Week 10 Results: Lost to Calgary 11-8
Week 11 Opponent: Bye Week
Previous Ranking: 5th
The Black Bears are last in the league in scoring, averaging just 8.8 goals per game and have eclipsed the 10-goal threshold just once in their last five games. Perhaps the Black Bears are a candidate to seek some offensive reinforcements at the trade deadline, as the unit simply hasn’t been good enough to win consistently. With the effort Zach Higgins has turned in at this point, it’s surprising that the Black Bears are fighting to stay over .500 as opposed to contending for a top three spot in the standings. With Jeff Teat leading the charge, the potential for improvement on offense is ever-present, but Ottawa needs to put the ball into the back of the net far more regularly.
8) Vancouver Warriors (4-4)
Week 10 Results: Lost to Halifax 10-9
Week 11 Opponent: vs Calgary (4-3)
Previous Ranking: 4th
The Warriors have ping-ponged around the Power Rankings more than any team in the league this season. Currently at the .500 mark, Vancouver’s identity as a defense-first unit has been consistent and reliable. Offensively, however, Curt Malawsky’s group is behind schedule. The Warriors have lost three of their last four, have just one road win in five games, and have averaged an unimpressive 10 goals per game overall. After scoring eight goals in their two prior games, Adam Charalambides was limited to one goal by the Thunderbirds, which is an unwelcome regression. Keegan Bal has been inefficient since his sock trick against San Diego on January 10th, scoring just four times on 32 shots and committing 16 turnovers in the four games since. There should still be ample faith in Malawsky’s ability to whip the offense into shape during the season’s home stretch, but he’ll have to start by establishing a clear identity out the front door.
February 1, 2025: The Rochester Knighthawks vs Philadelphia Wings (Photo: Heather Barry)
7) Philadelphia Wings (5-3)
Week 10 Results: Lost to Rochester 15-12
Week 11 Opponent: vs Halifax (3-4)
Previous Ranking: 2nd
A drop from second to seventh may be a bit hyperbolic, but Philadelphia’s loss to Rochester was not good. The Knighthawks have been inconsistent this year and the Wings had previously been excellent at home. Yes, the Wings are still explosive—particularly on the left side—but their loss to Rochester was reminiscent of the kind of losses that have doomed Philly’s playoff aspirations each of the last couple years. The ceiling for the Wings is still high, but it’s clear that they are not currently on the same level as some of their peers in the top half of the standings. The back end is a major source of concern for the Wings’ prospects, as they’ve allowed 13 or more goals in three straight games and four of their eight games overall. Up next for Philadelphia is a home game against the Thunderbirds on Saturday afternoon. After an 0-3 start, the Thunderbirds have won 3 of 4 and are knocking on the door for a spot in the Power Rankings. It’s a big test for Philly.
6) Colorado Mammoth (5-4)
Week 10 Results: Lost to Toronto 9-8 OT
Week 11 Opponent: at Georgia (5-3)
Previous Ranking: 6th
It feels wrong to punish the Mammoth for dropping a close one to one of the league’s hottest teams. Dillon Ward’s resurgence is absolutely for real, as illustrated by his 57-save performance against the Rock. Ward has historically been counted on for three or four such efforts per season and has now made 45 saves or more three times in nine games. Pat Coyle must be mildly frustrated by his offense’s lack of production against Toronto, but keep in mind that we typically expect the Rock to be one of the elite defensive units in the NLL on an annual basis. Ryan Lee and Connor Kelly combining for five goals is a good sign for the diversity of Colorado’s attack, but keeping everyone involved is continuing to be an elusive goal. A week after Eli McLaughlin and Will Malcom led the charge, the duo combined for just one goal, which simply is not a recipe for success in Colorado. The Mammoth continue to be one of the more dangerous if not also perplexing teams in the league. The results haven’t matched their potential. Up next is a trip to Georgia to play the Swarm on Friday night before a welcome bye week.
Calgary Roughnecks at Ottawa Black Bears 1.31.25 (Photo: Reuben Polansky)
5) Calgary Roughnecks (4-3)
Week 10 Results: Beat Ottawa 11-8
Week 11 Opponent: at Vancouver (4-4)
Previous Ranking: 8th
After losing three of four, the Roughnecks offered their best defensive performance of the season in an 11-8 win over Ottawa this past weekend. There were two pieces of good news that came out of the win for Calgary. Firstly, Cam MacLeod enjoyed his best performance of the season between the pipes, stopping 36 shots and holding Jeff Teat scoreless. Secondly, the Roughnecks put up 11 goals despite receiving only two goals from Curtis Dickson and none from Dane Dobbie. After being so reliant on the superstar duo early in the season, Calgary has finally started to enjoy explosive scoring efforts from Tyler Pace and Jesse King, who combined for seven goals on Friday. Calgary still feels as though they may be winning with smoke and mirrors at times, but wins are wins and the Roughnecks are firmly in the playoff race. Credit to Josh Sanderson for one of the most impressive early-season coaching jobs around the league. A tough one awaits the Roughnecks this week when they travel to Vancouver to face a Warriors team fresh off a heartbreaking loss in Halifax.
4) Georgia Swarm (5-3)
Week 10 Results: Beat Las Vegas 16-14
Week 11 Opponent: at Colorado (5-4)
Previous Ranking: 7th
While it was far from a complete effort, the Swarm snapped their three-game skid with a win over the Desert Dogs in Las Vegas. The best news for Georgia fans is that their offense came to life for the first time since the turn of the calendar into 2025. Georgia hadn’t scored more than 11 goals in any of their three losses but erupted for a season-high 16 tallies to beat the Dogs. Miles Thompson and Toron Eccleston combined for nearly half of Georgia’s goals, which bodes extremely well for an offense that had previously been too reliant on the brilliance of Lyle Thompson. The defense is still somewhat worrisome, and Brett Dobson’s performance hasn’t been inspiring, but the Swarm have something of quality to build upon moving forward. We will find out immediately if Georgia’s return to the win column was fool’s gold or truly encouraging. The Swarm play Colorado on Friday this week before heading to Toronto on February 22nd.
3) Toronto Rock (3-5)
Week 10 Results: Beat Colorado 9-8 OT
Week 11 Opponent: vs San Diego (3-5)
Previous Ranking: Unranked
There are two teams in the league who could reasonably beat Buffalo in a best two-of-three series right now: the Rush and the Rock. Yes, Toronto started 0-5 and have not been in the Power Rankings for weeks, but after their statement win over the Mammoth at the Loud House, it feels like time to sound the Wagon Alarm in reference to Matt Sawyer’s team. Mark Matthews may be out for the season, but as the Rock continue to get healthier elsewhere and develop the level of chemistry we expect, they will continue to improve. Josh Dawick’s breakout season has been a gift from the heavens for the Rock. If the league had a “Most Improved Player” award, Dawick would be the clear frontrunner at this point in the season. Their margin for error remains narrow thanks to a five-game losing streak to open the year, but the Rock are clearly playing like a top three team right now. Toronto returns home this upcoming Saturday to host a reeling San Diego team that is desperate, but without any discernible identity.
Saskatchewan Rush @ San Diego Seals, 2/1/2025 (Photo Credit: Alexis Goeller)
2) Saskatchewan Rush (6-2)
Week 10 Results: Beat San Diego 12-8
Week 11 Opponent: Bye Week
Previous Ranking: 3rd
Bang the drum; Saskatchewan is for real. This year’s Rush has a similar vibe to last season’s Albany FireWolves: consistently overachieving even in the face of naysayers and non-believers. Just as Albany did a year ago, don’t be remotely surprised if the Rush end up in the Finals this year. When Zach Manns scores multiple goals, the Rush win. Dating back to last season, they’ve won 12 in a row when he’s on, and he had a pair against San Diego on Saturday. The best news for the Rush, however, is that their supplemental scoring has finally arrived. The group’s young defense continues to improve each week as well, holding the Seals scoreless for more than 31 minutes to open their clash at Pechanga Arena. Frank Scigliano will return to the lineup at some point, but Jimmy Quinlan and the Rush brass should feel exceptionally confident in their depth at the position moving forward after what Thomas Kiazyk has shown in his first two starts. Saskatchewan is potent, they’re stingy and they’re deep. Up next for the Rush is a rivalry trip to Calgary for a battle of the prairies on Valentine’s Day.
As the league’s final remaining unbeaten team, it should come as a surprise to no one that the Bandits still reign as the top team in the NLL. Buffalo has gone wire-to-wire as the number one team in the Power Rankings, amassing an absurd goal differential of +39 in six games. Let that sink in. The Bandits are outscoring their opponents by an average of 6.5 goals per game. Madness. With their most recent win over Albany, the Bandits once again displayed a wildly well-balanced roster led by two of the league’s biggest stars in Dhane Smith and Josh Byrne. It may only be one third of the way through Buffalo’s schedule, but it seems likely that the dynamic Bandit duo will compete for the MVP award. Both players are on 150+ point paces, which might be unsustainable for every other individual on the planet. Not Dhane and Josh; those two are built different. After another bye week, the Bandits receive their biggest test of the season when they travel to play the surging, rival Toronto Rock on Valentine’s Day. That one will be appointment viewing.
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