Whacky Weekend for Roughnecks
Published on January 15, 2007 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Calgary Roughnecks News Release
Calgary, AB - They lost a game they looked like winning.
They won a game they looked like losing. And they took part in the longest game in National Lacrosse League history.
In short, it was quite the weekend for the Calgary Roughnecks to open the 2007 season.
The big disappointment came Friday night with a 16-17 heartbreaking overtime loss to the San Jose Stealth.
When the Stealth scored with the first shot of the contest, matters did not augur well for the Riggers. Indeed, it took until the third period for Calgary to nose in front.
But despite taking a 15-10 advantage into the final 15 minutes, the Roughnecks allowed San Jose to knot the score at 16-16 with 1:05 minutes to go. Ironically, that goal was notched by ex-Rigger Callum Crawford.
And then 11:42 minutes into overtime, Luke Wiles got the winner after the Riggers had failed to solve the mystery of young Aaron Bold in the visitors' net.
The 71:42 minutes of action beat the previous NLL record for the longest game (an Arizona victory over Anaheim in January, 2004) by just 57 seconds.
Two new San Jose all-time scoring records were set in this contest - the seven goals by Jeff Zywicki and the nine assists contributed by ex Toronto Rock offensive ace Colin Doyle.
On the plus side for Calgary, the Trio Grande, Lewis Ratcliff (4g, 4a); Tracey Kelusky (3g, 4a) and Kaleb Toth (2g, 3a) took no time to find mid-season form.
In addition, three new Riggers, Scott Ranger, Nolan Heavenor and Kerry Susheski (he eventually got a hat trick) all got their first goals for the club.
Twenty-four hours later, the Roughnecks travelled 200 miles north to take on provincial rivals the Edmonton Rush.
Again, the start bordered on disaster, with Edmonton handily in front 4-0 after only 7:40 minutes of play. The home squad led 6-3 after one quarter, 8-5 at the half, and 11-9 with just 15 minutes left.
But in the final period, the Roughnecks defence, and especially goalie Andrew Leyshon, stood tall, conceding only one goal, while the offence scored four, including the eventual winner from Devan Wray.
Other Calgary goals came from Ratcliff (2), Toth (2), Kyle Goundrey (2), Kelusky, Ranger, Jeff Moleski, Heavenor, Susheski and Jeff Shattler (his first ever NLL marker).
The only Roughneck change from the previous night was the substitution of 38-year-old rookie Scott Anderson in place of a banged up Jesse Phillips.
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Next up for the Riggers (Saturday, January 20) is the current reigning NLL champions, the Colorado Mammoth.
The Mammoth have begun the new season as they ended the last -- in winning form.
They sit atop the West Division standings with a 3-0 record having beaten three of the league's strongest teams, Rochester, Arizona and Buffalo.
Portland is close behind at 2-0, while Calgary sits in third alongside Edmonton and Arizona at 1-1.
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MILESTONES:
1, Captain Tracey Kelusky makes his 100th NLL appearance against Colorado.
2, The Roughnecks will debut their first ever third jersey, an imposing black version, versus the Mammoth.
National Lacrosse League Stories from January 15, 2007
- Stealth Player Colin Doyle featured on "In The Crease" on NLL.com - San Jose Stealth
- Whacky Weekend for Roughnecks - Calgary Roughnecks
- Bandits to accept ticket vouchers on January 20 - Buffalo Bandits
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