NE Atlanta News

The Georgia Swarm are set to visit Ottawa for the first time, facing off against the Ottawa Black Bears in a National Lacrosse League (NLL) match. The game will be broadcast on TSN as part of NLL Friday Night. The Swarm, with a 6-4 record, aim to build on their recent overtime victory against the Toronto Rock. Meanwhile, the Black Bears, holding a 5-5 record, seek to improve their standing in the league.

This marks only the second meeting between these teams. Their first encounter was on January 10th when Ottawa defeated Georgia 14-10 in Duluth, GA. Despite Lyle Thompson's impressive nine-point performance and Bryan Cole's hat trick for Georgia, Ottawa's defense and offense secured their win.

Swarm Head Coach Ed Comeau emphasized the importance of maintaining composure throughout the game: "Every game is huge from here on out," he stated. "Ottawa is a team that competes hard, and we need to bring our best effort for a full 60 minutes."

Georgia's offensive strength is led by Lyle Thompson with 57 points this season. Andrew Kew and Shayne Jackson have also contributed significantly to making Georgia one of the league’s most balanced attacks. For Ottawa, Jeff Teat leads with 53 points and poses a significant challenge for Georgia’s defense.

"Teat is one of the smartest and most creative players in the league," said Comeau about his plans to counter Teat’s influence on the game.

Special teams could play an essential role; Ottawa boasts a power play conversion rate of 52%, compared to Georgia’s 44%. Avoiding penalties will be crucial for both teams.

In goal, Brett Dobson has been reliable for Georgia with a save percentage of 77%. Coach Comeau praised Dobson’s consistency: “Brett has been solid for us,” he noted. Opposing him will be Zach Higgins from Ottawa who can make critical saves.

Coach Comeau highlighted transition goals as key: “We’ve been good in transition but struggled with efficiency... Those are big energy boosters for the team.”

As playoff positioning becomes more critical mid-season, each game gains importance. The Swarm have shown resilience in close matches but will require collective effort against an ambitious Ottawa side fighting for playoff contention.

Jacob Hickey returns to action after missing last season due to academic commitments. His versatility excites Coach Comeau who sees potential similar to Bryan Cole's impact on games.

The match takes place at Canadian Tire Centre at 7 PM ET—home venue shared by NHL’s Senators and now NLL’s Black Bears—marking many future encounters between these franchises in Canada’s capital city.