PK’s NLL Power Rankings - Week 20

*Reminder these are Power Rankings. To see the Standings please head to NLL.com

1.       Buffalo Bandits – 12-4 (Last Week: #2)

Moving up 1 spot into first are the Bandits after their 15-10 win over the incomplete Mammoth on Saturday night. We saw the Bandits offense pump in 15 goals, the team not commit a single penalty after 2 majors last week and Matt Vinc scored his first goal since 2008. This game was a mixed bag but saw the Bandits secure a home playoff game to start the playoffs and get their magic number to clinch the top seed throughout down to 1. Josh Byrne was 2/8/10 on the night, which moved him into a tie with Dhane Smith for 2nd in the scoring race and just a single point behind the leader in Connor Fields. 8 different players recorded a goal on the night including Vinc who went 32/42 in net. The Bandits will host Halifax in their final home game of the regular season on Saturday with a chance to make week 21 a meaningless one in terms of standings, which will be big for a team that has had 11 games in 9 weeks.

2.       Halifax Thunderbirds – 10-6 (Last Week: #3)

My biggest miss of the season has to be Halifax. I thought they would take a step back this year. That looked like a good take 3 weeks into the season. However, they are 10-3 since then. And in their 6 losses, 4 have been 1 score games. This team is a few bounces from being 14-2, which is incredible. All while getting inconsistent play in net. Warren Hill got the start and made just 3/8 saves before giving way to Drew Hutchison who stifled the Seals making 39-44 saves in the 13-10 win to secure a playoff spot. The righties in Clarke Petterson, Randy Staats and Thomas Hoggarth combined for 7/10/17 shooting 33%. If this team can find that magic sauce from Hill that they had in the middle part of the season, I firmly believe this team can raise the cup at the end of the season. However, in the playoffs, the best of the best net minders find ways to get it done. I fear that they might not have the right tandem in net for that to happen. They wrap up their season with road games in Buffalo on Saturday night and Toronto next Friday. They have a chance to secure a home playoff game with a win in either games.

3.       Rochester Knighthawks – 10-7 (Last Week: #4)

Rochester has now won as many games straight as goals they allowed on Saturday when they took down the Black Bears 12-6. The team went 5-6 on the power play on their way to securing their 3rd straight playoff appearance. Connor Fields was electric once again going 3-6-9 further establishing himself as an MVP and Offensive Player of the Year candidate. Rylan Hartley was great in this one making 33/39 saves while holding Jeff Teat to 2/14 shooting. Although Rochester has been the hottest team in the league the last month plus, they do not control their own fate when it comes to hosting a playoff game. Vancouver holds the tiebreaker meaning if the Warriors win this week while the Knighthawks are on bye, they are bumped down a spot and have to head on the road to start the playoffs.

4.       Saskatchewan Rush – 11-5 (Last Week: #1)

Slipping all the way down to 4th this week after their 10-6 loss at home to the Roughnecks. When you only put up 6 at home and the 3 teams behind you take care of their business, you are going to drop. I am still not worried about this team, but the offense is beginning to stand out as an issue. The combo of Zach Manns, Ryan Keenan, Robert Church and Austin Shanks went 6/46 or just 13% shooting. And I will credit Nick Rose for having maybe his best game of his career. However, this is now the 6th time and 4th in last 5 games that this team has failed to reach the double digits in scoring. They still have the grasp on the #2 seed, but Halifax is right on their tail and the #1 seed seems unlikely unless the Rush win out and the Bandits lose their remaining 2 games. They travel to Colorado to face the limping Mammoth on Sunday afternoon before coming home to face Ottawa to close out the regular season.

5.       Vancouver Warriors – 9-7 (Last Week: #5)

I asked Phil on the Monday show. Should Christian Del Bianco be in the conversation for MVP? After their 10-4 win over Albany on Friday night the team moves to 4-0 since making the trade to acquire the former MVP goaltender. The team was 5-7 before the deal and now sit 9-7 with a realistic chance to sneak into a home playoff game with the head-to-head tiebreaker over Rochester. Another player that should be in that conversation of MVP or the very least Offensive Player of the Year is Keegan Bal. another 7-point night brings him into the top 10 in goals, assists and points. The team heads east this weekend to face the Rock on Friday night before closing out the regular season home vs the Wings. The Warriors control their own fate when it comes to a home playoff game. Which would be a sight I was not expecting 5 weeks ago.

6.       San Diego Seals – 8-8 (Last Week: #6)

This was not a must win game for the Seals who are still in a playoff spot with tiebreakers over Colorado and Calgary. However, 9-7 looks a heck of a lot better than 8-8 and on a 2 game losing streak. And what makes this loss that much more frustrating is they were able to get to Warren Hill early to chase him but were only able to beat Drew Hutchison 5 times in the final 49:26 of the game. They also went 2-7 on the power play meaning Halifax was doing everything they could to allow the Seals to get back into the game. However a 6-2 2nd quarter that went Halifax’s way ended up being the nail in the coffin in this one. It also did not help that Wes Berg and Rob Hellyer were a combined 3/21 shooting. After winning 5 of 6, the Seals are on a 2 game skid ahead of a home and home with Albany to finish off the regular season. 2 wins get them in for sure. However, I believe a win this week and a loss by both Calgary and Colorado can secure them a spot in the dance.

7.       Calgary Roughnecks – 8-8 (Last Week: #11)

Where has this Roughnecks team been lately? After going 1-4 in their last 5, Calgary goes into Sask and knocks out the Rush 10-6 in an all timer for Nick Rose. Making 57/63 saves and holding the Rush’s top 4 point producers to just 13% shooting. This is just the 3rd time all year that Calgary has held an opponent to 10 or fewer goals. While the offense only put up 10, I am going to put a little blame on the 7 power plays that were awarded to the Rush as well as going against a goalie of the year candidate in Frank Scigliano. The team is now in the grouping of 8-8 teams but many of the tiebreakers are not going their way. They do have one over Georgia, but San Diego. Colorado and even Ottawa currently have the edge. Even with a win next week vs Vegas and a Colorado loss this week, their playoff goals likely rest in the final game of the regular season when they get the Mammoth again. It likely will be a win and in situation for both teams with the loser possible hitting the offseason early.

8.       Georgia Swarm – 8-8 (Last Week: #7)

Swarm fans must be some of the most frustrated fans in the NLL this year. I think that has to be the case because I’m not a fan of the team and I’m frustrated. They jumped out to a 6-1 lead in this one, Mitch Jones was ejected from the game in the first minute, and they were able to chase Nick Damude. They even held a 2 goal lead going into the final 15 of the game. However, Philly, who was riding an 8 game losing streak went on a 5 goal run to take a lead they would not give up and win the game 15-13. The big 4 on offense in Lyle Thompson, Shayne Jackson, Andrew Kew and Bryan Cole went 11/14/25 on 26% shooting. Brett Dobson was also off in this one making 33/46 saves in the loss. Since their 4-0 start, the team has gone 4-8 including 1-4 in their last 5. If they make the playoffs, and it’s a true if, they seem ready to be a one and done team. This offseason the team needs to shake things up as the current core is not working.

9.       Albany FIrewolves – 6-10 (Last Week: #8)

10.   Colorado Mammoth – 8-8 (Last Week: #9)

11.   Ottawa Black Bears – 7-9 (Last Week: #10)

12.   Las Vegas Desert Dogs – 4-12 (Last Week: #14)

13.   Philadelphia Wings – 6-10 (Last Week: #13)

14.   Toronto Rock – 5-10 (Last Week: #12)