Vegas
Calgary
Fri, Apr 14
21:00:00
San Diego
Colorado
Sat, Apr 15
19:00:00
Philadelphia
Toronto
Sat, Apr 15
19:00:00
Georgia
Albany
Sat, Apr 15
19:30:00
New York
Buffalo
Sat, Apr 15
21:30:00
Halifax
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 15
22:00:00
Panther City
Vancouver
WK
21
Fri, Apr 21
20:30:00
Calgary
Panther City
Sat, Apr 22
18:00:00
New York
Halifax
Sat, Apr 22
19:00:00
Georgia
Rochester
Sat, Apr 22
20:00:00
Toronto
Buffalo
Sat, Apr 22
21:30:00
Colorado
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 22
22:00:00
Las Vegas
San Diego
Sun, Apr 23
15:00:00
Philadelphia
Albany
WK
22
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Philadelphia
Rochester
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Buffalo
Albany
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Halifax
Georgia
Sat, Apr 29
22:00:00
Colorado
San Diego
Sat, Apr 29
22:00:00
New York
Vancouver
Sat, Apr 29
22:30:00
Saskatchewan
Las Vegas
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Stories/Op-Ed

Friendship and Competiton Add Intrigue To Roughnecks Goaltending Decisions

Going into the Calgary Roughnecks game this past Saturday versus the red-hot -scoring 20.5 GPG in their last four games- Toronto Rock, there was no question in Roughnecks head coach Curt Malawsky’s mind as to which of his two goaltenders would be starting in net.

 

“When Christian [Del Bianco] came in in relief versus Georgia [Swarm], he came in at 82%, the next week against Saskatchewan he came in at 78%. This is a performance-based business; for all of us, it’s a performance-based business. When someone comes in and plays two games like that, in my world as a coach, it’s not given, it’s earned. Based on those two outings coming off the bench and playing so well, Christian earned that opportunity to start.”

 

In just his third NLL start of the 26 games in which he has seen action since being drafted 15th overall in the 2015 NLL Draft, Del Bianco made a career-high 47 saves and finished with an 82% SVPCT. He helped give the Calgary offense the boost it needed to go on to score a season-high 16 goals in route to a stunning 16-8 victory for the Roughnecks second win of the year.

 

“Obviously, it’s a weight off the shoulders,” Del Bianco said of collecting the first win of his career. “That said, I’m not satisfied with one win. The game plan is to keep working and get more and more wins.”

 

However, for that game plan to come to fruition, he will need to continue to take starts away from his good friend and former roommate, the Roughnecks other netminder, Frank Scigliano. According to Del Bianco, both men understand that, despite their friendship, they’ll have to go through each other to be named the team’s starting goaltender week in and week out.

 

“It’s no secret that the other guy wants to play. That said, once the decision is made and the other one is in the net, you’re cheering for the other guy because we are friends. But, that doesn’t cross the line if we’re still competitors.”

 

Del Bianco and Scigliano have known each other for many years, both hailing from Coquitlam, British Columbia, and even live within a few blocks from one another. However, their friendship didn’t begin to blossom until they were roommates during Del Bianco’s second season with Roughnecks.

 

“Frankie was a really good guy,” Del Bianco said of his former roommate. “Not really taking care of me, but showing me the ropes, like, this is where we’re due, showing me to the airport. He’s definitely been a great guy to learn from so far.”

 

Del Bianco continued, stating, “I think we’re both competitors and I think we’re brutally honest with each other. We’re there both for a common goal: we both want to win. That same attitude we share on the floor, we share off the floor, so it makes it easy to transition our relationship on and off the floor.”

 

The 20-year-old Del Bianco hopes that his hard work both in the NLL and over the summer in the B.C. Junior-A Lacrosse League (BCJALL) will continue to pay off at the professional level. This past summer, Del Bianco proved that he is a goaltender that should be respected. He helped lead the Coquitlam Jr. Adanacs to a 19-1-1 regular season record behind his league-best 16 wins, a .838% SVPCT, and a 6.28 GAA.

 

The BCJALL goaltender says that his Adanacs coach, Pat Coyle -the same Pat Coyle who coaches the Colorado Mammoth- was instrumental to his continued success as a lacrosse player. They first met when Coyle’s son and Del Bianco played Pee Wee lacrosse (11 and 12-year olds) together, and Pat was their coach.

 

 

“He’s been huge for my mental aspect of the game,” Del Bianco said of Coyle’s mentorship over the years. “I think, the big thing with him is that he wasn’t the easiest on me early on and I think that paid dividends later on since he’s been coaching me since Pee Wee. He’s not only a played a big part on my game but how I grew up too.”

 

This past summer, Scigliano also made a case that he should be the Roughnecks starting goaltender -he has started most of the team’s games since taking over the full-time spot from Mike Poulin before the start of the 2017 season. In the Western Lacrosse Association (WLA), while with the Maple Ridge Burrards, Scigliano posted a GAA of 8.46 and a SVPCT of .825%.

 

If Del Bianco gets the start this weekend in Calgary versus Coyle’s Mammoth, and all signs suggest that he will, it will be interesting if the master beats the student or the student beats the master. It would be the second time that Del Bianco would start against Coyle in NLL play. The last time the two faced each other in March of 2017, Coyle’s Mammoth pulled off a convincing 18-9 win which saw Del Bianco pulled for Scigliano after allowing five goals in the first quarter only to return in the fourth to give up five more goals and finish the night with a 55% SVPCT.

 

Scigliano will likely be starting on the bench for this match, but, Coach Malawsky will not hesitate to switch things up in net if he feels that the Mammoth are getting the best of Del Bianco. Having two solid goaltenders is not just something Malawsky feels is essential for the club, but he also likes having the choice of who to go with in net.

 

“We’ve got two great young goaltenders,” Malawsky said. “The NLL is such a crazy beast in the respect that one game you’re on top and the next game you’re not. You need both. Any coach will tell you, ‘would you take one great guy or two really good guys?’ I think we have two really good guys that we can put in net any night and I think that gives us a competitive advantage. [Other coaching staffs] will have to study for both guys instead of with a team where you know one guy is going to play every night and you don’t have to worry about the other guy.”

 

As the second half of the 2018 season progresses, both Del Bianco and Scigliano will likely have starts in net if they both stay healthy. Unfortunately for these close friends, it could be their last season together as this off-season’s NLL Expansion Draft will force every team in the league to choose only one goalie they would like to give an exemption too.

 

Whatever happens in Christian Del Bianco or Frank Scigliano’s futures, their friendship will live on and continue to grow even if they aren’t teammates. If the Roughnecks organization can somehow manage to pull off keeping both goaltenders, the pair will be a serious one-two punch for years to come. The question then will be: which of the two will be landing the majority of the blows?

NLL