CALGARY, AB — Tyler Digby’s first National Lacrosse League playoff game was definitely one to remember.
Digby fired nine shots on goal and connected on three of them while scooping up five loose balls to help the Calgary Roughnecks edge the Colorado Mammoth 11-10 in overtime last Saturday night at the Pepsi Center in Denver.
“I was overly excited,” said Digby when asked to describe what it was like when Dane Dobbie deposited the game-winning goal past Mammoth goalie Dillon Ward at 10:17 of the extra session. “The guys were pretty gassed going every shift there … no TV timeouts. I think it just shows the heart that’s in our room.
“There was opportunities on both sides (in overtime) and Dobes was able to stick that one past him. Just to be able to get at least two more games with this group of guys we have is very special.”
Those games he’s talking about will be against the Saskatchewan Rush, which finished tied at 13-5 with the best record in the NLL along with the East Division’s Buffalo Bandits.
The Riggers will host Game 1 of the West Division final on Saturday (7 p.m.) at the Scotiabank Saddledome, while the Rush will host Game 2 (and deciding 10-minute mini-game, if necessary) in Saskatooon a week later.
“I think this group is confident in knowing if we play to the best of our capabilities, we’re going to be good in every game,” said Digby, who finished his first season in Calgary with 32 goals and 27 assists in 18 regular season games. “Saskatchewan’s a great team and it’s going to take a full effort, but we have the confidence knowing that if we play to our best, they’re going to be tight games and I think we’ll be able to pull it out.”
Digby spent his first two seasons playing for the Vancouver Stealth, which drafted him in the third round (20th overall) of the 2013 NLL Draft.
Digby showed off his versatility at Pittsburgh’s Robert Morris University where he played both lacrosse and football before embarking on his NLL career. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound product of New Westminster, B.C., was also a fourth-round selection (36th overall) of the Ottawa RedBlacks in the 2013 CFL Draft.
Following two seasons with the Stealth, in which he racked up 60 goals and 72 assists in 36 regular season games, Digby was subsequently traded on Oct. 25 to the New England Black Wolves along with a second-round draft pick in 2017 for Garrett Billings.
Just one day later, the Roughnecks acquired Digby from the Black Wolves along with first-round picks in 2018 and 2019 in exchange for reigning NLL MVP Shawn Evans and a third-round selection in 2018.
“I couldn’t be happier to be in Calgary,” said Digby. “It’s an amazing place to play from the fans to everyone in the room to all the staff. I’m happy to come to Calgary and I couldn’t be happier to be a part of it.”
Now that Digby has a road playoff game under his belt, he’s looking forward to suiting up for his first post-season contest in Calgary at the Scotiabank Saddledome in front of what should be a boisterous group of Roughnecks fans.
“They deserve it,” said Digby in regards to fans getting the chance to take in playoff lacrosse at the ’Dome.
