Head coach Curt Malawsky took exception to one issue following the Roughnecks 14-13 OT defeat at the hands of the Colorado Mammoth – team discipline.
It’s true the Mammoth were only able to score once on eight powerplays, but all those extra-man situations drained their team defence late in the game.
“They got eight powerplays, and I know they only scored one, but in theory, your top 4 defenders are killing off the shortman and you’re relying on your goaltender to be your top player,” Malawsky said. “Those 4 guys are consistently on the floor and they get dead tired.”
The Roughnecks actually broke even with the man-advantage, due to Shawn Evans scoring a shorthanded marker late in the second quarter.
The Mammoth, for contrast, was only put on three man-advantages, with the Roughnecks scoring on two of them.
“Since we are out there so much, it can get a little taxing,” said defender Dan MacRae. “But those four or five guys or however they are might need to put in the extra effort in the gym… because the way it’s going right now, we are taking too many penalties.”
QUICKSTICKS
We almost saw the first ever Snider v. Snider fight in the NLL. After the final buzzer blew in the first quarter, Geoff and Bobby Snider went toe-to-toe, helmet-to-helmet before being pulled apart by teammates. It seemed to spark up the Geoff, as he won 16 of 21 faceoffs the rest of the way.
Both coach Malawsky and MacRae were quick to credit defender Greg Harnett for sparking the Roughnecks early on. Harnett dropped the gloves with Mammoth forward Sean Pollock, handing a wooping to a man eight years his senior.
It was really a matter of Pick Your Poison for the Roughnecks on Saturday night. They game planned to stop John Grant Jr., and held him a single goal in the first half. However, Adam Jones scored five times in the opening 30 minutes. The Roughnecks slowed Jones down in the second half, but he still finished the night with seven goals, while Grant Jr. completed his hat trick, including the game winner.
They are unfortunately going to be overshadowed this week, but Dane Dobbie scored a pair of beautiful behind-the-back goals for the Roughnecks. Here is second one:
THREE STARS
1. Adam Jones – Seven goals and an assist should earn you Player of the Week status in the NLL.
2. Dane Dobbie – He may not have scored the four or five we are used to seeing out of him, but his pair of goals came at very important times to keep the Roughnecks in it. He also added four assists.
3. Mike Poulin – He was pulled early, sent back in, and carried the Roughnecks into OT with at least five great saves in the dying minutes of regulation.
QUOTABLES
“Mike Poulin had a tough start, but my gut said to go back to Mike. He held us in and gave us more than a chance to win. He’s going to beat himself up over it, and he shouldn’t. That’s just the type of competitor and athlete Mike is.” – head coach Curt Malawsky.
