NLL Power Rankings: Tiers Solidifying as Playoff Pushes Continue

Tiers are starting to be more clearly defined as 15 weeks of the National Lacrosse League season are in the books. The top six in this week’s power rankings are unchanged from the week prior, with a clear top five emerging in Buffalo, San Diego, Toronto, Rochester and Calgary.

Of course, there’s still time for a late run to contender status for those currently in the league’s next tier.

1. BUFFALO BANDITS (10-2)

Welcome back, Chris Cloutier. After missing the previous nine games due to injury, the Bandits forward came in clutch with an overtime winner to help Buffalo secure a 10-9 victory against Halifax. Also returning from injury was Josh Byrne, who, with nine points, was a part of all but one Buffalo goal. The Bandits, winners of six straight, are only getting scarier as their health improves. Last week: 1

2. SAN DIEGO SEALS (8-2)

Dane Dobbie became only the seventh player in NLL history to reach 500 career goals in a game that got a bit more nerve-wracking than San Diego would have preferred. The Seals never trailed in a 12-11 victory against Saskatchewan, but the Rush did score the final five goals after Patrick Shoemay put San Diego up 12-6 with eight and a half minutes remaining. Last week: 2

3. TORONTO ROCK (10-3)

The Rock bounced back from their first loss in nine games last week by dispatching the struggling FireWolves 12-6. While celebrating Indigenous Heritage Night, Toronto controlled play by doubling up Albany in both shots and goals. Stephen Keogh led the way with seven points. Last week: 3

4. ROCHESTER KNIGHTHAWKS (9-3)

The K-Hawks survived a shootout with a suddenly lively Georgia Swarm squad thanks, largely, to Connor Fields. He tied his single-game career high with 10 points (five goals, five assists) while setting a new career high for points in a season. His five goals, which all came in the first half, tied the franchise record for goals in a game. Last week: 4

5. CALGARY ROUGHNECKS (8-4)

The Riggers put together a stellar first half, going up 11-3 at the break in a 16-10 win against Colorado. Jesse King had seven points, five coming in that first half, and Zach Currier snagged 16 loose balls to move over 900 in his career, as Calgary secured a 2-1 season series victory. Last week: 5

6. PANTHER CITY LACROSSE CLUB (7-5)

PCLC had the weekend off and returns Saturday when it hosts Las Vegas. Last week: 6

7. COLORADO MAMMOTH (5-6)

A 7-5 Mammoth advantage in the second half helped make the final score look more respectable, but Colorado was truly never in it against Calgary. The group has lost four of its last five and must think about just making the postseason before talking about defending its title. Last week: 8

8. PHILADELPHIA WINGS (5-6)

Momentum created from a 2-0 weekend last week was brought to a stiff halt with a 13-10 loss to New York Saturday. Despite nine points from Mitch Jones, pushing his total to 30 in his last three games, a 7-2 Riptide start doomed the Wings. Last week: 7

9. HALIFAX THUNDERBIRDS (5-7)

The T-Birds’ offense went cold down the stretch, with Chris Boushy scoring the team’s final goal with 14:30 remaining in the fourth quarter. That dearth of offense allowed Buffalo to go on a three-goal spurt to erase a 9-6 Halifax advantage before Cloutier’s game-winner. Halifax finds itself in a battle for a playoff spot as the season winds down. Last week: 9

10. SASKATCHEWAN RUSH (5-6)

Second-year player Clark Walter had the best game in his young career, scoring five times in addition to an assist against San Diego. Three of those goals came in the late Saskatchewan 5-0 run, with his final tally getting the team within a goal with 36 seconds remaining. Despite two goals in the final minute, the Rush were unable to pull off the improbable comeback. Last week: 10

11. NEW YORK RIPTIDE (3-9)

Jeff Teat notched three goals and five assists, while Riley O’Connor and Connor Kearnan each added five points, as the Riptide bested Philadelphia to snap a three-game losing streak. Teat now leads the league in points with 96 and is on pace for a new NLL record. He also leads in goals with 42. Last week: 13

12. GEORGIA SWARM (2-8)

The Swarm came close to extending their winning streak to three games thanks to an evening-closing 5-1 run against Rochester. The team put up at least 18 goals for the second time in three weeks, with Lyle Thompson recording his second double-digit point total of the season. Shayne Jackson added eight points, and Andrew Kew had seven. Last week: 12

13. VANCOUVER WARRIORS (3-9)

Ryan Martel had his best game of the season, matching Keegan Bal for a team-high eight points, in Vancouver’s 14-5 win against the Desert Dogs. The team’s second win against the expansion side was by far its most lopsided triumph of the year, spoiling Las Vegas’s celebration of Wayne Gretzky Jersey Night. Last week: 14

14. LAS VEGAS DESERT DOGS (4-7)

The Desert Dogs put up their first stinker in a while, resulting in their lowest goal total since scoring three against Panther City on December 16. A six-goal Vancouver run to end the first half put Las Vegas in a hole from which it could not escape. Last week: 11

15. ALBANY FIREWOLVES (2-9)

Albany’s defeat at the hands of Toronto stretches its losing streak to seven games. The FireWolves have failed to reach double-digits in the last three games and have now scored six goals or fewer three times this season. Last week: 15