National Lacrosse League: Ten Things to Know for Week 11

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the largest and most successful professional lacrosse property in the world, continues its push towards the midway point, with six matchups over two days, including the NLL Game of the Week on TSN featuring, Las Vegas at Halifax (Friday, 6:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. AT, also ESPN+, Fox5 Las Vegas); the ESPNU featured contest of Colorado at Panther City (Saturday, 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT, also TSN+); and NLL Saturday Showcase pitting Georgia and Rochester (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+, TSN+, Peachtree Sports). MSG2 will also have live coverage of the New York Riptide, winners of four of their last five, hosting second-place San Diego (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, also ESPN+, TSN+).

Here are 10 things to know about the NLL entering Week 11:

• The Finer Things in Life, and Lacrosse: NLL.com has produced a video feature reminiscent of a favorite hockey movie from the mid-1970s that most lacrosse fans are probably familiar with. New York’s Connor Kearnan and NLL broadcaster Pat Gregoire have some fun in “The Finer Points of Box Lacrosse,” now live across NLL platforms.
• Great Dhane: Buffalo forward Dhane Smith (Kitchener, Ont.) became the 14th player in league history to reach 1000 points (now 1002) after a two-goal, four-assist showing vs. Rochester, and there’s more… Smith is the second youngest (31 years, 132 days) to reach the mark behind Shane Evans (six days shy of his 31^st birthday) and he’s the fourth-quickest by games (169), following titans of the league John Taveras (154), Gary Gait (157) and John Grant Jr. (159).
• Metric Systems: This week’s “LaxMetrics Powered by the NLL” by Cooper Perkins looks into why the New York Riptide’s ship has come in. Hint: it’s not just Jeff Teat’s amazing season (see the next note).
• Statistically Speaking: Taking a look at the league statistical leaders, New York’s Jeff Teat (Brampton, Ont.) looks to repeat his goals and points titles from last year, currently leading the league with 26 goals and placing one point behind Buffalo’s Josh Byrne (New Westminster, B.C.), who has 54. Byrne’s teammate Dhane Smith, whose 96 assists were the most last year, has 43 this year, 10 better than Byrne, who sits second.
• Seals Still Showing Power: NLL.com’s Week 11 Power Rankings are live, and San Diego’s resounding win over Colorado keeps the Seals in the No. 1 spot after reaching the perch last week. Toronto keeps steady at No. 2 with a tight win at Calgary, and Buffalo moves up one to No. 3 after edging Rochester. New York, which made its Power Rankings debut in Week 10, vaulted two more spots to No. 6 after winning its third straight, and gets its big statement chances the next two weeks, hosting San Diego on Saturday, then taking on Toronto in the NLL UnBOXed Series game in Laval, Quebec, on Friday, Feb. 16 (7 p.m., TSN, RDS, ESPN+).
• Eat and Rush: Famed competitive eater Joey Chestnut took on all comers at Saturday’s Saskatchewan Rush game at SaskTel Center. He rushed 110 mini doughnuts down his throat at halftime (actually, three minutes of halftime), easily outpacing any of the three brave fans who stepped up to the table to cRush a few crullers alongside the master.
• Rogers, O’Connor Talk Montreal Matchup: Challen Rogers of the Toronto Rock and Reilly O’Connor of the New York Riptide are two of the stars facing off in the aforementioned NLL UnBOXed Series game next week. They discussed preparation for the marquee matchup with the press on Tuesday, available for viewing on YouTube.
• Promo World/Community Corner: A few of the events going on at NLL games weekend are:
  • The Panther City Lacrosse Club has announced that the DFW Women’s Club will be the next Community Champion for Friday’s game vs. Colorado. The DFW Women’s Club is a nonprofit organization that empowers women by providing self-improvement education, opportunities, and events and believes in serving all women in all economic/social/cultural statuses in the Dallas/Fort Worth areas.
  • The Vancouver Warriors channel their inner Thanos to battle Saskatchewan on Saturday on Marvel Super Hero© Night, highlighting the league’s partnership with Marvel. The Warriors will debut specialty jerseys for the evening, combining their look with Marvel’s Thanos. Select jerseys will be up for auction, with partial proceeds going to the BC Lacrosse Association.
  • Not to be outdone, the New York Riptide will also hold their Marvel Super Hero Night on Saturday, with the first 3,000 fans getting a limited edition Riptide Comic Book as part of the promotion.
  • The Halifax Thunderbirds aren’t waiting for the spring thaw to plan a beach outing. Friday’s game vs. Las Vegas is Beach Party night, complete with tropical atmosphere, beach balls, Hawaiian shirts, and fun in the sun.
  • Friday is Rochester Knighthawks’ Military Salute, presented by the Veteran’s Outreach Center. The team will wear specialty military-inspired jerseys, which will be auctioned the week of the game to benefit the Center.
• NLL Players reaching milestones last week included:
  • Buffalo forward Josh Byrne (New Westminster, B.C.) now has 406 points after scoring three goals and adding four assists vs. Rochester (see his statistical notes above as well)
  • Buffalo forward Dhane Smith (Kitchener, Ont.) became the 14th player in league history to reach 1000 (now 1002) after a two-goal, four-assist showing vs. Rochester (See note above)
  • Buffalo goaltender Matt Vinc (St. Catharines, Ont.) passed Brodie Merrill for third on the all-time list with 277 games dressed when he suited up vs. Rochester
  • Georgia forward Seth Oakes (Akwesasne, N.Y.) now has 104 points after netting five goals and dishing two assists vs. Vancouver
  • Halifax forward Ryan Benesch (Elmira, Ont.) passed Brandon Miller for 10th place on the all-time games played list with 262
  • Halifax defenseman Graeme Hossack (Port Perry, Ont.) now has 102 points after notching three assists vs. Philadelphia
  • Toronto forward Mark Matthews (Oshawa, Ont.) passed Gavin Prout for 11th on the all-time assists list with 623
  • Toronto Rock goaltender Nick Rose (Orangeville, Ont.) became the fifth goaltender in league history to reach 100 (Matt Vinc, Pat O’Toole, Bob Watson, Mike Poulin) with the win over Calgary
• Player achievements within reach this week are:
  • Calgary forward Haiden Dickson (Delta, B.C.) needs five points to reach 100
  • Calgary forward Tyler Pace (Coquitlam, B.C.) needs three goals to reach 100
  • Colorado defenseman Paul Dawson (Oakville, Ont.) needs five points to reach 100
  • Halifax forward Cody Jamieson (Six Nations, Ont.) needs two assists to reach 600
  • Las Vegas forward Jack Hannah (Milford, Ohio) needs eight points to reach 100
  • New York forward Reilly O’Connor (Whitby, Ont.) needs one point to reach 400
  • New York forward Larson Sundown (Basom, N.Y.) needs four points to reach 100
  • New York forward Jeff Teat (Brampton, Ont.) needs three points to reach 300
  • Panther City forward Phil Caputo (Brampton, Ont.) needs six goals to reach 100
  • Panther City forward Callum Crawford (Ottawa, Ont.) needs one goal to pass Shawn Evans for ninth place all-time with 480
  • San Diego forward Curtis Dickson (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) needs eight goals (depending on teammate Dane Dobbie, see below) to pass Colin Doyle for sixth all-time with 528
  • San Diego forward Dane Dobbie (Elora, Ont.) needs two goals to pass Colin Doyle for sixth place on the all-time goals list with 528 (Ryan Benesch of Halifax now has 531)
  • San Diego forward Tre Leclaire (Surrey, B.C.) needs seven points to reach 100
  • San Diego goaltender Chris Origlieri (Orangeville, Ont.) needs 42 minutes played to reach 1000
  • San Diego forward Austin Staats (Six Nations, Ont.) needs 10 points to reach 300
  • Saskatchewan forward Patrick Dodds (Victoria, B.C.) needs two assists to reach 100
  • Saskatchewan goaltender Frank Scigliano (Coquitlam, B.C.) now has 4011 saves after recording 42 vs. Panther City
  • Toronto forward Chris Boushy (Oakville, Ont.) needs four goals to reach 100
  • Toronto forward Dan Craig (Shelburne, Ont)needs 10 points to reach 300
  • Toronto forward Dan Lintner (Courtice, Ont.) needs four assists to reach 100
  • Vancouver forward Adam Charalambides (Georgetown, Ont.) needs nine assists to reach 100
  • Vancouver forward Ryan Martel (Aldergrove, B.C.) needs nine points to reach 100

Schedule – Week 11 (All Times Eastern)

Friday

• Las Vegas Desert Dogs (3-4) at Halifax Thunderbirds (4-3), NLL Game of the Week on TSN, 6:30 p.m., TSN5, ESPN+, Fox5 (Abbott, Gregoire, Docking)
• Colorado Mammoth (3-5) at Panther City Lacrosse Club (3-4), NLL on ESPN, 9 p.m., ESPNU, TSN+ (Thulin, Jernigan, Hale)

Saturday

• Georgia Swarm (5-4) at Rochester Knighthawks (3-4), NLL Saturday Showcase, 7 p.m., ESPN+, TSN+, Peachtree Sports Network (Rybczynski, McDaniels, Mossbrooks)
• Calgary Roughnecks (2-5) at Toronto Rock (6-1), 7 p.m., ESPN+, TSN+ (Abbott, Shanahan, Docking)
• San Diego Seals (6-2) at New York Riptide (4-4), 7:30 p.m., ESPN+, TSN, MSG2 (Delvecchio, Belisle)
• Saskatchewan Rush (2-4) at Vancouver Warriors (2-6), 10 p.m.,ESPN+, TSN+ (Elliott, Challoner, Chand)