Rebel Game Notes
January 9, 2003 - National Lacrosse League (NLL) - Ottawa Rebel News Release
BIG WIN IN THE BIG APPLE
The Ottawa Rebel won its first game of the 2003 National Lacrosse League season, downing the New York Saints 16-12 at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, NY on Sunday night (Jan. 4). MAT GILES led the way with four goals and one assist. STEPHEN EVANS contributed a seven-point night (three goals, four helpers). Adding a pair of goals for the Rebel: KEVIN DOSTIE, JASON CLARK and KEVIN HOWARD. KYLE LAVERTY (first goal of the season), BRAD SELF and LINDSAY PLUNKETT also scored for Ottawa. MATT DISHER made 40 saves in the Rebel goal. The victory gave Ottawa its sixth victory in 33 franchise starts. Three of those wins have come against New York.
A MAMMOTH UNDERTAKING
The Rebel welcome the Colorado Mammoth to the Civic Centre for tonights game. The Mammoth franchise began its first year of operation on Jan. 3 in Denver with a 14-13 double overtime win over the Toronto Rock in front of 16,121 fans at the Pepsi Center. The franchise relocated from Washington, DC. Last season, the Rebel was 0-1 against the Washington Power, losing 18-15 on March 7 in Ottawa. The Rebel is winless in three starts against the Washington / Colorado franchise.
KUDOS FOR KEVIN
Rebel rookie KEVIN DOSTIE returns home to Ottawa after a tremendous weekend on the road in Columbus and New York. Dosite, 22, made the most of his NLL début on Jan. 3, scoring a pair of goals during the loss @ Columbus. Dostie followed that effort with a five-point night (two goals, three assists) @ NY. Dosite is the first Franco-Ontarian to wear a Rebel uniform. Ottawa selected him in the sixth round (70th overall) of the 2001 NLL entry draft. Dostie ranked 15th in Ontario Lacrosse Association (Major) scoring for
AT HEAVENS GAIT
Ottawa welcomes the the Mammoths GARY GAIT, considered the WAYNE GRETZKY of pro lacrosse. His twin brother, PAUL, retired last year. The duo was considered the best one-two combination in the NLL. Gary Gait coaches the under-19 Canadian mens lacrosse team that will compete in Baltimore this summer. Gary, from Victoria, developed his own shot in field lacrosse, known as the Air Gait, in which he jumps from behind the net through the crease to shoot the ball on-net while in mid-air.
BACK-TO-BACK JACKS? A victory tonight would mark only the second time in franchise history that the Rebel won consecutive games. The last (and only) time it happened: March 16 and March 23 of last season when Ottawa scored road wins over New Jersey (12-10) and New York (17-16). The Rebel has never won three straight.
HOME SWEET ... NOT
The Rebel has just one win at home in franchise history (all-time home record of 1-16). Ottawa onlys victory at home came during the season-opener last season against the Vancouver Ravens when the Rebel scored a 13-10 victory on Nov. 18 (2001). Ottawas current losing skid at home stands at eight games.
REBEL RUMBLINGS
Rebel forward STEPHEN EVANS turns 24 today. Evans leads the club with six assists ... Watch for captain BRUCE CODD in the automotive section of the Ottawa Sun this Thursday. Codd is the feature guest in the Celebrity Wheels category ... Forward KEVIN HOWARD is the only Rebel player to score at least once and get at least one assist in each of the teams three games ... Forward STEPHEN EVANS leads the club with six assists ... DEL HALLADAY, the original Rebel captain, returns to Ottawa for tonights game as a member of the Mammoth.
REBEL LOOKS FOR SECOND WIN
By ANDY WATSON
Ottawa Rebel correspondent
Any team in the NLL would love to have him. He's gifted on the crease with a quick stick and quick feet, he's agile and he can fake goalies out of their jock straps. And for a small guy, he's also resilient and can take a beating from opposing defenders.
He's Del Halladay, the 30-year-old former captain of the Ottawa Rebel and a native of Kelowna, B.C.
In his final year in Ottawa, Halladay was the team's leading scorer. He's won two Mann Cup national championships with the Victoria Shamrocks and is dangerous one-on-one and on the power play.
Now as a member of the Colorado Mammoth, formerly the Washington Power, Halladay is coming back to town to play his former team Saturday Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. at the Civic Centre.
Combine the right-hander with left-handed stars Gary Gait, Ted Dowling and Fred Jenner and you have a dangerous offensive presence.
Add defenders John Rosa, Matt Ogelsby and Jamie Hanford, who is also a faceoff specialist, and you have a well-rounded squad.
They beat the defending champion Toronto Rock squad, 13-12, in double OT in their season opener. They look to remain perfect on their first road trip, with the lone game against the Rebel.
The question mark for the Mammoth remains in goaltending.
Despite coming off a double-overtime win over the Toronto Rock, lacrosse fans wonder if starter Erik Miller can get the job done all season. But he silenced critics in the home opener facing 65 shots, stopping 53.
Last year's starter, Devin Dalep of Victoria, B.C., is not making the trip to Ottawa.
Rebel snipers Mat Giles, Stephen Evans, Kevin Dostie and Dan Marohl will look to exploit this weakness.
Ottawa's dynamic duo of Andrew Leyshon and Matt Disher outmatch the Mammoth duo of Miller and untested backup Tom Still.
The Rebel defense will have its hands full with the Gait-Dowling combination on the left side. Both players had multiple-point games in the season opener.
If the Mammoth have another weakness that Ottawa can exploit, it's overall team speed. Rebel defender/speedster Jamie Roy will likely be called upon to create lots of fast-break opportunities using his transition speed.
Ottawa (1-2) is in fourth place in the Northern Division behind Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto.
The Mammoth (1-0) are in first place in the Eastern Division ahead of the New Jersey Storm (1-1), Philadelphia Wings (0-1, and the New York Saints (0-3) GILES
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National Lacrosse League Stories from January 9, 2003
- Rebel Game Notes - Ottawa Rebel
- Rock Player Awarded Weekly Award - Toronto Rock
- NLL Tabs Week's Top Players - NLL
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