Curtis Dickson’s 7-Point Night Lifts Warriors Over Roughnecks
That…game…had…everything.
A heartfelt tribute to a legendary player, a whole bunch of former stars now playing for the opposition, a mighty comeback from the home team before the legend’s best buddy ends the game in overtime.
How was your Friday night?
If you were a Vancouver Warriors fan, it was pretty good. If you were a sports fan who happened to be in attendance or came across this game on national television, then you want more of this. If you can bottle the excitement of what a Warriors NLL lacrosse game can be, then this is the one, it was a thriller.
The Warriors had to fight off a valiant comeback by the Calgary Roughnecks on Dane Dobbie jersey retirement night at the Scotiabank Saddledome, securing a hard-fought 11-10 overtime victory before 8799 entertained fans in the Foothill City.
JERSEY TO THE RAFTERS
Dane Dobbie, who has called the Lower Mainland home for the past few decades, had his jersey raised to the rafters before the game. With Vancouver in town, it was fitting that the jersey took its rightful place in the Saddledome rafters, as many of Dobbie’s former teammates, as well as his former coach, Curt Malawsky, were in attendance to salute their former teammate. After a 20-minute ceremony, and the jersey hung, it was time to get to lacrosse.
THE LEAD
Vancouver had a big five-goal second quarter to jump in front 7-5 at the half and then added three more in the third to head into the final 15 minutes with a 10-6 lead. The goal bonanza triggered by exceptional special teams work. Five goals on six attempts with the man advantage, and three goals with a man down were the difference in this game. When you can finish the game +7 in the special teams battle, you should come home with a win…but in lacrosse, you can never count a team out, and Calgary hung around.
THE COMEBACK AND OT
Scoring four unanswered goals in the fourth quarter, the Roughnecks sent their fans into a frenzy, tying the game with just over two minutes to play. “That team has a lot of heart,” explained GM and Head Coach Curt Malawsky after the game. “Calgary is not going to quit on the game, and I thought Walshy (Calgary goalie and former Warriors goalie Aden Walsh), his mental fortitude and toughness playing against arguably one of the best goaltenders in the National Lacrosse League in Christian (Del Bianco), every time our goalie made a save, Walsh did too. It was a matter of time before one went in at the end, and fortunately it was us.”
THE WINNER
On a night when his best friend was honoured, why not have a Hollywood ending of having Curtis Dickson put the cherry on top of Dane Dobbie night? From a Vancouver perspective, it’s a feel-good story. For Calgary, it was a heartbreaker. Just under three minutes into extra time, Curtis Dickson grabbed a rebound at the retaining line and on the reset, was able to slip his check with a greasy outside-inside move and sizzle a shot past a surprised Aden Walsh from about 25 feet out. Dickson’s reaction said it all, double fist pumping as he was jumped by his teammates at centre, the veteran making yet another statement on what will be a Hall of Fame career just like his pal Dobbie.
When asked post game about the magnitude of this game in his career, which been filled with amazing nights and Superman-like performances, Dickson was direct, “From a regular season point of view, this has to be right there near the top. To come back here, what a building and what a crowd, the atmosphere was electric as it always is and with the pregame being what it was, that was truly special.”
NEXT
With the win, Vancouver jumps to 3-1 on the season and find themselves tied for 2nd overall in the NLL Standings. The Warriors head home to take on the San Diego Seals on Country Night at Rogers Arena, next Friday, January 16th, with the opening faceoff at 7 PM.