NLL Power Rankings: Is Georgia Really Going to Do This?

Are the Georgia Swarm really going to do this?

Once 0-7, the Swarm have stormed all the way back to one game under .500 to throw themselves into a highly competitive battle for playoff position.

As the National Lacrosse League marks its March to May, other teams haven’t been quite so fortunate. Squads like Rochester and Saskatchewan have some soul searching to do with three weeks remaining.

1. TORONTO ROCK (12-4)

The Rock had the weekend off and return Saturday when they host the Wings. Last week: 1

2. SAN DIEGO SEALS (12-3)

The Seals orchestrated their second four-goal run of the game in the fourth quarter to pull away from Las Vegas for a 14-10 win. Curtis Dickson scored three times and added five assists, becoming the eighth player in NLL history to reach 500 career goals. Dane Dobbie also accomplished the feat earlier this season. Last week: 2

3. BUFFALO BANDITS (11-4)

The Bandits had the weekend off and return Saturday when they host the Riptide on the team’s Tucker Out Lymphoma night. Last week: 3

4. CALGARY ROUGHNECKS (11-5)

Tyler Pace, Jesse King and Tanner Cook all had six points as Calgary slowed down Panther City 12-5 in a battle of the No. 2 and 3 teams in the West. The Riggers closed the game on a 6-1 run, holding PCLC to a lone tally in the last 19 minutes, to move more solidly into the top two spots in the standings. Last week: 4

5. COLORADO MAMMOTH (8-7)

The Mammoth got a win and help in the standings, besting Vancouver 12-5 while benefitting from Panther City and Saskatchewan’s defeats. Eli McLaughlin recorded five points and Dillon Ward set a season best for goals allowed as Colorado moved a half-game back of PCLC and two games up in the win column on the Rush. Last week: 6

6. PANTHER CITY LACROSSE CLUB (8-7)

PCLC’s five goals marked its lowest output of the season, but Jonathan Donville moved into a tie for second all-time in rookie assists with a pair of helpers. He sits 10 behind Tom Schreiber’s record (71). Last week: 5

7. GEORGIA SWARM (7-8)

The Swarm are tied with the Thunderbirds and Wings for the fourth East spot thanks to a seventh win in the last eight games. The latest stellar showing came against Saskatchewan, with the team riding a hot start to a 13-9 win. Lyle Thompson had eight points, five coming in a 6-1 start that gave the team an early leg up. Last week: 7

8. PHILADELPHIA WINGS (7-8)

The Wings had the weekend off and return Saturday at Toronto. Last week: 8

9. HALIFAX THUNDERBIRDS (7-8)

The Thunderbirds had the weekend off and return Saturday when they travel to Saskatchewan. Last week: 9

10. ROCHESTER KNIGHTHAWKS (9-7)

Alarm bells are going off in the Flower City as the K-Hawks, once the darling of the NLL, have lost four straight and five of their last six. This weekend’s loss was the most frightening of the bunch, as Rochester allowed Albany to snap a 10-game losing streak and surpass 10 goals for the first time since mid-February in a 14-12 final. The Knighthawks never led, going down 6-2 in the second quarter. Last week: 10

11. SASKATCHEWAN RUSH (6-9)

The Rush have put themselves in a tough position, falling for a sixth time in seven games after looking like a West contender early. They’ll have a chance to claw closer to Halifax and Colorado with head-to-head matchups remaining, but Saskatchewan will need help to avoid missing the playoffs for back-to-back seasons for the first time since moving from Edmonton. Last week: 11

12. LAS VEGAS DESERT DOGS (5-10)

The Desert Dogs scored five straight in the first quarter to pull ahead 5-2 on San Diego but were outscored by the Seals in each of the ensuing three quarters. Rob Hellyer, Connor Kirst and Zack Greer all had four points. Last week: 12

13. NEW YORK RIPTIDE (4-11)

The Riptide had the weekend off and return Saturday at Buffalo. Last week: 13

14. ALBANY FIREWOLVES (3-12)

The FireWolves got seven points from Connor Kelly and six from Marshall Powless, acquired midseason from Saskatchewan, in the team’s first triumph since Jan. 13. Albany thwarted Rochester comeback efforts in the second half, answering after the Knighthawks got within a goal twice, to pull off one of the more surprising upsets of the season. Last week: 15

15. VANCOUVER WARRIORS (4-12)

The Warriors scored just once in the second half, allowing Colorado to turn a 4-3 advantage at the break into a smooth victory. Vancouver will have 12 or more losses for the third straight full season as the franchise continues its attempts to get back on track. Last week: 14