EYEING LACROSSE MILESTONE
Dobbie nears 300-goal plateau
There is no hesitation in Dane Dobbie’s voice.
It may have been 298 goals ago, but the first is always the sweetest.
“Yeah, it was in Colorado, first game I ever played,” he said. “Late December. The first game of the year.”
On Saturday night at the Langley Events Centre against the Vancouver Stealth, Dobbie will attempt to a) join the National Lacrosse League’s coveted 300-goal club and b) help the Calgary Roughnecks to its first victory of the 2017 season. That same Vancouver team defeated the Roughnecks (0-1) in the latter’s home opener 12-11 Friday.
Dobbie notched a pair of goals in that defeat, putting him two steps from the plateau reached by four retired Roughnecks — Josh Sanderson, Lewis Ratcliff, Tracey Kelusky and Kaleb Toth. That’s a club the 30-year-old from Elora, Ont., will be thrilled to belong to.
“Most definitely,” Dobbie said. “I spent some time playing with Josh, Tracey and Kaleb; I roomed with Josh. To be honest, those guys taught me the ins and outs of this league. I took everything I could, I was all ears my first two years. I was lucky enough and privileged enough to play with those guys and I consider them all-time greats. A couple of Hall Famers there and I’m sure Kaleb is not too far behind. I look up to those guys and I still communicate with them.”
If anything, Dobbie gauges the milestone in terms of longevity.
“Personally, it’s that time flies,” he said. “Playing in this league, it’s my 10th year already. I’ve played with some pretty unbelievable players and still am. A lot of credit goes to them. Three hundred goals means you’ve been playing for quite a long time but it’s something cool that I can look back on later on when I’m retired.”
His head coach deems it a special achievement.
“This is the highest league in the world when it comes to indoor box
lacrosse, you play against all the best,” Curt Malawsky said. “Year after year, Dobes has been drawing the best defencemen on that side of the floor. He gets the attention of the first- or second-best guys. From being an old-school throwback guy to now being that wily veteran that understands the game different, he’s still very consistent and considered a one-two threat on our team.”
Dobbie missed five games in 2016 due to injury, something he’s been privy to his whole career, which is what happens when you’re a hardnosed 5-foot-8 player.
“Last year was one of those years that I got set back a little bit,” he said. “Injuries do happen but I’m not changing my game by any means. The years I was healthy were successful years and, knock on wood, this is one of them.”
“Last year he was in great shape and he broke his wrist on a meannothing play,” Malawsky said. “He’s come into camp this year again in good shape. He needs to be a little more consistent, but when it comes to compete level, it’s always there. If we can get a full 18-game schedule out of Dane Dobbie, that makes the Roughnecks that much better.”
Dobbie and his mates will all need to be better Saturday as they meet a team that is a perfect 2-0 in the West and one they can ill afford to get too far behind.
“Vancouver is a team with a lot of firepower,” Dobbie said. “They’re as tough as anybody. Last weekend was Vancouver’s and hopefully we can take two points from them.” Malawsky hopes the same thing. “I think any divisional game is massive, especially if you’re down 1-0 in the season series,” he said. “It brings more urgency to that game. We’ll definitely have to make some adjustments. They’re a well-rounded team, playing good lacrosse right now. We need to play a complete game. Fifteen minutes doesn’t cut it in the NLL.”
The Roughnecks will be backstopped by Frank Scigliano, who sat out his one-game suspension last weekend for his role in a preseason brawl. Also off the suspended list are defenders Greg Harnett and Garrett McIntosh.
Zach Higgins, who came on in relief of the beleaguered Christian Del Bianco in the Calgary net last Friday, has since been released.