The Vancouver Warriors (6-7) play at home for the second weekend in a row against the Georgia Swarm (7-6) on College Night at Rogers Arena.
The Warriors are coming off a whirlwind couple of weeks, welcoming new goaltender Christian Del Bianco to the squad, and culminating with a dominant 13-8 win in front of nearly 10,000 fans on St.Paddy’s Night.
All eyes were on the crease last Friday, as eager fans watched to see how 2023 NLL MVP Christian Del Bianco would fare in net for the black and gold. In his first game as a Warrior, the 27-year-old netminder turned away 49 shots for a 0.86 save percentage. Through the first 39 minutes of play, ‘Delb’ only let in two goals, while Vancouver had racked up nine.
General Manager and Head Coach Curt Malawsky summed it up best, stating that Del Bianco was essential in establishing an early lead, but emphasizing that the victory was a full-team effort, with contributions across the lineup.
Keegan Bal registered nine points (4G, 5A), Adam Charalambides tallied six (3G, 3A), and Riley Loewen managed one goal and three assists. In his first game this season, forward Dylan McIntosh came out swinging, putting two in the back of the net for the Warriors on six shots.
The Georgia Swarm are shaking off a tough one-goal loss last weekend in Albany against the FireWolves (5-9). Despite Georgia being the favourite with a much stronger record, the FireWolves managed to score on three power plays and dominate in the faceoff circle, winning 17 of 24 draws.
Shayne Jackson of the Swarm led the team in points with three goals and three assists, while Lyle Thompson and Bryan Cole both lit the lamp twice. Goaltender Brett Dobson blocked 38 shots for a save percentage of 0.775.
Over the season, the Swarm’s go-to goaltender Dobson has proved his consistency and stamina, holding fourth place for most goalie minutes this season, fifth for saves (485), and tied third for most goalie wins (7).
There are no B.C-born players on the Georgia Swarm but keep an eye out for three key players during Saturday’s game. From Onondaga Nation, the Thompson brothers are not only exceptional athletes, but also ambassadors of the sport and its roots. Lyle, Jeremy, and Miles’ presence on the field Friday will serve as a powerful reminder to honour the Creator and the origins of the game.
Vancouver fans can expect forward Lyle Thompson to be dialed in this weekend, having had a fantastic season with the Swarm, scoring 70 points (31G, 39A) in 13 games played. Lyle is currently ranked 13th for points in the NLL, making a significant jump from 22nd last season, where he recorded 87 points (42G, 45A) in 18 games played. The 32-year-old isn’t new to success, having been awarded the NLL Most Valuable Player award in 2017 and the Major League Lacrosse (MLL) MVP award in 2019.
Andrew Kew, a 28-year-old forward from Oakville, Ontario, is another one of the Swarm’s key offensive threats. Kew sat one spot ahead of Lyle for points last season (36G, 51A), and even though his average goals per game has dropped, he still leads his team in power play, points (9) and is tied second for overall points (49).
The countdown is on as the Warriors have just five regular season games left to fight for a playoff spot. With the race still incredibly tight and multiple scenarios in play, every game matters. Sitting in ninth place, just behind the Calgary Roughnecks, the Warriors are jockeying for position to secure a spot in the postseason.
The game kicks off Saturday at 7:00 p.m., and it’s going to be an intense and thrilling matchup. Grab tickets for College Night inside Rogers Arena here, or tune in to NLL+ and TSN+.
