Desert Dogs’ nature: falling behind 8-ball
Team returns home, eyes ‘full game’ effort
The number eight has been significant in the past two games for the Desert Dogs.
In their previous home game against the Vancouver Warriors on Jan. 20, the Desert Dogs faced an eight-goal deficit to begin the second half. Coach Shawn Williams said his message to the team was to start winning the small battles.
They did and rallied to a 15-14 victory, their first in franchise history.
“It looked pretty bleak there going into the second half,” Williams said. “But give credit to our players and our staff that no one wanted to give up. We just kept fighting.”
The Desert Dogs (1-5) are home at 7:30 p.m. Saturday against the reigning National Lacrosse League champion Colorado Mammoth (4-2) at Michelob Ultra Arena.
Against Vancouver, Williams said while a lot of things went the Desert Dogs’ way, they did a good job of creating momentum by capitalizing on scoring chances. He pointed to a save by goalie Landon Kells on a penalty shot that helped spark the comeback.
“Winning in that kind of fashion was pretty neat. It shows the resilience that our team has,” Desert Dogs forward Jacob Ruest said.
Williams said he’s been pleased with the progress the team has made from its first game. But he said during every game there’s usually one stretch where the Desert Dogs suffer too many breakdowns and allow several goals.
The Desert Dogs experienced one of those stretches in their most recent game. They allowed eight goals in a five-minute stretch in the second quarter of a 15-10 loss at Saskatchewan on Jan. 28.
Williams said the first quarter was the best quarter the Desert Dogs played all season, but their struggles in the second were too much to overcome. Williams said when they have lapses, they need to stick to the game plan.
“We’re working through that,” Williams said. “Playing a full 60-minute game is never easy, but we’re closing the gap.”
A challenge for the Desert Dogs is that the players travel back to their homes after the games and aren’t together for most of the week.
Ruest said that while they aren’t practicing together, players have done a good job of practicing on their own and communicating throughout the week.
With the midway point of the season approaching, Ruest said the team has remained confident as its chemistry has grown. He said everyone’s willingness to want to get better will be crucial for the rest of the season.
“We relish it because it’s a great opportunity for us in a new team and a new group,” Ruest said. “There’s been a lot of ups and downs, but being a part of a new group is pretty neat.”