TITLE

By Ted Montour

The National Lacrosse League will open the 2002-03 regular season on the last week-end of 2002, and wrap up on Sunday, April 13, a sixteen-week schedule without a week off, and three full weeks shorter than last winter. With the Washington franchise re-located again, this time to Colorado as the Mammoth, and the expansion Montreal Express on hiatus, the NLL will feature twelve teams aligned in the Northern, Eastern and Central Divisions.

    

    
Gary Gait bids brother Paul Farewell this year
Paul Gait has retired.

With the Montreal roster dispersed, an entry draft deeper than the previous year and dominated by Canadian box players, and several gifted All-Americans, we can expect the overall quality of play to improve. Goaltenders' equipment will be regulated, however it remains to be seen whether or not this makes a difference to shooters. Look for an increase in scoring because there is more offensive talent in the League.




Can the Albany Attack repeat their success, and take the Champions Cup this year? Is another team poised to do what Albany did last season? Will Toronto keep on Rockin'? Will this finally be the Knighthawks' year? Who will buy the Express? Will the Wave / Thunder / Crossefire / Power / Mammoth find a home in Denver? Can the top Iroquois, Canadian and U.S. players peak again for the World Indoor's?

How long will it take for commentators and pundits to adjust to saying and writing "Gait" in the singular?


NORTHERN DIVISION


Devin Dalep

This Washington club is long on experience up and down the line-up. Goaltender Devin Dalep returns for his third NLL season, after compiling a 15.15 goals-against average in 13 regular-season games last year, good for the seventh place among NLL 'tenders. Former Salisbury State stopper Erik Miller will be the back-up.




Fred Jenner

The defensive contingent is led by veterans Neil Doddridge and Brian Reese, as well as Hugh "Huge" Donovan, and you can expect to see a good showing from OLA veteran and free agent John Gallant, from Brantford.

The Power ranked second only to the Bandits last season in team scoring, averaging 16.1 goals a game in the regular season, and their power-play averaged over 50%. Paul and Gary Gait will continue to lead the way to the net, and Jesse Hubbard (33 goals last year) and Joe Hiltz (21 goals) will be missed, but Del Halladay should be a big help in picking up the slack. The Power will need more of a contribution this season from the offensive supporting cast, such as Paul Cantabene (who will likely take over primary face-off duties with the departure of Rodney Tapp), Matt Shearer, Josh Sims and Kip Fulks. Free agent Fred Jenner from British Columbia, and Rookie Horsey, with the speed and build of a tail-back, should also have some impact.


The Power schedule takes them West to play the Ravens at GM Place in Vancouver, January 19, one of five games with expansion clubs ( I include Columbus here). They play three straight home games in the first half of the season, after opening on the road against the Bandits. The second half of their schedule shows five home games and five inter-divisional contests, including the Rock and the Bandits.



If the Gaits and Dalep stay healthy, and the Power win the games they are "supposed to win", they should make the post-season again this spring. Their future in the Capital area, however, is not nearly so certain. The ownership, not to mention the League, cannot continue to countenance a marquee franchise failing at the gate.


Del Halliday

Update The Power are 4 - 2 after their first six games, good for top spot in the Eastern Division, and third overall (based on winning percentage) behind the Rochester Knighthawks and the surprising Albany Attack, going into Week 11 (out of 18) of the NLL season.


They are perfect at home (13 - 12 over Rochester, 21 - 9 over New Jersey, 12 - 11 over Toronto), plus a 17 - 12 win last weekend in Vancouver, with two road losses, 17 - 15 in Buffalo and 19 - 15 in Columbus. They are, however, 12th in attendance in those four games at the Capital Center, with an average reported house of 3,952, ahead only of Albany (3,623 average for four home dates).

The Power continue to enjoy massive disinterest from the D.C. and area sports media, and their promotion and marketing profile remains horizon-like. Just after the New Year, apparently, the players were given the alternatives of either suspending play for the remainder of the home schedule, or not getting paid. They chose to continue play, and were not paid after the January 5 victory over the Toronto Rock; they face the very real prospect of no further pay-checks for the rest of the season.

Owner Steve Comiskey and the League are actively entertaining offers from prospective buyers, rumoured to include:
  • a group in Edmonton, Alberta which is likely the same that originally sought an expansion franchise before the start of this season;
  • a Niagara Falls, Ontario businessman who would move the club to Winnipeg, Manitoba;
  • a group in Halifax, Nova Scotia, site of a very successful pre-season exhibition contest between the Rock and the Montreal Express;
  • a bidder from Denver; and,
  • the owners of the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut.


The Power are slated to go to Long Island this Friday, January 25 to face the 4-and-3 Saints, with the New Yorkers to visit the Power on the following evening at the Capital Center.

GAMES PLAYED:
Washington 15, at Buffalo 17
Rochester 12, at Washington 13 (OT)
Toronto 11, at Washington 12
Washington 15, at Columbus 19
Washington 17, at Vancouver 12
Washington 17, New York 12








The Washington Power Web Site!

1/20/02

Talk About it!