The Vancouver Warriors (1-1) close out 2024 with a highly anticipated matchup against the undefeated Calgary Roughnecks. Both teams are coming off a bye week and the holidays, making Saturday’s contest even more intriguing as they return to action refreshed and ready to compete.
In their previous outing, the Warriors secured their first win of the season in front of nearly 10,000 fans at Rogers Arena. Despite trailing at halftime, a dominant six-goal third quarter and a fourth-quarter shutout of the Knighthawks launched the Warriors to victory.
Seven Warriors earned multi-point nights, including a hat trick from Keegan Bal and four assists recorded by Ryan Martel. Johnathan Peshko contributed three points, including his first and second career NLL goals in front of friends and family in the stands.
The Warriors’ defensive front held strong, leaving Rochester’s top scorer Connor Fields scoreless, going 0-for-15. Fields finished fourth in the NLL in points last season with 56 goals and 64 assists.
In net, Aden Walsh delivered a standout performance, stopping 43 of 50 shots for a .860 save percentage, the best mark by a Warriors goalie since 2018. Transition player Alex Stathakis also set a milestone, winning 75% of faceoffs, the highest percentage on the stat sheet since 2018.
Post-game, head coach and general manager Curt Malawsky commended his team for playing to their identity, remaining resilient throughout the game and demonstrating composure. The hat trick-hero Keegan Bal echoed that sentiment, saying his team stuck to the process, knowing that things would fall into place if they kept chipping away at Rochester.
Saturday’s game will be the Calgary Roughnecks’ home opener, where they’ll look to carry the momentum from two road victories. Prior to their bye week, the Roughnecks secured a 13-12 overtime win against the Albany Firewolves.
Five Roughnecks players were responsible for 31 of the 35 points produced. Dane Dobbie led the way with eight goals, followed by B.C. born players Jesse King (7A), Curtis Dickson (2G, 4A) and Tyler Pace (5A). Goaltender Cam MacLeod played the majority of the game for the Roughnecks, turning away 41 of 52 shots for a save percentage of 0.788.
Nearly half of the Roughnecks roster is held by B.C. talent. This includes Nanaimo’s Colby Bowman, Langley’s Reece Callies, Victoria’s Griffin Hall and Jesse King, Coquitlam’s Pace, Eli Salama and Ethan Ticehurst, Port Coquitlam’s Dickson, Surrey’s Caelan Mander, and Delta’s Haiden Dickson.
John Lintz is a familiar name on the Roughnecks roster, having previously played alongside Brett Mydske, Ryan Dilks, and Jeff Cornwall. Lintz and Mydske have shared the floor in 101 games as teammates. On the flip side, Dickson and Dobbie are seasoned NLL veterans who have battled against Mydske, Dilks, and Cornwall countless times over the years. Dickson, in particular, will be a top threat, having scored the most points against the Warriors, with 41 points in the last seven matchups.
The Warriors will be looking to shut down the Roughnecks high-powered offence. Dobbie (13G, 4A) and King (2G, 15A) have both showcased their offensive capabilities this year. King was also tied 7th in points (105) last season, sharing the spot with Keegan Bal.
The whistle blows at 6:00 p.m. PT at WestJet Field at Scotiabank Saddledome. The game can be watched live on ESPN+, TSN+, TSN and streamed on NLL+.
