Calgary Roughnecks stung in controversial NLL OT session by Swarm

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This one stings.

Not only because the Calgary Roughnecks came away empty-handed after fighting back to force overtime in a 13-12 National Lacrosse League loss to the host Georgia Swarm.

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But because their valiant comeback effort ended in controversy …

At both ends of the floor Friday night.

“It’s a tough one to swallow, for sure,” said Roughnecks GM Mike Board post-game from Gas South Arena in Duluth, Ga. “You get to overtime and any bounce can win a game.

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“This time, the bounce went the other way.”

Not without a bit of head-scratching — and ultimately frustration pointed towards the officials — on the part of the Roughnecks after Swarm sniper Zach Miller’s goal was deemed good following a video review 3:55 into the OT session.

Miller was in behind the Riggers’ net when the ball was sent just wide of the near post by a teammate. He collected it and deftly dove to the far side to execute the wrap-around dunk on goaltender Christian Del Bianco.

The Roughnecks voiced their rage that it was allowed to stand.

And all that came not long after they thought they’d won the contest on a strange play by Tanner Cook.

The gritty forward got a shot off in tight on Swarm goalie Brett Dobson, with the rebound ricocheting off the top of Cook’s helmet back into the net. But officials determined by video replay that the diving Cook touched down in the crease before the ball crossed the goal-line.

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The ruling was a rough one, to be sure.

And it really wasn’t clear-cut either way.

But the two OT calls — both favouring the Swarm — erased many heroic efforts from the Roughnecks in the contest.

In particular were those of Del Bianco and Tyler Pace, who teamed up for a beauty go-ahead goal with 4:27 left only to see the Roughnecks’ sole lead of the game scrubbed by Andrew Kew’s equalizer with just 47 seconds left in regulation.

“Tyler came up big on offence,” said Board of Pace’s five-goal performance, capped by taking Del Bianco’s long pass up the floor and somehow finessing a behind-the-back shot past Dobson with the Riggers short-handed.

Pace also got the Roughnecks on the board after they fell behind 3-0 in the opening 3:32 of the game and tallied two of the other five visiting-side goals in the fourth quarter.

“He sparked us and then just kept going,” Board said. “Tyler had a really strong game.”

So, too, did Del Bianco from about the 27th minute on.

Last year’s NLL MVP shook off a shaky start — including three straight in the second quarter the helped to send him to the bench for 16 seconds in favour of back-up Steve Fryer — by coming up clutch in the late stages in all aspects of the game.

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His two long-bomb passes for the tying and go-ahead goals by Shane Simpson and Pace respectively were as much highlights of the comeback bid as the timely saves he made late in his 45-save effort.

“We don’t worry about Christian,” Board said. “He’s the backbone on this team. He makes stops at critical times and throws the ball in transition better than anyone.”

But it was agonizingly not enough on this night.

The slow start hurt the Riggers, leaving them in catch-up mode all night long.

The Swarm owned quarter leads of 3-2, 8-6 and 9-7 ahead of the frantic fourth, when the teams combined for eight goals — including five from the visitors.

Thomas Hoggarth, Cook — with two — Jesse King — scoring off a slick interception just outside the Swarm crease — Eli Salama and Josh Currier scored the other goals for the Roughnecks, who were turned away 39 other times by Dobson.

Kew, Miller, Seth Oakes, Brendan Bomberry and superstar Lyle Thompson all had multi-goal games for the Swarm, who were paced by Shayne Jackson’s game-high seven assists.

“We got behind early against a high-powered offence but didn’t break and battled hard all game,” added Board. “Can’t fault the effort — the guys left everything on the floor.

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“But we can’t hang our heads. When we play that way, you are more likely to win than lose.”

Trouble is the Roughnecks have lost more than they’ve won on the 2023-24 NLL campaign.

This decision follows last weekend’s 11-9 drop to the Philadelphia Wings — also on the road — and drops them to a 5-7 record in the standings, although they remain in the eighth and final playoff spot with the 4-6 Saskatchewan Rush also losing on the evening.

Meanwhile, the fifth-place Swarm climb to 8-6 and separate themselves further from the Roughnecks in the unified standings.

The Riggers hope to close that gap with next Friday home date against the 8-4 San Diego Seals on WestJet Field at Scotiabank Saddledome (7 p.m., TSN+).

QUICK STICKS

Salama returned to the lineup after missing the last four games due to a lower-body injury … Veteran forward Logan Schuss made his first appearance for the Roughnecks after being signed in the off-season. He had been sidelined with ACL and MCL injuries … Roughnecks transition Josh Inacio (lower body) was knocked out of last week’s loss in Philly and remained out for this tilt. And defender Seth Van Schepen returned to the injured list after playing last week following an upper-body injury had him sidelined for a couple of contests … The Riggers moved forward Riley Isaacs to the practice roster from the active roster ahead of the trip to suburban Atlanta.

tsaelhof@postmedia.com

http://www.x.com/ToddSaelhofPM

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