Clutch Kings: NLL records in this year’s closest contests

Another week down, another Lyle Thompson winner. The Lax Mag’s #1 ranked player still sits in the top spot of our Clutch Kings countdown, his fourth-quarter winner against the Halifax Thunderbirds last weekend landing the Georgia Swarm their most significant W of 2022. It was Thompson’s third GWG of the year too.

Speaking of game-winning goals, Zach Herreweyers also scored his third 2022 winner last night in Calgary’s close win over the Saskatchewan Rush. Keep in mind, the recharged Roughnecks have four wins this year. What’s even more impressive is each of Herrewyers three winners have been scored in the fourth quarter. He also easily leads Calgary in Clutch Kings points and made a sizeable jump n our weekly leaderboard. While Herreweyers’ overall goal tally this season sees him in the NLL’s 48th position, he’s impressively currently tied for fifth here.

Although Saskatchewan continues to let games slip away, Robert Church is doing his best to keep the club competitive, netting three game-tying goals since last week. Church’s clutch count puts him second behind only Thompson.

Since last week, the Rush lost two more super-close clashes; first 9-10 at San Diego (and that couldn’t have gone more wrong), then 12-14 last night at the Saddledome. Owning an overall record of just 3-9, at minimum the team will likely need to go 5-1 to finish the year for any hope of a fading post-season birth.

Are the Rush the only team tangling in tight games this year? Nope. In games decided by two or fewer, both Saskatchewan and Albany have played in nine of them, the FireWolves faring much better than the last-place Rush. Calgary, Halifax, Georgia, Philadelphia, Panther City and New York are also playing a good chunk of their season in games decided by one or two.

Calgary Roughnecks (Photo: Ben Green)

Here’s a rundown of NLL teams’ results in games determined by two or less, plus their record in ones by two or more (listed by W%). Note the improved record of rookie-filled rosters of Georgia and Panther City, their kids clearly learning how to compete as the season has progressed. The Roughnecks’ really young group impressively has the best winning percentage in close 2022 contests.

Calgary Roughnecks 4-1 (0-5)
Dec. 11: 11-10 W at Saskatchewan
Feb. 11: 9-7 W vs. Colorado
Feb. 18: 10-11 L vs. Vancouver
Feb. 20: 13-12 W at Panther City
Mar. 17: 14-12 W vs. Saskatchewan

Buffalo Bandits 3-1 (7-0)
Jan. 14: 12-10 W vs. Georgia
Jan. 30: 18-17 OTW at New York
Feb. 12: 10-12 L at Toronto
Mar. 5: 12-11 OTW at Albany

Rochester Knighthawks 2-1 (1-7)
Dec. 4: 13-12 OTW at New York
Feb. 12: 15-13 W vs. Albany
Mar. 4: 16-17 OTL at Georgia

Halifax Thunderbirds 5-3 (3-0)
Dec. 4: 12-11 OTW vs. Saskatchewan
Jan. 15: 14-13 OTW at Toronto
Jan. 29: 6-8 L at Albany
Feb. 13: 10-8 W vs. Philadelphia
Feb. 26: 10-8 W at Philadelphia
Mar. 5: 14-12 W vs. Vancouver
Mar. 11: 7-8 L vs. Albany
Mar. 12: 9-10 L at Georgia

Albany FireWolves 5-4 (1-3)
Dec. 4: 9-10 L at Toronto
Jan. 15: 9-8 W at Philadelphia
Jan. 29: 8-6 W vs. Halifax
Feb. 4: 13-14 L at Georgia
Feb. 5: 13-11 W vs. Georgia
Feb. 12: 13-15 L at Rochester
Feb. 26: 13-12 W at San Diego
Mar. 5: 11-12 OTL vs. Buffalo
Mar. 11: 8-7 W at Halifax

Georgia Swarm 4-4 (2-2)
Jan. 8: 11-12 OTL at Philadelphia
Jan. 14: 10-12 L at Buffalo
Jan. 29: 7-8 OTL vs. Philadelphia
Feb. 4: 14-13 W vs. Albany
Feb. 5: 11-13 L at Albany
Feb. 12: 13-11 W vs. New York
Mar. 4: 17-16 OTW vs. Rochester
Mar. 12: 10-9 W vs. Halifax

Philadelphia Wings 4-4 (1-3)
Dec. 4: 12-11 OTW vs. Panther City
Dec. 10: 14-12 W vs. New York
Jan. 8: 12-11 OTW vs. Georgia
Jan. 15: 8-9 L vs. Albany
Jan. 23: 12-13 L vs. New York
Jan. 29: 8-7 W at Georgia
Feb. 13: 8-10 L vs. Halifax
Feb. 26: 8-10 L vs. Halifax

Panther City Lacrosse Club 3-3 (1-5)
Dec. 4: 11-12 OTL at Philadelphia
Dec. 17: 7-8 L at Colorado
Jan. 15: 13-12 OTW at New York
Feb. 20: 12-13 L vs. Calgary
Feb. 26: 11-110 W vs. Vancouver
Mar. 5: 17-16 OTW vs. Saskatchewan

Colorado Mammoth 2-2 (4-2)
Dec. 17: 8-7 W at Panther City
Feb. 11: 7-9 L at Calgary
Feb. 20: 12-10 W vs. Saskatchewan
Feb. 26: 9-10 OTL at Saskatchewan

San Diego Seals 2-2 (6-0)
Dec. 3: 7-8 L vs. Vancouver
Jan. 14: 12-11 W at Saskatchewan
Feb. 26: 12-13 L vs. Albany
Mar. 11: 10-9 W vs. Saskatchewan

Toronto Rock 2-2 (6-2)
Dec. 4: 10-9 W vs. Albany
Jan. 15: 13-14 OTL vs. Halifax
Feb. 12: 12-10 W vs. Buffalo
Feb. 26: 13-14 L at New York

Vancouver Warriors 2-3 (3-3)
Dec. 3: 8-7 W at San Diego
Dec. 17: 9-10 L vs. Saskatchewan
Feb. 18: 11-10 W at Calgary
Feb. 26: 10-11 L at Panther City
Mar. 5: 12-14 L at Halifax

New York Riptide 2-5 (1-3)
Dec. 4: 13-12 OTL vs. Rochester
Dec. 10: 12-14 L at Philadelphia
Jan. 15: 12-13 OTL vs. Panther City
Jan. 23: 13-12 W at Philadelphia
Jan. 30: 17-18 OTL vs. Buffalo
Feb. 12: 11-13 L at Georgia
Feb. 26: 14-13 W vs. Toronto

Saskatchewan Rush 2-7 (1-2)
Dec. 4: 11-12 L at Halifax
Dec. 11: 01-11 L vs. Calgary
Dec. 17: 10-9 W at Vancouver
Jan. 14: 11-12 L vs. San Diego
Feb. 20: 10-12 L at Colorado
Feb. 26: 10-9 W vs. Colorado
Mar. 5: 16-7 OTL at Panther City
Mar. 11: 9-10 L at San Diego
Mar 17: 12-14 L at Calgary

Robert Church, Saskatchewan Rush

NLL Clutch Kings: Week 15

CKs Rank. Player (NLL G Rank), Team, CKs Points (GTG/GAG/GWG)

1. Lyle Thompson (1), Georgia, 22.50 (7/1/3)
T2. Robert Church (4), Saskatchewan, 17.75 (7/3/1)
T2. Ryan Benesch (T10), Albany, 17.75 (2/6/1)
4. Tehoka Nanticoke (T12), Buffalo, 16.50 (2/2/4)*
T5. Eli McLaughlin (T22), Colorado, 16.25 (3/4/3)
T5. Zach Herreweyers (48), Calgary, 16.25 (2/2/3)
T7. Josh Byrne (T26), Buffalo 16.00 (4/5/1)
T7. Shayne Jackson (T6), Georgia, 16.00 (2/3/2)
T9. Phil Caputo (18), Panther City, 15.50 (5/3/1)
T9. Ben McIntosh (T19), Philadelphia, 15.50 (1/5/0)
11. Chris Boushy (T33), Halifax, 15.00 (1/3/3)
T12. Austin Staats (T26), San Diego, 14.50 (5/3/1)
T12. Patrick Dodds (T26), Panther City, 14.50 (4/0/2)*
T14. Connor Kearnan (T8), New York, 14.00 (6/1/1)
T14. Stephan Leblanc (T78), Georgia, 14.00 (1/1/2)
16. Joe Resetarits (2), Albany, 13.75 (5/3/1)
17. Blaze Riorden (T57), Philadelphia, 13.25 (2/3/1)
18. Kyle Killen (T12), Vancouver, 12.25 (3/5/0)
T19. Callum Crawford (5), New York, 12.00 (6/2/1)
T19. Dan Dawson (T50), Toronto, 12.00 (2/1/2)
T21. Holden Cattoni (T15), Rochester, 11.50 (4/5/0)
T21. Andrew Kew (T19), Albany, 11.50 (3/5/0)
T21. Zach Manns (T50), Toronto, 11.50 (3/4/0)
24. Wes Berg (T6), San Diego, 11.25 (2/5/2)
25. Will Malcom (T33), Panther City, 11.00 (2/1/1)

*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