NLL: 'Necks Top Titans in Champion's Cup Rematch
by Josh Chalmers | NLL.com
* Blazers Rattle Rush on Road, 12-5
ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Calgary Roughnecks beat the
Orlando Titans 13-6 at Amway Arena on Saturday night in the first
game between the two teams since last season's championship game.
The win improves the Roughnecks to 6-4, while the Titans fall to
6-4.
Orlando is now only a half game in front of the Toronto Rock (6-5)
in the East Division heading into a matchup with the Rock next
weekend. Calgary's win moved them to within one game of the
Washington Stealth (7-3), who currently lead the West Division.
The Roughnecks got off to a hot start led by Josh Sanderson's
tremendous passing and the overall success of their power play.
Sanderson was involved in all four first quarter goals for the
Roughnecks.
The Riggers scored two early power play goals, one on a 5-on-3
seven minutes in and the second less than a minute later on the
remaining one-man advantage. Sanderson set up both goals with
behind the back feeds. Dane Dobbie netted the first goal and Tracey
Kelusky was the beneficiary of the second. Sanderson would score
the only even strength goal for the 'Necks, before finding a
streaking Dane Dobbie on the power play for his fourth point of the
quarter. All four Calgary goals were scored in a span of 3:14.
Orlando got on the board 11:18 into the first when Ryan Boyle
scored from in tight on the Titans' first official shot of the
game. Orlando would only get two shots in the quarter.
The Roughnecks' domination continued in the second quarter with
Sanderson potting two more goals, the first even strength and the
second shorthanded. Craig Conn would score a rare two-man
shorthanded goal for the Riggers. Casey Powell scored on the power
play to provide Orlando's only goal of the quarter. The 'Necks
carried a 7-2 lead into halftime.
The Titans fought back in the third quarter, scoring four goals in
the frame. Powell, who missed last week's games and was day-to-day
heading into the game against the 'Necks, scored his second of the
game and set up another. Jesse Guerin added two, including a diving
goal from behind the Riggers net. Despite the Titans' efforts they
were unable to gain any ground as Kelusky scored two and the 'Necks
matched the Titans' four goals to hold an 11-6 lead heading into
the final frame.
Calgary went into shutdown mode in the fourth, letting the shot
clock run out on the majority of offensive possessions. The
Roughnecks would add two goals in the period and wouldn't give up
any.
The Roughnecks were led by Sanderson (4g, 4a), Kelusky (4g) and
Dobbie (2g, 5a). The Titans offense was led by Powell (2g, 3a),
Guerin (2g) and Boyle (1g, 2a).
Goaltender Mike Poulin got his second start of the 2010 NLL
season. Poulin started and played the full 60 minutes in the Boston
Blazers' third game of the season, a 12-8 loss to Philadelphia.
Poulin, who was acquired by Calgary in exchange for a draft pick
earlier in the season, previously saw action for the 'Necks when he
replaced Matt King in the second quarter of a 10-8 win over the
Toronto Rock.
