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Bandits and Hurricanes to Decide 1st in ECJLL Standings
2017-07-03
The Bandits and Hurricanes are set to play for 1st place tomorrow. Read on for more information on what is sure to be a game to remember.
Photo courtesy of the Dartmouth Bandits on Twitter @JrABandits
As the final two games of the regular season come this first week of July, the four teams set to play further into the summer have already been decided.
With Sackville Sportwheels Wolves taking the tie-breaker over the Halifax Marley Lions, that leaves the Wolves, Hurricanes, Mavericks, and Bandits remaining to take the top four spots in the ECJLL Standings.
What has not been decided, however, is who will take first place in the regular season standings.
After a 7-7 tie on June 30th, the Dartmouth Bandits and the Halifax Hurricanes both sit at records of 12-1-1 heading into their final matchup on July 4th. A win for either team would clinch first place in the regular season and a date in the semi-finals with the Wolves. A tie would leave the Bandits with 1st place after taking the season series with a win early in May of this year. Both teams have a balance of great offensive skill players and gritty defensive do-it-all types.
The Hurricanes have been buoyed by the return of their two biggest scoring threats: Luke Smeltzer and Brian Huyghue. Both are coming off NCAA Championship appearances in NCAA DIII and DII respectively. Smeltzer as a Freshman, seeing playing time on a loaded on RIT team that regularly sees their players drafted in the first round of MLL and NLL draft. Huyghue as a Sophomore, seeing significant playing time and scoring a massive goal for NCAA DII Champion Limestone College Saints. In 7 games each Smeltzer has put up 42 pts (18G 24A) and Huyghue 22 pts (15G 7A).
Not to be outdone, the Hurricanes have been good all season long, with a long list of contributors. Notably, Will Holmes and Max McBride have contributed significantly on the offensive side of the ball. Defensively, Liam MacDonald and Geoff Zed have held down the fort on defense. The return of Liam Johnston has also provided this group a significant boost.
On the Bandits side, not much has changed in a year. They are still dominant offensively, with the top three point-getters in the ECJLL all being Bandits (Penney, Draper, and Mosher). Notable are Draper and Mosher, who have filled a massive void left by 2016 contributors Tre Carvery and Alex Taylor.
One thing that stands out with the Bandits team is that any player can be a threat. They have contributors offensively who are traditionally transition or defensive players. The Bandits have 10 players all with 20 or more points in 2017. With depth for this team coming from a mix of true lacrosse players and multi-sport athletes, the Bandits are not short on athleticism, and exploit it using the fast break at every opportunity. Expect to see Chris Mallette, Nile Cyr, Alex Bungay, and Tom Bakeef working the ball quickly down the floor on fast break chances. This is and has always been the bread-and-butter of any Bandits team.
Both teams are vying for the all-important 1st place finish for multiple reasons. First, the 2nd vs 3rd semi-final will feature a matchup with the NB Mavericks. This would require travel to New Brunswick. Second, Sackville is a playoff team for the first time since 2014 - when the league consisted of four teams and everyone made the playoffs. Expect that to be a slight edge over playing a seasoned NB Mavs team who played hard-fought games against the Bandits in 2016 as the 4th seed. Third - bragging rights.
With a matchup this good, there is no chance you’d want to miss it. The game will be taking place at the Halifax Forum tomorrow (July 4) at 7:30pm. Admission is $2.00 for Students/Seniors and $5.00 for Adults.
As the final two games of the regular season come this first week of July, the four teams set to play further into the summer have already been decided.
With Sackville Sportwheels Wolves taking the tie-breaker over the Halifax Marley Lions, that leaves the Wolves, Hurricanes, Mavericks, and Bandits remaining to take the top four spots in the ECJLL Standings.
What has not been decided, however, is who will take first place in the regular season standings.
Game Details: Dartmouth Bandits vs Halifax Hurricanes
Date: July 4, 2017
Location: Halifax Forum
Time: 7:30pm
Admission: $2.00 Seniors/Students $5.00 Adults
After a 7-7 tie on June 30th, the Dartmouth Bandits and the Halifax Hurricanes both sit at records of 12-1-1 heading into their final matchup on July 4th. A win for either team would clinch first place in the regular season and a date in the semi-finals with the Wolves. A tie would leave the Bandits with 1st place after taking the season series with a win early in May of this year. Both teams have a balance of great offensive skill players and gritty defensive do-it-all types.
The Hurricanes have been buoyed by the return of their two biggest scoring threats: Luke Smeltzer and Brian Huyghue. Both are coming off NCAA Championship appearances in NCAA DIII and DII respectively. Smeltzer as a Freshman, seeing playing time on a loaded on RIT team that regularly sees their players drafted in the first round of MLL and NLL draft. Huyghue as a Sophomore, seeing significant playing time and scoring a massive goal for NCAA DII Champion Limestone College Saints. In 7 games each Smeltzer has put up 42 pts (18G 24A) and Huyghue 22 pts (15G 7A).
Not to be outdone, the Hurricanes have been good all season long, with a long list of contributors. Notably, Will Holmes and Max McBride have contributed significantly on the offensive side of the ball. Defensively, Liam MacDonald and Geoff Zed have held down the fort on defense. The return of Liam Johnston has also provided this group a significant boost.
On the Bandits side, not much has changed in a year. They are still dominant offensively, with the top three point-getters in the ECJLL all being Bandits (Penney, Draper, and Mosher). Notable are Draper and Mosher, who have filled a massive void left by 2016 contributors Tre Carvery and Alex Taylor.
One thing that stands out with the Bandits team is that any player can be a threat. They have contributors offensively who are traditionally transition or defensive players. The Bandits have 10 players all with 20 or more points in 2017. With depth for this team coming from a mix of true lacrosse players and multi-sport athletes, the Bandits are not short on athleticism, and exploit it using the fast break at every opportunity. Expect to see Chris Mallette, Nile Cyr, Alex Bungay, and Tom Bakeef working the ball quickly down the floor on fast break chances. This is and has always been the bread-and-butter of any Bandits team.
Both teams are vying for the all-important 1st place finish for multiple reasons. First, the 2nd vs 3rd semi-final will feature a matchup with the NB Mavericks. This would require travel to New Brunswick. Second, Sackville is a playoff team for the first time since 2014 - when the league consisted of four teams and everyone made the playoffs. Expect that to be a slight edge over playing a seasoned NB Mavs team who played hard-fought games against the Bandits in 2016 as the 4th seed. Third - bragging rights.
With a matchup this good, there is no chance you’d want to miss it. The game will be taking place at the Halifax Forum tomorrow (July 4) at 7:30pm. Admission is $2.00 for Students/Seniors and $5.00 for Adults.