2007 NLL season
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The 2007 National Lacrosse League season, the 21st in the history of the NLL (including the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League and Major Indoor Lacrosse League years) began on December 30, 2006 and will conclude with the championship game during the weekend of May 11-13, 2007. This marks the second straight season beginning on December 30.
The season began with a blockbuster trade just three days before the first game, as the Toronto Rock traded star forward and 2005 MVP Colin Doyle along with Darren Halls and a draft pick to the San Jose Stealth for 1st round draft selection Ryan Benesch, Kevin Fines, Chad Thompson, and two draft picks. Doyle scored nine assists in San Jose's second game of the season, a 17-16 OT win over the Calgary Roughnecks.
Standings
W = Wins, L = Losses, GB = Games Behind Division Leader, PCT = Winning Percentage, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against
| East Division | ||||||||
| Team | W | L | GB | PCT | GF | GA | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester Knighthawks | 5 | 2 | - | .714 | 103 | 89 | ||
| Philadelphia Wings | 3 | 2 | 1 | .600 | 59 | 55 | ||
| Chicago Shamrox | 3 | 2 | 1 | .600 | 54 | 56 | ||
| Toronto Rock | 2 | 3 | 2 | .400 | 57 | 57 | ||
| Minnesota Swarm | 2 | 3 | 2 | .400 | 59 | 66 | ||
| Buffalo Bandits | 2 | 4 | 2.5 | .333 | 76 | 76 | ||
| New York Titans | 1 | 5 | 3.5 | .167 | 81 | 94 | ||
| West Division | ||||||||
| Team | W | L | GB | PCT | GF | GA | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Mammoth | 6 | 1 | - | .857 | 101 | 75 | ||
| Arizona Sting | 4 | 1 | 1 | .800 | 59 | 49 | ||
| Calgary Roughnecks | 3 | 1 | 1.5 | .750 | 61 | 56 | ||
| Portland LumberJax | 2 | 4 | 3.5 | .333 | 57 | 71 | ||
| Edmonton Rush | 1 | 3 | 3.5 | .250 | 41 | 57 | ||
| San Jose Stealth | 1 | 4 | 4 | .200 | 57 | 64 | ||
Standings updated on February 3, 2007.
Team Movement
The 2007 season features two new expansion teams, both in the East Division: the Chicago Shamrox and the New York Titans.
Rule Changes
A number of rule changes were made for the 2007 season[1]. The main changes are:
- Cross-checks to the head are more severely punished
- Cross-checking a player without the ball is now illegal
- Scoring from behind the net is now allowed, provided there is no contact between the ball and the goalie or his equipment (this effectively allows the "Air Gait" move invented by Gary Gait)
- When a penalty shot is awarded, the coach can choose any player on the team to take the shot
Milestones
- January 6:
- Chicago and New York played their first ever games
- Chicago recorded its first win and first home win
- New York's first goal was scored by Gewas Schindler
- Chicago's first goal was scored by Jason Clark
- Edmonton won its first ever home game, defeating the Philadelphia Wings 13-12
- January 12: San Jose beat Calgary 17-16 in overtime in the longest game in NLL history.[2] The game lasted 71 minutes and 42 seconds before Luke Wiles scored at 11:42 of overtime, narrowly beating the old record of 70:45 during an Arizona-Anaheim game in 2004.
- January 20: New York records its first win and first home win at Madison Square Garden with a 11-9 victory over the Chicago Shamrox. The game is also the first loss for the Shamrox.
- January 26: New York plays their first game at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, losing 16-11 to the Philadelphia Wings. The New York Titans will split their home games between the Coliseum and Madison Square Garden.
- January 27: Rochester Knighthawk star John Grant Jr. sets a new NLL record for points in a single game with 15 (9 goals, 6 assists) in a 22-18 defeat of the New York Titans.[3]
All Star Game
The 2007 All-Star Game will be held at the Rose Garden Arena in Portland, Oregon on March 10, 2007.
Awards
Weekly Awards
The NLL gives out awards weekly for the best overall player, best offensive player, best transition player (new for 2007), best defensive player, and best rookie.
| Week | Overall | Offensive | Defensive | Transition | Rookie |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brian Langtry | Brian Langtry | Dallas Eliuk | Josh Sims | Jed Prossner |
| 2 | Gee Nash | Chris Gill | Brandon Miller | Josh Sims | Bill McGlone |
| 3 | Pat O'Toole | Jeff Zywicki | Pat O'Toole | Brodie Merrill | Kyle Wailes |
| 4 | Rob Blasdell | John Tavares | Rob Blasdell | Mark Steenhuis | Ryan Benesch |
| 5 | John Grant, Jr. | John Grant, Jr. | Brandon Miller | Geoff Snider | Athan Iannucci |
| 6 | Bob Watson | Dan Dawson | Bob Watson | Josh Sims | Jamie Shewchuk |
| 7 | John Tavares | John Tavares | Curtis Palidwor | Mark Steenhuis | Ian Llord |
Monthly Awards
Awards are also given out monthly for the best overall player and best rookie.
| Month | Overall | Rookie |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | Rob Blasdell | Geoff Snider |
See also
References
- ^ "NLL Announces Rule Changes For 2007". NLL.com. December 12, 2006. Retrieved 2007-01-01.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Weekend Recap: NLL News & Notes". NLL.com. January 15, 2007. Retrieved 2007-01-15.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "K-Hawks Outscore Titans in Shootout". NLL.com. 2007-01-27. Retrieved 2007-01-27.