In week five action of the National Lacrosse League, eight of the league's nine teams will square off. The Philadelphia Wings have a bye while all other NLL teams take to the floor on Saturday, February 2.
Toronto Rock at Buffalo Bandits. Without John Tavares in the Bandits' lineup for the first time in 2013 due to a leg injury, Buffalo will rely heavily on other veterans like Shawn Williams and Aaron Wilson. However, it's rookie Dhane Smith who is second on the team in points, so expect him to see more floor time in the absence of Tavares.
Washington Stealth at Rochester Knighthawks. This intriguing matchup is a rematch of the NLL's opening game of the 2013 season, a result which favored the Stealth. Rochester, the defending champions from 2012, are off to a slippery start to the season. With Washington missing one of their leaders in the defensive end, Matt Beers, due to suspension, the Knighthawks hope to take advantage on offense.
Minnesota Swarm at Colorado Mammoth. Colorado's defense and goaltending has been atrocious so far this season, so the Mammoth brought in goalie Dan Lewis after they released Chris Levis. They hope the change in goal will light a spark to jump start the success of the entire team. Meanwhile, with Andrew Suitor back in the lineup for the Swarm and rookie Kiel Matisz finding great success, Minnesota has not looked any better than right now.
Calgary Roughnecks at Edmonton Rush. After a dismal 0-2 start, the Roughnecks have rebounded to 2-2. Calgary looks to be heating up behind gritty forward Shawn Evans who leads the NLL in scoring. Edmonton will miss their leader on defense, Kyle Rubisch, due to suspension, which will open up more scoring opportunities for the potent offense of Calgary.
These games on Saturday kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET with the Rock/Bandits matchup. Washington and Rochester's faceoff is set for a half-hour later. Then the final two games begin at 9:00 p.m. ET. You can catch the games live on TSN, ESPN3, or YouTube.
Comments