NLL Calgary Roughnecks

Roughnecks lose OT heart-breaker to Stealth

Published on January 13, 2008 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Calgary Roughnecks News Release


CALGARY, AB - Despite a valiant effort while supporting a great cause, the Calgary Roughnecks lost 13-12 in overtime to the San Jose Stealth Saturday night.

Wearing pink jerseys during their National Lacrosse League home opener to show their support for breast cancer awareness, the Roughnecks built up an 8-3 halftime lead over the San Jose Stealth in front of 12,022 appreciative fans at the Pengrowth Saddledome.

The Stealth then rallied and held a 12-10 advantage late in the fourth quarter before Lewis Ratcliff and Curt Malawsky scored goals for Calgary in the game's final minute to tie the contest and send it into overtime.

In the extra session, the Riggers had the first opportunity to score, but San Jose goalie Anthony Cosmo turned aside Ratcliffe's low, hard shot. After calling a timeout, the Stealth went on the attack and were rewarded when Luke Wiles fired a low shot past Calgary netminder Steve Dietrich at the 47 second mark of OT.

Ratcliff finished the game with three goals and six assists for the Roughnecks (0-2), Malawsky scored twice and set up two others, Nolan Heavenor had a three-point (2g, 1a) night, while Kerry Hall also scored twice. Scott Ranger scored once and had four helpers, while Kaleb Toth and Jeff Shattler each had a goal and an assist.

Jeff Zywicki led the way for the Stealth (1-0) with five goals and four assists, Wiles finished with four goals and three helpers, while Peter Veltman (2g, 1a), Cam Sedgewick (1g, 4a) and Colin Doyle (1g, 4a) also contributed to the win.

Before the game, the Roughnecks received a bit of bad news when informed that captain Tracey Kelusky was sick and wouldn't play.

Neither team could get much going offensively early on until Zywicki opened the scoring at 8:33 of the first quarter when he snuck a high shot in over the shoulder pad of Dietrich. Just 40 seconds later a low shot by Veltman fooled Dietrich as the Stealth took a 2-0 lead.

Before the end of the first quarter, the Roughnecks scored a pair of power-play goals as Ratcliff set up Ranger and then Malawsky to tie the score at 2-2.

In the second quarter, the Riggers took the lead for the first time when Ratcliff scored during a two-man advantage. Ratcliff showed great poise by picking up his rebound and firing it into the goal as Cosmo fell backwards in his net.

Heavenor and Hall then scored goals 24 seconds apart before Hall counted his second of the contest to put the Roughnecks up 6-2.

Zywicky got the Stealth back on the board when he battled through a hard check by Devan Wray and still somehow managed to lead forward and sneak a shot to the far corner past Dietrich.

On another Calgary power-play advantage, Ratcliff took a pass from Toth while running towards the net. He snapped a heavy shot past Cosmo before colliding with the San Jose goalie while in full flight.

With just 2.3 seconds left in the half and the Roughnecks a man down, Toth fired a shot through traffic that beat Cosmo to put Calgary up 8-3.

At the half, the Roughnecks held a 36-18 advantage on the shot clock and had converted four of seven power-play opportunities while killing off both shorthanded situations they faced.

Just 1:53 into the third, Zywicki completed his hat trick before Wiles scored 42 seconds later to pull the Stealth within three of the Riggers. While Heavenor and Shattler bulged the twine for the Riggers in the third, Zywicki tallied twice more and Wiles scored another as well to pull the Stealth within two goals heading into the final frame.

In the fourth, Calgary defenceman Andrew McBride took a five-minute penalty for elbowing to put the Riggers a man down for an extended period. The Roughnecks killed off the first few minutes of the major and even had a scoring opportunity when Jeff Moleski picked up a loose ball and broke in alone on Cosmo before firing wide.

In the latter stages of the man advantage, Veldmen finished off a nice three-way passing play before Wiles fired a long-range shot past Dietrich to tie the score at 10-10.

Doyle and Sedgwick then scored to give the Stealth a two-goal lead before the Riggers rallied to send the game into overtime where Wiles emerged as the hero for San Jose. The final shots were 53-48 in favour of the Roughnecks.

During the contest, many of the players' game-worn jerseys were sold during a silent auction, while others were auctioned off during a live auction immediately following the game. All Proceeds will be going to the Canadian Breast Cancer Society.

Check out the Calgary Roughnecks Statistics

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National Lacrosse League Stories from January 13, 2008


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