Week 5 in the National Lacrosse League featured a tussle between two elite teams, big names doing big-name things, goalies once again demonstrating their impact on the fine line between winning and losing, and a young star accomplishing a first. Plus, in the spirit of the holiday season, many of the League’s top players found themselves in very giving moods.
Dec 27: Halifax Thunderbirds vs. Saskatchewan Rush at the Scotiabank Center in Halifax, Nova Scotia. (Trevor MacMillan/Halifax Thunderbirds)
The most anticipated matchup of the weekend occurred in downtown Halifax, where nearly 11,000 fans jammed Scotiabank Centre for a back-and-forth slugfest that could very well serve as an NLL Finals preview. With the game tied for the eighth time and a mere 1:02 showing on the clock, Austin Shanks provided the winner in the 10-9 win for the visitors.
Balance Ruled the Day for Saskatchewan
Shanks, Zach Manns, Ryan Keenan and Matt Acchione each delivered two scores apiece, with Keenan adding four assists. Acchione’s clutch connectors, both in transition, marked the first two goals of his young career. Robert Church scored once and assisted on two more en route to the one-goal triumph. Frank Scigliano knocked down 33 of 42 blasts.
HFX Stars Gave it All They Had
Randy Staats, Cody Jamieson and Dawson Theede collaborated on seven goals, with Clarke Petterson notching four assists in a disappointing defeat. Staats, who had a hat trick, collected his 250th career goal. Early MVP candidate Warren Hill stopped 44 of 54 attempts.
Round two of this titanic battle takes place on Friday at 8:00 p.m. ET, this time within the confines of Saskatoon’s SaskTel Centre. Watch on ESPN+, NLL+ and TSN+
Coming off a one-goal home opener win over the Ottawa Black Bears, the new-look Las Vegas Desert Dogs kept the momentum going with an impressive 17-11 takedown of the Toronto Rock. Leading 6-4 at halftime, Las Vegas outscored Toronto 11-7 in the second half. The closest the Rock got was 10-8 before the Desert Dogs pulled away. Jackson Webster’s natural hat trick spanning 1:54 over the end of the third/beginning of the fourth was a catalyst.
Free Agent Signings Paying Dividends
The Desert Dogs were among the most aggressive teams during the offseason, with the club’s trifecta of big splashes contributing splendidly versus the Rock. Chase Fraser scored three and assisted on three more. Chris Cloutier posted two scores and five helpers, while Mitch Jones secured two goals and six assists. Jonathan Donville had a goal and five assists, and Sean Westley hit the scoreboard twice and assisted on two more.
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College Teammates Perform Well for Rock
First overall pick C.J. Kirst had his best game as a pro in a four-goal, one-assist showcase, with Cornell/Rock teammate Hugh Kelleher collecting his very first NLL goal. Josh Jubenville contributed a pair of goals, and Latrell Harris added four assists from the back end.
Goalie Comparison Featured Polar Opposites
Landon Kells was steady between the pipes, stopping with 40 of 51 attempts. By contrast, Rock keepers Troy Holowchuk, who started the game, and Nick Rose each had rough nights, with both masked men allowing eight balls to tickle the twine.
Records: LV 2-1, TOR 1-2
Next Up for Las Vegas in Week 6: at Buffalo Bandits, Saturday at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+, NLL+ and TSN+
Next Up for Toronto in Week 6: Bye
Philadelphia Wings at Ottawa Black Bears 12.27.25
Representing Canada’s capital city, the Black Bears raced out to a 7-4 halftime lead over the visitors from America’s birthplace, increasing the lead 9-4 early in the third. In a game of extremes, the Wings roared back with seven straight goals for the lead, only to witness Ottawa amass seven of the melee’s final eight lamplighters, setting the stage for a 16-12 win for the inhabitants of the Canadian Tire Centre.
Veterans Carry the Load For OTT
Rob Hellyer continued his highly impressive season, scoring four and assisting on two occasions. Reilly O’Connor etched a hat trick and three assists, while Connor Kearnan was responsible for six total points, and Jeff Teat had 10 – two goals and eight assists, putting him one assist away from career number 300. Teat and Hellyer continue to lead the NLL in scoring with 29 and 28 points, respectively.
O’Neill Checks Another Box
Wings’ second-year sensation Brennan O’Neill picked up the first sock trick of his career while donating two assists. Dalton Young and Phil Caputo coalesced on a grand total of seven assists alongside Joe Resetarits, who supplied six helpers. Nick Rowlett continues to impress at the dot, winning 50% of his draws.
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Records: PHI 1-2, OTT 2-2
Next Up for Philadelphia in Week 6: Bye
Next Up for Black Bears in Week 6: at Oshawa, Saturday at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+, NLL+ and TSN+
Georgia Swarm at Colorado Mammoth at the Ball Arena in Denver Colorado, United States. (Photo by John Matthew Harrison/National Lacrosse League)
Taking the field in front of nearly 10,000 fans at Denver’s Ball Arena, the guests from Georgia turned an early 2-0 Mammoth lead into a 12-3 drubbing. The Swarm locked it down defensively, holding Colorado scoreless for the last 34:39 minutes of play while capitalizing on their own eight-goal run. Nine different Georgia players found their way onto the scoresheet, including Lyle Thompson and Shayne Jackson, who each scored once.
Young Guys Rule the Day
Kaleb Benedict earned himself a hat trick for the victors, while Richie Connell scored twice. Nolan Byrne continues to impress with a goal and an assist. Colorado’s Connor Nock procured his first career goal, despite the downfall.
Dobson is A Brick Wall
Swarm goalie Brett Dobson produced yet another fantastic night defending the cage, obstructing 43 of 46 shots. During his last three outings, the 25-year-old has allowed seven goals or fewer in every one of those matchups.
Records: GA 2-2, COL 1-2
Next Up for Georgia in Week 6: Bye
Next Up for Colorado in Week 6: Host Rochester, Saturday at 9:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+, NLL+ and TSN+
The Calgary Roughnecks against the Buffalo Bandits at Scotiabank Saddledome on Sunday. (Photo by Jenn Pierce/NLL)
In Sunday’s ESPN2 matchup, the reigning champion Buffalo Bandits overpowered the Calgary Roughnecks 13-7 in front of nearly 12,000 fans jammed into Calgary’s WestJet Field at Scotiabank Saddledome. Buffalo leaped to a 4-1 advantage, with the pesky Roughnecks subsequently tying the game. From this point forward, the champs showed why they are the champs, leading 9-5 after the third.
Bandits Stalwarts Came Up Big
Dhane Smith scored three and assisted on six, while Josh Byrne had one goal and a whopping seven assists. Kyle Buchanan carved out two scores and three helpers, while Ian MacKay and Tehoka Nanticoke pooled a goal and three assists each. Nick Weiss scored two highlight-reel goals in transition.
Roughnecks’ Bright Spots
Calgary staples Tyler Pace and Tanner Cook gave it their all in defeat, combining on a respectable four goals and four assists.
Goalie Matchup Was a “Battle of the Ages”
43-year-old Matt Vinc added to his legendary array of accomplishments, stopping 41 of 48 Roughnecks’ endeavors, while 24-year-old Roughnecks’ keeper Aden Walsh clogged 40 of 53 efforts initiated by the champs.
Records: BUF 2-1, CGY 0-3
Next Up for Buffalo in Week 6: Host Las Vegas, Saturday at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+, NLL+ and TSN+
Next Up for Calgary in Week 6: At San Diego, Saturday at 10:00 p.m. ET on ESPNU, NLL+ and TSN+
