Warriors offence leads the way in huge win vs. Swarm

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Sitting one game behind Georgia in the standings, the Vancouver Warriors beat the Swarm 15-13 for a huge victory. It was a tight game, even though Vancouver had a five-goal lead late in the third quarter. Georgia continued to battle to cut its deficit to one with 2:07 left in the fourth quarter. With the Swarm doing everything it could to get the equalizer, every person in Rogers Arena was on their feet, and the Warriors stood tall for the win. 

To say that it’s a big win for the Warriors is a massive understatement, especially since these tight games have been an Achilles’ heel. Four of Vancouver’s seven losses this season are by two goals or less. It was the type of game that great teams find ways to win. Vancouver got over the hump and broke through, finding a way to win a tight game and increase its playoff chances. Head coach and general manager Curt Malawsky was pleased with how his team was able to win such a close affair. 

“We had (the Swarm) in pretty good control and we let it slip a little bit, but that’s the NLL. (Lacrosse is) a game of runs, momentum shifts all through it. Earlier in the year (we lost) not because we didn’t care, but because we folded, and we lost those games. (Tonight), we just stayed resilient, we just stayed (with) the process. It’s just a big team effort, but I do think that you put scars on your body throughout a season and this is a scar that we’re proud to have because we got through it.” 

Vancouver scored a season-high 15 goals against the Swarm and has scored at least 12 in four of its last six games. Early in the year, the Warriors were mainly winning games because of their defence. Now their offence has started to come alive, making them even more of a threat in the National Lacrosse League. Ryan Martel and Marcus Klarich had five points each, with Martel scoring four goals and Klarich potting three. Klarich thinks there’s one big improvement with the Warriors’ offence during this current stretch. 

“Ball movement. It’s massive for us right now. When we weren’t scoring goals, we weren’t moving the ball well, so now that we’re constantly moving it (and) cutting through the middle, it’s just opening up so much for us. That’s what we just continue to look for.” 

Klarich is one of the reasons for Vancouver’s offence finding a new gear, as he is fourth on the team in goals with 15 and sixth on the team in points with 26. As for Martel, the season that he’s having this year is like last year, where his production is picking up in the second half of the season, and at the time of year his team needs it the most. 

Malawsky had high praise for Martel’s performance against the Swarm. “He got the game-ball tonight. He goes to the dirty areas. Earlier in the year, he was kind of playing a little bit (on the) perimeter and then he got back to what he did last season. (Martel’s) a competitor, a guy that we need to score. We need his contribution. We had it last year, we missed it early in the season. Now it’s back.”  

“(Martel’s) a heart-and-soul type guy, and if you look around our room, that’s what we kind of built – guys that really want to put their best effort for the team and the front of the jersey, and he’s no different. I think with his size and his stature, and when he gets in there and gets dirty, I think the guys can step up and appreciate that,” Malawsky added. 

You can’t talk about the Warriors offence without mentioning Keegan Bal. He’s been elite all season, and Saturday’s game against Georgia might have been his best of the season. He created chances all over the turf and dominated the Swarm. Bal had three goals and nine assists, recording a point on all but three of Vancouver’s goals. It’s something his coach isn’t even surprised by anymore, as crazy as it sounds. Malawsky feels everyone on the team can learn and be motivated by Bal’s performances. 

“He’s not a perimeter guy. He can hit you from the outside with his shots, but he gets in the middle hard and he’s a heart-and-soul guy out there. I think it just translates through the team. When he plays that hard, everyone’s (got to) step up their game.” 

Vancouver has its hands full next week as the Warriors fly to Buffalo to face the first-place Bandits. With the playoff race as tight as it is, expect Vancouver to have one of its best games and continue riding the recent momentum. 

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