The way the playoff situation is shaping up in the National Lacrosse League West Division, it could come down to the last game of the season to decide which team gets that last available spot.
The Vancouver Stealth and Calgary Roughnecks are locked in a dogfight for third place and the right to play the Colorado Mammoth in the opening playoff round. The Roughnecks did their part to keep their hopes alive, defeating the Minnesota Swarm 10-6 Saturday night in Minneapolis to move ahead of Vancouver.
The Roughnecks (11-6) welcomed the return of Jeff Moleski, a 33-year-old defenceman from Prince George, who missed four games with a hamstring injury. Moleski was held off the scoreboard but scooped up 10 loose balls and forced one turnover.
Roughnecks forward Shawn Evans added to his record-setting single season points record with four goals and two assists. He now has 44 goals and 123 points in 17 games. Curtis Dickson had a five-point night with a goal and four assists for Calgary. Shayne Jackson was the high scorer for the Swarm, with a goal and three assists.
Meanwhile, the Stealth dropped a 13-9 decision to the three-time defending champion Rochester Nighthawks Saturday night in Langley. That dropped Vancouver's record to 5-11, a half-game behind the Roughnecks.
Cory Vitarelli led the way for Rochester with four goals and three assists. For the Stealth, Tyler Digby had two goals and two assists, while Rhys Duch finished with a goal and six assists, in front of a crowd of 3,042 at Langley Events Centre.
Conrad Chapman of Prince George, a 22-year-old NLL rookie who plays transition for the Stealth, was a healthy scratch for the game.
The Stealth has two games left, including Saturday's game in Buffalo against the Bandits. Calgary has a bye this weekend and will finish out the season May 2 in Langley against the Stealth.
