Zywicki, Wiles lead Stealth to 13-12 Win Over Calgary in Opener
January 12, 2008 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
San Jose Stealth News Release
CALGARY - The opening-day jitters lasted about 30 minutes, and then it was back to business for the San Jose Stealth.
The Stealth, thanks to the offensive heroics of Jeff Zywicki and Luke Wiles, put the first National Lacrosse League W on the books Saturday night, defeating the Calgary Roughnecks 13-12 in overtime in front of a crowd of 12,022 at the Pengrowth Saddledome.
Wiles scored 47 seconds into the extra frame, his fourth goal of the game, capping a wild night which saw a total of 101 shots on net, 48 by the Stealth. Zywicki, meanwhile, netted five goals and four assists in the win.
Calgary's 2008 record fell to 0-2.
The two teams will meet again two Fridays from now in the Stealth home opener at the HP Pavilion.
The game began in a promising vein, with both starting goaltenders - Anthony Cosmo for San Jose and Steve Dietrich - equal to whatever the opposing team had to throw at them. The first quarter finished up deadlocked at 2-2, with Cosmo making 11 saves.
Fortunes changed dramatically in the second quarter, as a porous Stealth defense allowed Roughnecks to roam freely in the offensive zone.
The Roughnecks scored four straight to take a 6-2 lead, before Zywicki - the Stealth's top scorer in 2007 - skirted one under Dietrich on a shorthanded effort, his second goal of the night.
By the time the first half had ended, Calgary had fired 36 shots at the San Jose net, while ringing a couple off the goalpost and having another couple called off because of crease violations. The half ended 8-3 in Calgary favor.
The second half began in San Jose's favor, as Zywicki and Wiles did what they could to turn the team's luck around. At the 1:53 mark, Zywicki tucked a cheeky one past Dietrich from behind the net. Less than a minute later, Wiles scored, dropping the deficit to 8-5.
Each time the Stealth would inch closer, the Roughnecks would get one back and snuff out their momentum. Until the fourth quarter, that is.
The Stealth had a great opportunity to close the gap when Calgary's Andrew McBride received a five-minute major penalty for elbowing, and they took advantage. Peter Veltman and Wiles scored, tying the game at 10-10 at 5:48 of the fourth quarter.
Calgary sharpshooter Lewis Ratcliff led the way with three goals and six assists.
National Lacrosse League Stories from January 12, 2008
- Zywicki, Wiles lead Stealth to 13-12 Win Over Calgary in Opener - San Jose Stealth
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- Toronto Rock fall to the Swarm on the road - Toronto Rock
- Bandits Defeat Knigthawks, Snap 16-Game Winning Streak - Rochester Knighthawks
- Wings Defeat Shamrox 19-11 In Home Opener - Philadelphia Wings
- Knighthawks Game Notes vs. Buffalo - Rochester Knighthawks
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