NLL: Ten things to know for Week 15

The National Lacrosse League continues the “March to May” with a set of eight games, all of which will have at least one local outlet broadcasting. This is in addition to ESPN+ and TSN+ coverage, as well as the NLL Game of the Week on TSN on Saturday, a near, must-win for the 2023 NLL Finalist Colorado Mammoth at this year’s leaders at 10-2, the Toronto Rock, at a special start time of 5 p.m. ET (also Altitude Sports).

Here are 10 things to know about the NLL entering Week 15:

• Stand by Me: The NLL continues to see a logjam among its mid-tier teams. Now, 10 of the 15 squads have five, six, or seven defeats to date, with four of this week’s games featuring matchups of those that tight in the standings.
• Petterson Performing: In this week’s “LaxMetrics Powered by the NLL,” NLL.com’s Cooper Perkins breaks down the surge of Halifax forward Clarke Petterson (Toronto), a 2019 first round draft pick (fifth overall) who is having a huge season, tied for seventh in the league in points with 69.
• Malcom in the Middle: Speaking of breakouts by 2019 draftees, Panther City’s Will Malcom (New Westminster, B.C.) recorded an incredible 11 points on a career-high seven goals and four assists in Sunday’s 19-15 defeat to Rochester. It’s his first career sock trick, and the former second-round selection now has 65 points on the season with 24 goals and team-best 41 assists.
• A Rose by Any Other Name: Here is where we’d look at the statistical leaders for goalkeepers, after reviewing the offensive standouts last week. But it’s turned into the Nick Rose (Orangeville, Ont.) show, as the veteran just keeps getting better. His 10 wins (after two road victories last week), 9.47 GAA and 80% save pct. are all league-bests, and he surged past Dallas Eliuk for sixth all-time in minutes, now with 9819. And Rose is about to pass the longtime Wings netminder for fifth all-time in saves, as he’s currently 35 stops behind Eliuk’s 6357.
• FireWolves To Debut Student-Athlete Program: The FireWolves and presenting sponsor Dave & Buster’s will debut the inaugural FireWolves High School Student-Athlete of the Week Campaign on Monday, highlighting boys and girls high school lacrosse players in the Capital Region who are making a difference on and off the field.
• Rock Ranks: Third time is a charm for the Toronto Rock, whose two gritty back-to-back wins in the Pacific Time Zone last week keep them at the top of NLL.com’s Adam Levi’s Power Rankings for the third straight week. Albany leaps San Diego and Halifax for the second spot, on the strength of a win at New York, and Georgia narrows the gap in the standings (½ game) and Power Rankings (one spot) with the Thunderbirds, as the Swarm check in at No. 5.
• Promo World: A few of the events going on at NLL games weekend are:
  • The Albany FireWolves honor the creator’s game with their Indigenous Celebration on Friday vs. Vancouver (7 p.m. ET) at MVP Arena
  • Friday is Heroes Night in Georgia when the Swarm host Calgary (7:30 p.m. ET) at Gas South Arena
  • The Buffalo Bandits are next up for their Marvel Super Hero Night on Friday vs. Saskatchewan (7:30 p.m. ET) at KeyBank Center – and this will be the fourth such night that the Rush have played in (they’re 2-1 in the first three)
  • Saturday’s Toronto Rock vs. Colorado contest at FirstOntario Centre is “Kidz Night” (5 p.m.)
  • The Rochester Knighthawks are also celebrating Native American Heritage Night (billed, of course, as “Knight”) on Saturday at Blue Cross Arena vs. Albany (7 p.m. ET)
  • The San Diego Seals host Halifax on Latin Heritage Night at Pechanga Arena on Saturday (7 p.m. PT)
• NLL Players reaching milestones last week included:
  • Buffalo forward Chris Cloutier (Kitchener, Ont.) now has 100 goals after netting two vs. Vancouver
  • Colorado forward Connor Robinson (New Westminster, B.C.) now has 100 assists after recording one vs. Saskatchewan
  • Georgia goaltender Brett Dobson (Oshawa, Ont.) now has 1042 saves after stopping 43 vs. Halifax
  • Georgia forward Lyle Thompson (Onondaga Nation, N.Y.) now has 701 points after a four-goal, two-assist effort vs. Halifax
  • Halifax forward Ryan Benesch (Elmira, Ont.) passed Colin Doyle and Mark Steenhuis for eighth on the all-time list with 267 games played
  • Panther City forward Jonathan Donville (Oakville, Ont.) now has 100 assists after notching one against San Diego and four against Rochester
  • Rochester forward Curtis Knight (Oshawa, Ont.) needs now has 302 assists after collecting four vs. Panther City
  • San Diego forward Dane Dobbie (Elora, Ont.) passed Colin Doyle for sixth place on the all-time goals list with (now 531) after one tally vs. Panther City and three vs. Toronto
  • San Diego forward Tre Leclaire (Surrey, B.C.) now has 102 points after scoring three goals and notching three assists in two games
  • Toronto forward Chris Boushy (Oakville, Ont.) now has 107 goals after exploding for seven vs. Las Vegas and two vs. San Diego
  • Toronto forward Dan Lintner (Courtice, Ont.) now has 100 assists after dishing out one each vs. Las Vegas and San Diego
  • Toronto forward Mark Matthews (Oshawa, Ont.) became the 15th player all-time to reach 1000 points when he totaled three goals and 14 assists in two victories
  • Toronto goaltender Nick Rose (Orangeville, Ont.) passed Dallas Eliuk for sixth all-time in minutes, now with 9819 after playing both full games
  • Toronto forward Tom Schreiber (East Meadow, N.Y.) now has 201 goals after finding the net once against Las Vegas and three times vs. San Diego
  • Vancouver forward Adam Charalambides (Georgetown, Ont.) now has reach 102 assists after tossing four vs. Buffalo
  • Vancouver forward Ryan Martel (Aldergrove, B.C.) now has 103 points after a one-goal, four-assist night vs. Buffalo
• Player achievements within reach this week are:
  • Colorado defenseman Paul Dawson (Oakville, Ont.) needs four points to reach 100
  • Colorado forward Tyson Gibson (Maple, Ont.) needs four assists to reach 100
  • Colorado forward Connor Robinson (New Westminster, B.C.) needs three goals to reach 100; and three points to reach 200
  • Georgia forward Shayne Jackson (Bowmanville, Ont.) needs seven assists to reach 500
  • Georgia defenseman/transition player Jeremy Thompson (Akwesasne, Ont.) needs four assists to reach 100
  • Halifax forward Ryan Benesch (Elmira, Ont.) needs and seven goals to pass Dan Dawson for fourth on the all-time list with 552
  • Las Vegas forward Zack Greer (Whitby, Ont.) needs three assists to reach 300
  • New York forward Connor Kearnan (Courtice, Ont.) needs two goals to reach 100
  • New York forward Kiel Matisz (Stony Creek, Ont.) needs eight goals to reach 200
  • New York forward Jeff Teat (Brampton, Ont.) needs eight assists to reach 200
  • Panther City forward Phil Caputo (Brampton, Ont.) needs one goal to reach 100
  • Panther City forward Callum Crawford (Ottawa, Ont.) needs four assists to pass John Grant Jr. for sixth on the all-time list with 779
  • Philadelphia forward Ben McIntosh (Port Coquilam, B.C.) needs three goals to reach 300
  • Philadelphia forward Joe Resetarits (Hamburg, N.Y.) needs five goals to reach 300
  • Rochester forward Ryan Smith (Burlington, Ont.) needs one goal to reach 100; and one assist to reach 100; and two points to reach 200
  • San Diego forward Curtis Dickson (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) needs two goals to pass Colin Doyle for seventh all-time with 528; and one point to become the 16^th player to reach 1000
  • San Diego defenseman/transition player Jesse Gamble (Rockwood, Ont.) needs five points to reach 100
  • San Diego forward Kyle Jackson (Sarnia, Ont.) needs five points to reach 300
  • Saskatchewan forward Ryan Keenan (Oshawa, Ont.) needs 10 points to reach 400
  • Toronto forward Chris Boushy (Oakville, Ont.) needs seven points to reach 200
  • Toronto forward Dan Craig (Shelburne, Ont) needs two points to reach 300
  • Toronto goaltender Nick Rose (Orangeville, Ont.) needs 35 saves to pass Dallas Eliuk for fifth all-time with 6357
  • Vancouver forward Kevin Crowley (New Westminster, B.C.) needs nine assists to reach 500
  • Vancouver forward Kyle Killen (Caven, Ont.) needs six points to reach 200
  • Vancouver coach Curt Malawsky needs one win to pass Les Bartley for seventh all-time with 94 coaching wins

Schedule – Week 15 (All Times Eastern)

Friday

• Vancouver Warriors (3-8) at Albany FireWolves (9-2), 7 p.m., ESPN+, TSN+, My4 (Glasheen, Bahl, Onorato)
• Saskatchewan Rush (4-5) at Buffalo Bandits (5-6), 7:30 p.m., ESPN+, TSN+, CW23 (Gurtler, Bermel, Buchanan)
• Calgary Roughnecks (5-6) at Georgia Swarm (7-6), 7:30 p.m., ESPN+, TSN+, Peachtree Sports (Mooneyham, Hanover, Hoffman)

Saturday

• Colorado Mammoth (4-8) at Toronto Rock (10-2), 5 p.m., NLL Game of the Week on TSN, TSN1, ESPN+, Altitude Sports (Abbott, Gregoire, Docking)
• Albany FireWolves (9-2*) at Rochester Knighthawks (3-6), 7 p.m., ESPN+, TSN+, My4 (Rybczynski, McDaniels, Mossbrooks)
• Las Vegas Desert Dogs (4-7) at New York Riptide (5-7), 7:30 p.m., ESPN+, TSN+, Silver Sports SEN, MSG Network (Leno, Belisle, Delvecchio)
• Halifax Thunderbirds (7-5) at San Diego Seals (8-4), 10 p.m., NLL Saturday Showcase, ESPN+, TSN+, My4, Altitude Sports (Lindahl, Shewchuk, Gallant)

Sunday

• Panther City Lacrosse Club (5-6) at Philadelphia Wings (4-6), 3 p.m., ESPN+, TSN+, Philly57 (Smith, Gabrielsen, McGuinness)

*pending Friday’s result