As the National Lacrosse League season winds down, the Warriors have clawed back up the West Division standings. Their win on April 5 was their fifth in their last six games, putting them just below the playoff line. The win at home on Country Night 2.0 was a testament to their second half of the season surge, coming back from down five goals early in the second quarter.

The Warriors look to make their second postseason appearance since the move back to Vancouver in 2014 led by Curt Malwasky, who is the  reigning NLL coach of the year in his first season with the club.. He set out to create a winning culture in Vancouver and it appears that his vision is coming true sooner than later. He lives and breathes lacrosse and embodies the Warriors spirit. Fans got a glimpse of that after the first quarter of the game against Halifax, where he was seen more animated than usual after a disappointing first quarter. 

“Yeah, I was mad. They were chirping at our bench, they were laughing at us, “said Malawsky. “One of their players said that he’d do what he wanted. I was mad, I said, ‘Are we going to take this?’ The best way to get back at them is to win the game”. 

One of the key contributors to the team’s late-season success is they’re playing with heart and leaving it all out on the floor. “I loved the heart, we played with our heart and believed in ourselves,” the coach added. 

Although they’ve fought their way back in the last month, the job is by no means finished with Vancouver needing teams like New York and Panther City to drop meaningful games in addition to them winning their own heading into the final two games. The Warriors will also face off against the Riptide in what could potentially be for the final playoff spot. “It’s not hard to get the guys up for the game, we have a plan, and they execute the plan. We take the pressure off and treat every game the same. We want to keep control of our destiny,” said Malawsky.

One step closer to reaching our goal… 😤#NeverBackDown pic.twitter.com/nuzgmnXGCZ

— Vancouver Warriors (@VanWarriors) April 13, 2024

The win over the Thunderbirds was one of many comeback wins on the season and a meaningful one for the home crowd. “At no point are we sitting on the bench thinking we’re going to lose this game. We’re going to come back because we’ve been here before and we’ve seen ourselves do it,” explained Malawsky. Winning at home is always great, winning the way the Warriors did is good for more than just the standings, but for the growth of the game here in Vancouver.

Their performances are bringing all eyes on the excitement illuminating around this team in recent months. The games are known locally for being a party house, and even more so as the team continues to grow and string together wins — making each game that much more meaningful. It’s a fact not lost on the players. “It was electric in here tonight,” said Adam Charalambides, who doubles as an account executive for Canucks Sports and Entertainment.

“As a team right now we’re rolling, everyone’s contributing,” said Keegan Bal after scoring five goals against Halifax. “I think as we’ve come together every week, we’ve built a little bit. We continue to get better. You start to build that trust.”

With a big game coming up against the New York Riptide on April 13, the Warriors look to capture lightning in a bottle with a fifth straight win and inch that much closer to the postseason.