Week 13 is another busy week in the National Lacrosse League, with seven games on the docket. As we inch to the spring months, the action is heating up on the floor (it’s too bad the weather isn’t also heating up yet). It might be bitterly cold outside for most of you NLL fans reading this, but hopefully you are reading this someplace warm as you get set for another great weekend of NLL action.
Enjoy this edition of By The Numbers.
18 – Goals Scored By The Ottawa Black Bears In Week 12
Week 12 was a historic one for the Ottawa Black Bears.
For the majority of the 2024-25 season, the Black Bears have struggled to get in a flow offensively. Prior to their Week 12 matchup against the Albany FireWolves, the Black Bears were averaging an NLL-fewest 65.6 shots per game and an NLL-fewest 8.75 goals per game. Yes, despite their offensive challenges up to this point in the season, they looked like an offensive juggernaut this past weekend.
The Black Bears stormed into MVP Arena last Saturday and didn’t waste any time putting the ball in the back of the net. After the FireWolves Tye Kurtz scored 8 seconds into the game, Jacob Dunbar responded with a goal for his side. As the first quarter carried on, the Black Bears were building towards an offensive explosion. They went on to score 8 more goals in the final 8:26 of the quarter. Jeff Teat scored 5 of those 8 goals. By the end of the first, Jeff Teat had outscored the FireWolves 5-3.
The 9 goals the Black Bears scored in the first was the most they’ve scored in franchise history, and that includes the New York Riptide days.
The Black Bears added 4 goals in the 2nd, 3 in the 3rd, and 2 in the 4th to bring their total to 18 goals by the final buzzer. Considering the woeful offensive numbers mentioned above, it should come as no surprise to you that this was the Black Bears’ best offensive output of the season. But you might be surprised to know that the 18 goals scored was the team’s highest output in franchise history.
Can they keep it up in Week 13 versus the Halifax Thunderbirds?
48% – Colorado Mammoth Penalty Kill Percentage
The Colorado Mammoth are much improved from last year, but their penalty kill still leaves much to be desired.
Heading into their Week 13 game against the Las Vegas Desert Dogs, the Mammoth are an NLL-worst 48% on the penalty kill. Now, that number is definitely skewed by a few games. On January 11th against the FireWolves, the Mammoth allowed 4 powerplay goals on 4 opportunities. A couple of weeks before that, the Mammoth allowed 4 powerplay goals on 5 Georgia Swarm man-up opportunities.
Back in Week 11, the Mammoth held the Swarm to 1 of 3 on the powerplay, so strides have been made since the last outing. However, in this league that is so competitive with games coming down to the wire, allowing 2.5 powerplay goals per game just isn’t going to cut it.
The Mammoth defence is very capable, so I don’t imagine that the penalty kill will remain this low. For perspective, the Mammoth’s penalty kill last season was the 3rd-best in the NLL at 61%.
5 – Assists Robert Church Needs To Reach 500
The Rush keep rolling and it’s been fun to watch. They are playing team ball and having fun out on the floor, and it’s paying off. They are off to an 8-2 start this season – their best start since the 2017-18 season.
Robert Church has been one of team’s leaders during this stretch. Heading into the Week 13 matchup against the Vancouver Warriors, Church has collected 26 assists in 8 games this year – that’s 3.25 assists per game. In collecting these assists, Church is now only 5 assists shy of reaching 500 career regular season assists.
This is significant because Church would become just the 2nd player in Rush history (including the Edmonton Rush days) to reach 500 career regular season assists. The only other player to do it was Mark Matthews, who tallied 606 assists during his time with the Rush from 2013-2023.
Church my not hit this milestone this weekend, but it’s very possible he does. He has reached 5+ assists in 14.6% of the regular season games he’s played in the NLL, including twice this season already.
9 – Years Since Toronto Rock Were Last 3-7
When talking about the 2024-25 Toronto Rock, it feels like we’re in the Twilight Zone. After falling to the Buffalo Bandits 13-12 in heartbreaking fashion in Week 12, the Rock are now 3-7. I know, I can’t believe it either.
This is the first time they’ve had a record like this since the 2016 NLL Season. That year, the Rock started 0-6, then moved to 3-7 before finishing the season with a franchise-worst 5-13 record. Saying franchise-worst is saying something for a franchise that started in 1999 (1998, if you want to include the Ontario Raiders).
I think it’s fair to say while the Rock are 3-7, that they are one of the best 3-7 teams in NLL history. Still, having said that, if the Rock lose to the Georgia Swarm in Week 13 and move to 3-8, even if it will still be mathematically possible for them to still make this year’s playoffs, I don’t think they’ll do it. It would be great to see them prove me wrong, though.