Week 11 is here, and we’ve got a fairly light slate. A pair of games Friday night, a Saturday matinee, and then a Saturday prime time game make up the entire schedule. Buffalo is somehow once again on a bye (they’ve played six games and, once again, it’s now week 11), Rochester gets their first bye
FRIDAY
WHO: Colorado Mammoth (5-4) vs Georgia Swarm (5-3)
WHERE: Gas South Arena, Georgia
WHEN: 7:30pm EST
THE SPREAD: Georgia favored by 1.5 (+110), game total set at 24.5
WHO: Calgary Roughnecks (4-3) vs Vancouver Warriors (4-4)
WHERE: Rogers Arena, Vancouver
WHEN: 10:00pm EST
THE SPREAD: Vancouver favored by 1.5 (+105), game total set at 21.5
SATURDAY
WHO: Halifax Thunderbirds (3-4) vs Philadelphia Wings (5-3)
WHERE: Wells Fargo Center
WHEN: 1:00pm EST
THE SPREAD: Philadelphia favored by 1.5 (+100), game total set at 25.5
WHO: San Diego Seals (3-5) vs Toronto Rock (3-5)
WHERE: Paramount Fine Foods Centre, Toronto
WHEN: 7:00pm EST
THE SPREAD: Toronto favored by 1.5 (-105), game total set at 21.5
STORIES TO WATCH
The Long Awaited Michael Sowers Debut?
Sam Leclair hit the injured list, and Michael Sowers was moved to the active roster. Strictly indoor fans might not know Sowers all that well, but outdoor fans know just what he brings to the table. He’s an electric dodger, with explosive change of direction and quickness, and he is an excellent passer and finisher. Sowers in space, against a shortstick, is automatic. In space against a poll can be the same thing. He isn’t well known to the box world. It’s possible he stays that way in the event he’s a healthy scratch; the Wings offense hasn’t really been a problem this year. Outdoors, Sowers has dealt with some injuries stemming from big hits around the goal. He’ll have to prove he can hold up to the punishment of the indoor game if he wants to stick in the NLL, but if he can, he could be an excellent righty balance to lefty passers like Jones on the Wings.
Revenge Games
Colorado lost to Georgia on December 29th. Calgary lost to Vancouver on December 28th. Both teams are .500 since those losses. Calgary has a tough task this weekend. The offense has been stalled a bit since their early season explosions, and the Vancouver defense will want to keep things that way. After scoring 17 points in the first two games of the year, Dane Dobbie just nine points total in the last four games. It’s critical he get going for Calgary. A vintage performance gets Calgary some sweet revenge. For Colorado, It’s about consistency. They won week one, they won week 2, and have not won or lost two games in a row since. The Mammoth schedule is actually fascinating. Before the season, we may have though the first half of the schedule would be brutal. Albany twice, Toronto, Georgia, Halifax, and Vancouver in the first nine games. Well, a lot’s happened since before the season. The Mammoth’s second half has Georgia, Philly, Buffalo, and double dates with Calgary and Saskatchewan. Colorado only has four home games left, they need to stack these road wins.
Toronto can’t lose
After starting 0-5, with plenty of bad breaks in there, the Rock have won three straight. All three were against teams with winning records. The return of TD Ierlan, Tom Schreiber, Challen Rogers and Latrell Harris have bolstered the team, and the emergence of rookie Brian Cameron has helped offset the loss of Mark Matthews. It always felt like a matter of time for the Rock, and now that time is here. A home date with San Diego is another good challenge for this improving and healing defense. San Diego snapped a very cold streak with an offensive explosion in the second half last week. It’s been boom or bust for the Seals, the Rock have a way of stifling teams. With a win this week, a Valentine’s Day date with the Bandits, and a chance to get back to .500, awaits.
Everything coming up Philly
Could everything just come up Philly this weekend? The Wings currently have the top two scorers in the NLL, Joe Resetarits and Mitch Jones. Holden Cattoni checks in at eight. Brennan O’Neill is only behind Dyson Williams as the top scoring rookie in the league. A Saturday matinee with Halifax, possibly with Michael Sowers on the floor, rolling right into a Super Bowl showdown on Sunday night? Hold onto your cheesesteaks, Philly fans.
Comments