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NLL: Ten things to know for Week 12

Place Bell in Laval Place Bell in Laval - The Canadian Press
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The National Lacrosse League presents one of its most significant games of the regular season when the Toronto Rock takes on the New York Riptide in the first UnBOXed Series matchup at Place Bell in Laval, Quebec, on Friday at 7 p.m. ET (TSN3/RDS2, ESPN+, MSG). The game, which also serves as one of the two NLL Game of the Week on TSN entries, is the linchpin of a five-game Week 12 schedule that also features the NLL Saturday Showcase of the Colorado Mammoth at Albany FireWolves (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+, TSN+, Altitude Sports, My4) and second NLL Game of the Week on TSN contest, Halifax Thunderbirds at Calgary Roughnecks (Sunday, 7 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. MT, TSN5, ESPN+).

Here are 10 things to know about the NLL entering Week 12:

  • Parity Please: As the NLL season zips through the halfway point, there has never been more parity top to bottom. Just 3 ½ games in the standings separate the leaders, Albany and Toronto, at 6-2, and 14th-place Philadelphia at 2-5. Under the new single-table format and balanced schedule, the top eight teams will advance to the “March to May,” and right now all 15 franchises are still well in play..
  • We’re Number One: SportsCenter Top 10 loved this between-the-legs Cody Jamieson (Six Nations, Ont.) goal almost as much as Thunderbirds fans did, deeming it the No. 1 play on Saturday.
  • HalifaxTrics: In this week’s edition of LaxMetrics Powered by the NLL, Cooper Perkins investigates why the Halifax Thunderbirds are soaring, and why perhaps we should have seen it coming.
  • Statistically Speaking: Last week we looked at the offensive leaders, so this week we’ll focus on goalkeeping. Four keepers are tied with six victories; one of those, Toronto’s Nick Rose (Orangeville, Ont.), is the goals against average leader at 9.33. San Diego’s Christopher Origlieri (Orangeville, Ont.) is next at 9.73, followed by Albany’s Doug Jamieson (Ohsweken, ON) at 10.44 (Jamieson’s backup, Justin Geddie (Victoria, B.C.), has been strong at just 10.00 in 90 minutes of play as well).
  • Bandits Bounce: NLL.com’s Week 12 Power Rankings are live, and the defending champion Buffalo Bandits move up a spot to No. 1 following San Diego’s loss to resurgent to New York, which flips the Seals down one peg to No. 2. Halifax flies into the No. 3 spot after edging Las Vegas and those Riptide keep moving up the coastline, the aforementioned win allowing them to crest at No. 4.
  • Triolo Time: Much of the attention goes to the NLL’s stars, but Global News put together this piece on one of the league’s unsung grinders, Saskatchewan Rush forward Mike Triolo (Toronto), who is on his fourth team in nine years. We’d say “score one for the little guy,” but at 6’8, he’s the tallest player on a current NLL active roster.
  • Promo World/Community Corner: A few of the events going on at NLL games weekend are:
    • The Halifax Thunderbirds have two games this weekend, and on Friday they will hold their Marvel Super Hero Night (7:30 p.m. AT / 6:30 p.m. ET) at Scotiabank Centre
    • Las Vegas will feature high-energy rock band MINIKISS as they “Rock the Box,” playing all night during their game vs. Philadelphia at Michelob Ultra Arena (7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET).
    • Albany FireWolves fans love their mascot Alphie, so the team is throwing “Alphie’s Birthday Bash” on Saturday vs. Colorado (7 p.m. ET). Bobbleheads, posters, photo ops and post game autographs (from a player, not just Alphie) are on tap.
    • Calgary wants fans to “Kiss the Cod” for their game on Sunday vs. Halifax (5 p.m. MT /7 p.m. ET)--as part of its East Coast Kitchen Party. Fiddlers and Face Painting, live DJ and games and post-game music keep the party going.
  • NLL Players reaching milestones last week included:
    • Halifax forward Cody Jamieson (Six Nations, Ont.) now has 600 assists after distributing two vs. Las Vegas
    • New York forward Reilly O’Connor (Whitby, Ont.) now has 403 points after recording a goal and two assists vs. San Diego
    • New York forward Jeff Teat (Brampton, Ont.) now has 304 points after collecting four goals and three assists vs. San Diego
    • Panther City forward Callum Crawford (Ottawa, Ont.) passed Shawn Evans for ninth place all-time with 480 goals when he scored vs. Colorado
    • San Diego goaltender Chris Origlieri (Orangeville, Ont.) now has 1018 minutes played after playing the full game in goal vs. New York
    • Saskatchewan forward Patrick Dodds (Victoria, B.C.) now has 101 assists after recording three vs. Vancouver
  • Player achievements within reach this week are:
    • Buffalo forward Chris Cloutier (Kitchener, Ont.) needs six goals to reach 100
    • Calgary forward Haiden Dickson (Delta, B.C.) needs four points to reach 100
    • Calgary forward Tyler Pace (Coquitlam, B.C.) needs two goals to reach 100
    • Colorado defenseman Paul Dawson (Oakville, Ont.) needs five points to reach 100
    • Colorado forward Tyson Gibson (Maple, Ont.) needs eight assists to reach 100
    • Colorado forward Eli McLaughlin (Surrey, B.C.) needs seven assists to reach 300
    • Colorado forward Connor Robinson (New Westminster, B.C.) needs five assists to reach 100
    • Halifax forward Clarke Petterson (Toronto) needs seven goals to reach 100
    • Las Vegas forward Jack Hannah (Milford, Ohio) needs four points to reach 100
    • New York forward Connor Kearnan (Courtice, Ont.) needs seven goals to reach 100
    • New York forward Larson Sundown (Basom, N.Y.) needs three points to reach 100
    • Philadelphia forward Ben McIntosh (Port Coquilam, B.C.) needs seven goals to reach 300
    • Philadelphia forward Joe Resetarits (Hamburg, N.Y.) needs eight points to reach 700
    • Toronto forward Chris Boushy (Oakville, Ont.) needs four goals to reach 100
    • Toronto forward Dan Craig (Shelburne, Ont) needs eight points to reach 300
    • Toronto forward Dan Lintner (Courtice, Ont.) needs three assists to reach 100

Schedule – Week 12 (All Times Eastern)

 

Friday

  • Buffalo Bandits (5-3) at Halifax Thunderbirds (5-3), 6:30 p.m., ESPN+, TSN+, CW23 (Dalladay, Gregoire, M. Jenner)
  • Toronto Rock (6-2) at New York Riptide (5-4), NLL Game of the Week on TSN: NLL UnBOXed Series, 7 p.m., TSN3, RDS2, ESPN+, MSG (Abbott, Gregoire, Docking)
  • Philadelphia Wings (2-5) at Las Vegas Desert Dogs (3-5), 10 p.m., ESPN+, TSN+, NBC Sports Philadelphia, Silver State SEN (Kanell, Elliott, Werth)

Saturday

  • Colorado Mammoth (3-6) at Albany FireWolves (6-2), NLL Saturday Showcase, 7 p.m., ESPN+, TSN+, Altitude Sports, My4 (Glasheen, Bahl, Onorato)

Sunday

  • Halifax Thunderbirds (5-3*) at Calgary Roughnecks (3-5), NLL Game of the Week on TSN, 7 p.m., TSN5, ESPN+ (T. Jenner, Challoner, Chand)

*pending Friday result