Clutch Kings: Nanticoke nets sixth winner to match regular-season record
Tehoka Nanticoke, Buffalo Bandits (Photo: Trevor MacMillan)
With a bunch of regular-season records already chopped down and a few others soon to likely fall, another National Lacrosse League record that has seemingly gone unnoticed was matched last week too.
Buffalo Bandits rookie Tehoka Nanticoke, who has been near the top of The Lax Mag Clutch Kings for most of the season, last week tied Jeff Shattler for most recorded game-winning goals in a single season with six.
During the 2012 season, Shattler scored six winners for the 12-4 Calgary Roughnecks, who like this year’s Bandits, led both their division and the entire league at the end of the year.
Jeff Shattler, Calgary Roughnecks 2007-2017 (Photo: Soobum Im)
Nanticoke, who had 2 goals and 3 assists in Buffalo’s one-sided 18-9 win over the Georgia Swarm, netted the winner too. In addition to the Swarm, Nanticoke has also secured scores against Calgary (16-9), Albany (13-8), Rochester (14-8), Philadelphia (17-5) and Halifax (16-11).
While some may feel next weekend’s regular-season finale between the at-home Bandits and the surging Toronto Rock is somewhat meaningless, it likely won’t be.
Past bragging rights and some always-needed momentum leading into the playoffs: Nanticoke could break Shattler’s record if Buffalo wins, Dhane Smith is searching for the single-season points record (two to tie his own record, three to bust it), Tom Schreiber might make the 50-goal club, Dan Dawson can keep adding helpers to hike his recently recorded all-time assists record, and there’s probably a few more too.
Before our updated Clutch Kings countdown, below are the eleven players that have scored five or six game winners in a single season, Shattler the only player appearing twice. As mentioned in our Game-Winning GOATS Edition, we can only rewind back to 2005 for 100% accurate in-game data. Did HOFers like John Tavares or Gary Gait score six or more in a single season before ‘05? Maybe, but less likely for sure. During the league’s debut 1987 season, teams played as many games as Nanticoke has winners this winter. It wasn’t until 1996 that team schedules even got to double-digit dates.
6
Tehoka Nanticoke, Buffalo Bandits (2022)
Jeff Shattler, Calgary Roughnecks (2012)
5
Brett Hickey, Philadelphia Wings (2020)
Jeff Shattler, Saskatchewan Rush (2019)
Dhane Smith, Buffalo Bandits (2016)
Curtis Knight, Edmonton Rush (2014)
Curtis Dickson, Calgary Roughnecks (2013)
Rhys Duch, Washington Stealth (2011)
Athan Iannucci, Philadelphia Wings (2008)
Sean Pollock, Minnesota Swarm (2008)
John Tavares, Buffalo Bandits (2007)
#3 Connor Robinson and #1 Eli McLaughlin, Colorado Mammoth
NLL Clutch Kings: Week 20
CKs Rank. Player (NLL G Rank), Team, CKs Points (GTG/GAG/GWG)
1. Eli McLaughlin (T9), Colorado, 28.25 (5/6/4)
2. Tehoka Nanticoke (T21), Buffalo, 26.00 (3/4/6)*
3. Connor Robinson (T5), Colorado, 25.50 (5/4/3)
4. Lyle Thompson (T2), Georgia, 24.00 (7/2/3)
5. Shayne Jackson (T12), Georgia, 23.50 (3/4/3)
6. Josh Byrne (8), Buffalo, 23.25 (6/9/1)
7. Austin Staats (T21), San Diego, 22.00 (8/4/2)
T8. Phil Caputo (T21), Panther City, 21.50 (7/3/2)
T8. Ben McIntosh (T26), Philadelphia, 21.50 (1/5/1)
10. Kyle Killen (T5), Vancouver, 20.00 (4/9/0)
T11. Robert Church (T18), Saskatchewan, 17.75 (7/3/1)
T11. Ryan Benesch (T28), Albany, 17.75 (2/6/1)
13. Joe Resetarits (T2), Albany, 16.75 (5/5/1)
T14. Zach Manns (T49), Toronto, 16.50 (4/4/1)
T14. Chris Boushy (46), Halifax, 16.50 (1/4/3)
T16. Blaze Riorden (T47), Philadelphia, 16.25 (3/3/2)
T16. Zach Herreweyers (T49), Calgary, 16.25 (2/2/3)
T18. Patrick Dodds (T39), Panther City, 16.00 (4/1/2)*
T18. Curtis Dickson (T9), Calgary, 16.00 (1/3/2)
20. Connor Kearnan (T12), New York, 15.50 (6/2/1)
T21. Jesse King (T31), Calgary, 15.00 (5/4/2)
T21. Ryan Lee (T12), Colorado, 15.00 (2/6/0)
23. Tyler Pace (T39), Calgary, 14.50 (6/4/0)
24. Stephan Leblanc (T83), Georgia, 14.00 (1/1/2)
25. Wes Berg (T12), San Diego, 13.75 (3/6/2)
*Rookie
Scoring System
First 3 Quarters (GTG/GAG/GWG)
Even-Strength Goal: 1.00/1.50/2.00
Power-Play Goal: 0.50/0.75/1.00
Short-Handed Goal: 2.00/3.00/4.00
4th Quarter (GTG/GAG/GWG)
Even-Strength Goal: 2.00/3.00/4.00
Power-Play Goal: 1.00/1.50/2.00
Short-Handed Goal: 4.00/6.00/8.00
Overtime (GWG)
Even-Strength Goal: 6.00
Power-Play Goal: 3.00
Short-Handed Goal: 12.00