The Vancouver Warriors added to a growing list of milestones this season over the weekend, from individual achievements to a win total not seen since the franchise’s Albany days.
The fact that these milestones are happening within team success shows how good this group can be, and they’re still pushing for more with one game remaining in the regular season and playoffs on the horizon.
The Warriors hold a 12-5 record, their best since they were the Albany Attack and went 14-2 in 2002. Their ability to respond to runs, lean on their depth, and close out games has defined much of that success.
Over the last few years, the Warriors have become a battle-tested group that continues to build with each game. They’ve found different ways to win, whether that’s jumping out to early leads, grinding out late comebacks, or executing in tight games. Seven of their wins this season have been by two goals or less.
“I think we're winning in a bunch of different types of games, and I think that's really important,” Forward Keegan Bal said. “We're going to have a lot of close games down the stretch, and hopefully we make a deep playoff run, and all those games we know are going to be super tight, so it's good to win in a variety of ways."
With the win over Halifax, Head Coach Curt Malawsky moved into a tie for third all-time NLL coaching wins with 121. Saskatchewan Rush Head Coach Derek Keenan leads the way with 186, Georgia Swarm Head Coach Ed Comeau with 151, and Darris Kilgour also sits at 121.
Malawsky’s coaching journey has been marked by elite preparation, passion, and creating a culture that breeds success. He coached Warriors defenceman Matt Beers as a child and later guided him to a Minto Cup with the Coquitlam Junior Adanacs, which Beers talked about on the Vancouver Warriors Podcast: "Built Different, Built to Lead”.
“He's meticulous with everything he does, but that passion and that commitment is what makes him such a good coach,” Beers said.
“He has lightened up a little bit in that sense [over the years]. His drive, passion, and knowledge, has grown exponentially, and he continues to be the best for a reason.”
Malawsky has built teams that feel more like families, and that foundation has played a major role in the individual success seen across the roster this season.
The culture is reflected in the season Keegan Bal is putting together, where everyone is doing whatever they can to help the team win.
Bal’s career-high of 113 points (39G, 74A) adds to an already impressive statistical season. He’s scored three game-winners and has led a high-powered offensive group in scoring for the majority of the year.
Bal has found consistency in his game over the last three seasons, mirroring the team’s steady rise. He’s a process-driven player who is always learning and improving his game, with the utmost respect of his teammates.
Beers has seen that growth firsthand, recounting Bal’s journey from fighting for roster spots to team MVP.
“All the trials and tribulations he's had, how can you not cheer for a guy like that. Not to mention off the floor, he’s one of the best people,” Beers said.
“Being such a selfless player and wanting better players to come in around him – there's not a lot of O-guys that would want Curtis Dickson coming in and taking 10 shots away from Keegan. But he wants to win; he welcomes the talent. He welcomes the challenge to play with someone of Curtis' caliber so we can get better, so he can get better, so the team can succeed.”
Curtis Dickson continues to prove consistency is still his baseline, after notching his 40th goal this season against the Thunderbirds, making him just the second player in the NLL to have 40+ goals in at least 10 seasons. He joins John Grant Jr., who played from 2000 to 2017 for the Rochester Knighthawks and the Colorado Mammoth.
Dickson is a reliable goalscorer, adding another dimension to the Warriors’ arsenal, and is a tough matchup for opponents, opening the floor for his teammates.
The 37-year-old has also scored three game-winning goals this season, and fellow Warriors’ righty, Bal, has spoken about the impact Dickson has had in the locker room as a veteran leader with a lacrosse IQ off the charts.
“By far the best righty I've ever played with,” Bal said. “It's really nice having him on our team. I think he's one of, if not the best goal scorers this league has ever seen. Year after year, doing it at his age, it's truly incredible.”
As these milestones continue to mount, the team is growing into its identity with every game. With contributions throughout the lineup and a foundation built on hard work and trust, the Warriors hope to create more milestones this season.