Week 9 Results: Lost to Toronto 14-9 Week 10 Opponent: at Ottawa (4-3) Previous Ranking: 6th
After their somewhat lopsided loss to Toronto, Calgary slides two spots in the Power Rankings this week. How much can we reasonably punish the Roughnecks for running into Toronto right as the Rock start to put it together? As the final team in the standings at or above the .500 threshold, the Roughnecks deserve a spot in the top eight. While they only managed nine goals against Toronto, the one piece of good news is that Jesse King netted his first hat trick of the season. We’ve said for weeks that the Roughnecks are in desperate need of secondary scoring behind Dane Dobbie and Curtis Dickson. Josh Sanderson will be hoping King has a similar effort when the Roughnecks go to Ottawa on Friday night to play the Black Bears.
7) Georgia Swarm (4-3)
Week 9 Results: Idle Week 10 Opponent: at Las Vegas (2-5) Previous Ranking: 8th
Despite sitting at home this past weekend, the Swarm climbed one spot in this week’s Power Rankings thanks to Calgary’s loss to Toronto. Georgia enters Week 10 riding a three-game losing streak and in desperate need of a “get right” game when the team travels to Las Vegas on Saturday. Ed Comeau and company were hoping that a week to re-group was precisely what was needed to rekindle the form from the Swarm’s 4-0 start to the season. Brett Dobson has been inconsistent of late, and his performance is of paramount importance in determining the Swarm’s success.
6) Colorado Mammoth (5-3)
Week 9 Results: Beat Rochester 11-10 Week 10 Opponent: vs Toronto (2-5) Previous Ranking: 7th
A road win for the Mammoth! Colorado used a dominant fourth quarter to overcome a 9-7 deficit and steal a victory away from the Loud House. With Connor Kelly limited to just one goal for the second straight game, Eli McLaughlin (four goals) and Will Malcom (three goals) combined to give the Mammoth’s offense just enough power to sneak by Rochester. Dillon Ward’s resurgence was on display, making 39 saves and allowing just a single goal in the final quarter to lift Colorado. This win was arguably Colorado’s most important of the season to date because it answered some questions about the Mammoth’s ability to win away from home. The schedule doesn’t get easier, although the Mammoth do get to return home this week when they host a Toronto Rock team that looks to have found some rhythm and is finally starting to get healthy.
5) Ottawa Black Bears (4-3)
Week 9 Results: Lost to Vancouver 8-4 Week 10 Opponent: vs Calgary (3-3) Previous Ranking: 3rd
The Black Bears slip two spots this week after their slow offensive effort for the second time in their last four games. Ottawa is starting to look like one of the more enigmatic groups in the NLL, pairing a high ceiling with a perplexingly low floor. Zach Higgins once again illustrated why he should be the frontrunner in the Goaltender of the Year race. Yet, Jeff Teat’s scoreless night and a season-low four goals inspire apprehension about how much Ottawa’s offense can be trusted. With the youthful pieces that the Black Bears rely upon, consistency was always likely to be an elusive goal for Dan Ladoceur and company. Achieving a steadier product will be essential in realizing the organization’s dream of a playoff breakthrough this year. This week, the Black Bears host the Roughnecks, hoping to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time this season. Keep in mind, the last time Ottawa’s offense struggled, the Black Bears followed with a season-high 14 goals on the road against Georgia. Could a similar effort be on the horizon?
Vancouver slides up one spot after an impressive defensive effort against Ottawa. The Warriors desperately needed a quality showing at home after losing twice the weekend prior. Aden Walsh only faced 37 shots, but was nearly flawless in besting Zach Higgins in a goaltending battle. Adam Charalambides netted three more goals to lead the Warriors and run his total to eight goals in the last two games after potting just three in Vancouver’s first five contests. Most games haven’t been seamless or pretty for the Warriors this year, but Curt Malawsky’s group is going to play its best in the second half of the season. Owen Grant continues to be a revelation in the back end with his 11 Caused Turnovers and 12 Blocked Shots. If Charalambides and Keegan Bal can start producing at the same time, as opposed to taking turns, Vancouver’s offense has an exceptionally high ceiling. The Warriors endure a brutal travel schedule this week, traveling to Halifax on Friday night to play the 2-4 Thunderbirds.
3) Saskatchewan Rush (5-2)
Week 9 Results: Beat Albany 17-13 Week 10 Opponent: at San Diego (3-4) Previous Ranking: 4th
Saskatchewan has a real case to leapfrog into second place this week, but we’ve chosen to give the Wings the benefit of a head-to-head win over the Rush. Saskatchewan put up a season-high 17 goals in their thrilling win over Albany on Saturday night. We indicated last week that a scoring surge from Robert Church would be a tremendous boom to the Rush, and Church delivered with five goals and 10 points against the FireWolves. Proving that they can win in a high-scoring setting goes a long way toward addressing some previously unanswered questions about the team. The Rush have the look of a group that could continue to improve thanks to its balance of veteran presence and youthful athleticism. Saskatchewan gets a massive test this week in San Diego against the Seals. Desperate teams at home are exceptionally tough to beat, and the Seals check both of those boxes. Another win for the Rush should cement them in the “for real” category.
The Wings have been the surprise team through the season’s first half, winning four straight games at one point on the back of immense left-handed firepower. Philadelphia boasts three players with 45 points or more, in addition to the possible Rookie of the Year frontrunner in Brennan O’Neill, who has posted an impressive line of 14-15-29 in his first seven games. Nick Damude is still trying to locate a consistent form between the pipes, but if he’s able to do so, the Wings have serious staying power potential. Their only losses are to an enigmatic San Diego team and the League’s top-ranked group from Buffalo. The Wings are home for the second of three straight in the City of Brotherly Love when they host the Rochester Knighthawks on Saturday.
Another week in the books, and yet again no change at the top of the NLL Power Rankings. The Bandits are the League’s last remaining unbeaten team and have put together the best holistic resume to this point in the season. Josh Byrne and Dhane Smith have been just as productive as we’ve grown accustomed to seeing, while Matt Vinc has already quieted any questions about his age. Buffalo has a goal differential of +33, which is three times better than the next-best margin. That said, every week in the NLL is a challenge, and the Bandits are back on the floor this week against an improving Albany FireWolves team for a Championship Rematch on Saturday in Banditland.
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