As the Warriors head into the new year of this NLL season, they have one goal in
mind and that is getting over the hump and into the playoffs. Last season they
brought in the reigning coach of the year Curt Malawsky in hopes of finding that
breakout season. After a rough 2-8 start, the team finished strong, going 6-2 in
their final eight, giving them something to build off heading into this season.

So far, they’ve done just that. Three straight wins has put the Warriors at 3-1 to
start the campaign, placing them amidst the league's best. This includes Friday
evening’s 11-9 payback win against San Diego, which eliminated them from
contention last April. “Yeah, the thought was there. We wanted to win that game,
everyone fought,” said Keegan Bal.

With the groundwork laid, this year comes with a new set of expectations.
However, the added pressure hasn’t phased Malawsky thus far. “We don’t feel any
pressure, it’s something you put on yourself and there's no value in saying ‘We
need to do this or that.’ There are 13 other teams in the National Lacrosse League,
we have to just focus on what we do. We’re not looking past next weekend.”

Vancouver hasn’t seen the playoffs since the Stealth in 2017, leaving the fan base
eager for late April lacrosse. This past spring gave us a taste of what a playoff
atmosphere in Vancouver could look like with the Canucks clinching for their first
time in almost a decade. If last Friday night’s crowd is a teaser of what’s to come,
you can only imagine how electric a Warriors playoff crowd would be.

Vancouver bolstered its roster this year by bringing in 2023 fourth overall pick
Payton Cormier as well as three-time National League champion Jeff Cornwall.
The team is full of veteran leadership which was on full display in their comeback
victory over the Seals. It’s an asset to the team, having that level of experience
battling adversity and getting out of uncomfortable situations. “These guys,
they’ve won championships. They’ve been on highs, been on lows and they know what that even keel is. The veteran guys are really helping the young guys,” said
Malawsky.

The Warriors are set for a two-game weekend against Ottawa and Philadelphia
going into week eight and will look to carry the momentum and continue to raise
the bar. Two wins or a split would put the franchise into a prime position for
playoff contention as the midway mark of the season draws closer. The Warriors
are back at home to take on the Ottawa Black Bears on Friday, Jan. 24.