NLL Power Rankings: Week 3

Every week during the 2021/22 National Lacrosse League season, The Lax Mag will publish updated NLL Power Rankings reflecting the previous week’s performances, as well as a team’s overall regular season rep, status, and success rate.

In addition to our regular weekly rundown of where teams rank, TLM also took a deeper dive into how much offense clubs are creating per game, plus how the Panther City Lacrosse Club’s opening three weeks rank against other modern-era, first-year franchises.

Buffalo Bandits 2-0 (1)

The red-hot Buffalo Bandits likely would have preferred playing this past weekend leading into a hefty holiday break. Don’t expect them to cool down though, not with that roster. It’s only been three weeks into the 2021/22 season, and the Bandits have only played twice, but interesting to note:

Best Goals For Average

1. Buffalo (14.00)
2. Georgia (12.50)
T3. San Diego (12.33)
T3. Rochester (12.33)
5. Philadelphia (11.67)

Best Goals Against Average

1. San Diego (8.00)
2. Vancouver (8.33)
3. Buffalo (8.50)
4. Halifax (9.00)
5. Toronto (9.67)

Best Goal Differential Average

1. Buffalo (+5.50)
2. San Diego (+4.33)
3. Halifax (+2.50)
T4. Vancouver (+2.00)
T4. Rochester (+2.00)

Only the Bandits and the recently really hot Seals sit in the Top 5 of each category. And yes, it’s early, we know. Relax.

Halifax Thunderbirds 2-0 (2)
Although the Halifax Thunderbirds were also rolling, you’d think their already-started-holiday-season siesta benefits them more than most with Cody Jamieson still seemingly sidelined, and ditto for Austin Shanks. The team officially placed Rhys Duch on the IR and local media confirmed the clutch goal getter suffered a “a season-ending knee injury”. In the same Chronicle Herald article, they ask Jake Withers what the team’s goal is this year. He responded, “It’s a championship. And if anyone says otherwise, they’re either lying or shouldn’t be playing.”

Toronto Rock 2-1 (5)
The TSN Turning Point in the Toronto Rock’s thrilling second half comeback (12-9) win over the Philadelphia Wings? Well, there was probably a pivotal pair of them. The first, that 6-on-5 finish that caught everyone off guard with Challen Rogers sprinting from centre, baiting the building with a never-happening blast, but instead feeding a wide-open Reid Reinholdt creeping the crease. Then Brad Kri’s tumbling-top-shelf tuck, that needed a critical challenge to make count, was the other. The early third-quarter goals tied and then pushed the Rock ahead of the Wings, never to look back. They’ll have the two teams ahead of them here (Buffalo & Halifax) to contend with when they’re back from break.

Saskatchewan Rush 1-2 (7)
The Saskatchewan Rush have played three tremendously close contests to start the season, this past Saturday night finally flicking that 0 off their win column. Their victory over Vancouver (10-9) was highlighted by a gutsy second-quarter comeback - a number of their goals that period derived from their D and up-front depth. Although Mark Matthews’ hatty landed him NLL first-star honours, it could have easily been Mike Messenger, who had as complete a performance in Week 3 as any NLLer so far this season.

Vancouver Warriors 2-1 (4)
Even in a coulda-gone-either-way loss to the Rush, what the Vancouver Warriors showed this past weekend was that they are far from an early-season fluke (as some have suggested) and look as legit as their record indicates. Hard not to envision Keegan Ball & Mitch Jones inside the Top 10 point-producing leaderboard all season (the deadly duo is currently 3rd and 6th on the scoring charts) . Rookie Reid Bowering continues to impress too, his 35 LB not only leading all first-year players this year, he’s second best in the entire league. He’s the only one in the Top 4 not to take a single face-off, while the other three (Zach Currier, Trevor Baptiste and Jake Withers) have taken a combined total of 196 draws.

San Diego Seals 2-1 (8)
Dane Dobbie was as deadly as ever (7 goals), Austin Staats was (somewhat surprisingly) back, and the rest of their offense went off too. Although the Calgary Roughnecks reeled off a second-half comeback, Dobbie & Co. had already done too much damage. The chemistry their forwards seemed to be sorely lacking in their opener, has certainly been present the previous two weeks. Dobbie was signed by the San Diego Seals to score and make the Seals’ overall attack more menacing. He’s done both, but he’s barely begun.

Dane Dobbie (Photo: Candice Ward/Calgary Roughnecks)

Philadelphia Wings 2-1 (3)
Although they’ll only hopefully be without them for that one weekend, not having Corey Small’s and Alex Crepinsek’s maturity, experience and impact definitely dented the Philadelphia Wings chances against the Toronto Rock. Although he won the battle, Trevor Baptiste definitely had his hands full with TD Ierlan. An extremely scary situation after a Rob Hellyer shot went right through Philadelphia starter Zach Higgin’s cage, but thankfully the talented tendy tweeted on Monday, “Thank you to everyone who reached out and to all my teammates for the support! I’m feeling good and looking forward to getting back after the holiday break!” Similar horrifically happened to Rock legend, Bob Watson, Washington Power stopper, Devin Dalep, and the Calgary Roughnecks’ Curtis Palidwor courtesy of a powerful Paul Rabil rip.

Rochester Knighthawks 2-1 (11)
Adversity can be a pretty powerful persuader. If Saturday night was any indication, the Knighthawks have used their early-season misfortunes (Cory Highfield in COVID protocol, Evan Kirk lost for the year) as a major motivator. They dominated the Albany FireWolves 16-7 and got big offensive production from Holden Cattoni’s precise & powerful pistol, plus a hat trick each from rookies Ryan Smith & Charlie Bertrand. And there isn’t much more motivating than Rylan Hartley, right? We see you too, Ethan Woods. Thank you for that, boys!

Rylan Hartley vs. Ethan Woods (Photos: Kylie Richelle)

Colorado Mammoth 2-1 (10)
Had it not been for Sam LeClair’s somewhat unexpected hatty and Dillon Ward’s usual above average save count (48 stops last Friday), the Colorado Mammoth would have most likely handed the expansion Panther City Lacrosse Club their first-ever W. For a forward group that looked so fire in Week 1, Colorado’s offense has been largely inconsistent since, outside of usually Ryan Lee & Eli McLaughlin, who have done almost all of the heavy lifting up front. Others most were excited about, are barely averaging a goal a game. It could still be that they’re building comfort & chemistry on O, but something certainly seems to lacking based on the last two weeks.

Calgary Roughnecks 1-2 (6)
Not sure if the glow from that “green” turf got in their eyes, but the Calgary Roughnecks were not ready to go on Saturday night until at least a half an hour into their 17-12 loss to Dane Dobbie and the San Diego Seals. It’s not like a Curt Malawsky team to look unprepared no matter who they play, but Calgary looked just that for two full frames before things finally clicked in the third quarter. The top-end talent is there, especially on offense and between the pipes. Nice to see a healthy Jesse King lead the league in helpers (16) and sit second overall in points (19).

Georgia Swarm 1-1 (12)
They sat last weekend and will sit a bit longer until they see any action (don’t play again until January 8th). “We’re a young team, so there’s a whole lot to learn,” said Lyle Thompson after their important Week 2 win. “We have to have our ears open and be willing to learn.” The Georgia Swarm sport a league-leading eight rookies on their current active roster: Tanner Buck, TJ Comizio, Robert Hudson, Connor Kirst, Ryan MacSpadyen (3GP in 2020), Thomas Semple, Ethan Riggs, and Ethan Walker.

Albany FireWolves 0-2 (9)
The sample size is obviously super small, but Albany’s offense is averaging the fewest goals for in the NLL (8.00), they also have one of the worst goals against average (13.00), plus their goal differential is in the basement too (-5.00). Not only did Albany need to replace Callum Crawford’s own stats on the scoresheet, they needed to replace everything else he brought to that offense too - leadership largely. So far, neither need seems close to being satisfied. “I don’t think that is indicative of the team that we are,” Albany FireWolves GM & Head Coach, Glenn Clark, told the Times Union. “But you have to own it, right? We were not good. I delivered that to them after the game, I don’t know what I was watching. We weren’t just bad in moments, we were bad all over the floor.”

Alphie & Doug Jamieson (Photo: Kylie Richelle)

New York Riptide 0-3 (13)
It’s been twelve days since the Riptide put rookie Jeff Teat on the league’s COVID protocol list. He missed their double header in Week 2, and New York was on a bye this past week. With the holiday break coming up, the Riptide don’t play again until New Year’s Eve in Denver. If the Riptide want to ensure they’re part of the post-season conversation in a highly competitive East Division, a win to close out the calendar already feels like a pretty critical result. During their 2020 expansion season, that very-first victory didn’t happen for New York until game six - a 13-12 OT win over the Georgia Swarm. It still serves as the franchise’s only W.

Panther City Lacrosse Club 0-3 (14)
They’ve shown much promise & passion, but the expansion Panther City Lacrosse Club has been unable to secure that first W. Outside of the odd first-year franchise, team rookie runs have looked somewhat similar to Fort Worth’s first three. Here are the opening three-game records of all more modern-era-expansion franchises (plus their eventual final regular season record):

2021 Panther City Lacrosse Club 0-3

2020 New York Riptide 0-3 (1-12)

2020 Rochester Knighthawks 0-3 (2-10)

2019 San Diego Seals 1-2 (10-8)

2019 Philadelphia Wings 0-3 (4-14)

2009 Boston Blazers 1-2 (10-6)

2007 Chicago Shamrox 2-1 (6-10)

2007 New York Titans 1-2 (4-12)

2006 Portland Lumberjax 2-1 (11-5)

2006 Edmonton Rush 0-3 (1-15)

2005 Minnesota Swarm 1-2 (5-11)

2002 Vancouver Ravens 1-2 (10-6)

2002 New Jersey Storm 1-2 (5-11)

2002 Calgary Roughnecks 1-2 (4-12)

2001 Columbus Landshark 0-3 (3-11)

2000 Albany Attack 1-2 (6-6)

Panther City Head Coach, Tracey Kelusky, played for the expansion Landsharks in 2001 (he was also that season’s ROTY), and while it didn’t land in our more recent expansion rundown above, PCLC Assistant Coach, Steve Toll, played for the expansion Ontario Raiders in 1998. He never suited up in an actual expansion season, but PCLC’s other assistant, Dan Teat, played in very early campaigns for franchises like the original Knighthawks (1997), Attack (2001) and even the Rush (2008). Team GM, Bob Hamley, was an original Buffalo Bandits ball player, playing for the team in their first-ever season (1992). Hamley also took over a second-year Landsharks lineup, consistently coaching them to improved records and eventually two Cup appearances after the club moved to Glendale, Arizona. This staff definitely knows a thing or two about new beginnings in the box big leagues.