Historic Performances Highlight An Incredible Weekend Of NLL Action

Callum Crawford & Will Malcom Light Up The Las Vegas Strip 

Callum Crawford made history for Panther City, setting the NLL record for most ever first-half points, when scoring 12 (six goals, six assists) on the road against the Las Vegas Desert Dogs. The 39-year-old ended his remarkable night with 2023-2024 league highs of 8 goals and 14 points. Amazingly, PCLC teammate Will Malcom went stride-for-stride with Crawford, as he posted 14 points, on 4 goals and 10 assists. Phil Caputo added five goals in Panther City’s 21-12 rout. The boys from Fort Worth came out of the gates on absolute fire, leading 8-1 after the first quarter and 15-3 at half.  The visitors reached an 18-3 spectacle, running away with an utterly convincing triumph.

Dylan Watson and Zack Greer combined for seven Las Vegas goals, but this game was all about the visitors who took Sin City by storm and left town in a blaze of glory.

Crawford and Malcom look to continue their torrid ways, next weekend, when Panther City pays a visit to the Saskatchewan Rush.

The Rock Finally Lose A Game

The Toronto Rock entered Saturday as the NLL’s lone undefeated squad, only to watch their archrivals from Buffalo come into FirstOntario Centre and put to rest any opportunity for them to reach the 6-0 mark. The defending champs jumped out to an 8-3 second-quarter lead, with the marquee game looking like it might be a runaway for Buffalo. Toronto thought otherwise when scoring seven of the next eight goals to take a 10-9 late third-quarter advantage. The rollercoaster affair went for another loop as the Bandits reeled off seven consecutive goals of their own moving the score to 16-10. The Rock ended the thrill ride with four straight scores, but it was not enough to close the gap, as the game went the Bandits way 16-14.

Buffalo’s shining star was Chase Fraser, who posted four goals, including one of the greatest behind-the-back efforts you will ever see. Five other Bandits found the net on two occasions, with team captain Steve Priolo, who only scored three times all last season, joining the list of achievers. Chris Boushy scored four times for Toronto, but it was not enough on this night.

8,586 fans were in attendance for this heavyweight fight.

It Was Thompson Vs. Teat In The Big Apple

Two of lacrosse’s most dynamic players went head-to-head in the shadow of New York City when Lyle Thompson and the Swarm headed north to take on Jeff Teat and the Riptide. In this battle of brilliance, it was Teat’s team coming out on top 14-11. New York’s third win in four games. Teat was downright spectacular, tallying four goals and two assists. The Cornell alum’s night kicked off with an amazing first quarter hat trick. Connor Kearnan and Larson Sundown added a pair of hat tricks for a New York roster that has really found its stride. The Riptide entered halftime with a 9-8 lead, before separating in the second half, courtesy of a three-consecutive goal outburst to start the third.

On the Georgia side of the equation, it was Lyle Thompson doing Lyle Thompson things, as the superstar left Long Island with six points, off three scores and three assists. Andrew Kew and Zach Miller scored two goals apiece, but the hotly contested first half matchup turned into a comfortable win for the hometown team.

WHAT. A. MOVE. 😮

Lyle Thompson does it again for the @GeorgiaSwarmLAX and we’re all tied halfway through the 2nd quarter in New York! pic.twitter.com/WXs9zA2WIT

— NLL (@NLL) January 28, 2024

New York’s newfound winning ways will face a major test, next weekend, when the club faces the Calgary Roughnecks in Alberta. The Swarm return home to take on the Warriors. 

The Seals Are The NLL’s Road Warriors

The Seals have not played a game in sunny San Diego in nearly a month. In the wake of road contests in Las Vegas, Denver and Albany, the Southern California squad took the floor in South Philadelphia for a date with the Wings, leaving Wells Fargo Center with a 12-11 victory and a 5-2 record. Tre Leclaire, Austin Staats, Curtis Dickson and Wesley Berg posted a combined 11 goals and 13 assists in a game in which San Diego was in control until the action grew dramatic late. The Seals owned 7-3 and 12-7 leads, before the Wings put together a furious fourth-quarter comeback, cutting the score to 12-11 with under a minute remaining. Despite Philadelphia’s best efforts, the home club could not complete the comeback and send the game to overtime.

Ben McIntosh exceled in defeat, as he was responsible for three goals and five assists, with Joe Resetarits adding three goals and three assists in front of 8,482 raucous fans.

The Seals homecoming game will occur next Sunday when the Colorado Mammoth visit Pechanga Arena. The Wings homestand continues as they host the Halifax Thunderbirds.

The Thunderbirds Cruise To An Easy Home Win

Just shy of 10,000 Nova Scotian fans jammed the Scotiabank Centre to watch their beloved Halifax Thunderbirds blow past the Rochester Knighthawks 13-8. This game was never really in doubt as the home club led 8-4 at half and held a minimum of a three-goal separation throughout every minute of the second half. Ryan Benesch scored a whopping five goals, with Clarke Petterson notching three goals and two assists of his own. Goaltender Warren Hill played well in victory, stopping 42 of 50 shots.

Connor Fields put together a nice game for Rochester, netting a hat trick despite his team not coming close to matching their opponents.

Both franchises leave the night with even 3-3 records.

Have A Night Eli McLaughlin

Friday night’s lone NLL battle saw the Colorado Mammoth travel to Vancouver and come away with an easy 14-8 road victory. Eli McLaughlin was next level for Colorado, posting five goals and five assists, including the game’s first three scores. Eli’s first quarter output basically ended the night for the besieged Warriors. Tyson Gibson and Zed Williams added two goals apiece in the Colorado rout, with Sean Kriwokon scoring his first career goal.

Dillon Ward stood tall in net for the Mammoth, holding the Warriors to 8 goals on 46 shots. The home team had a slew of good scoring opportunities, with Ward getting in the way all night long.

Keegan Bal was the lone bright spot for the losing squad, tallying three goals and four assists in defeat. Vancouver’s Tyson Kirkness also found the back of the net for the first time in his career.