2004 NLL season

Last updated

2004 NLL season
League National Lacrosse League
Sport Indoor lacrosse
DurationDecember 26, 2003 – May 7, 2004
Number of games16
Number of teams10
TV partner(s) Fox Sports Net [1]
Regular season
Season MVP Jim Veltman (Toronto Rock)
Top scorer Gary Gait (Colorado Mammoth)
Playoffs
Eastern champions Toronto Rock
  Eastern runners-up Rochester Knighthawks
Western champions Colorado Mammoth
  Western runners-up San Jose Stealth
Champion's Cup
Champions Calgary Roughnecks
  Runners-up Buffalo Bandits
Finals MVP Curtis Palidwor (Calgary)
NLL seasons

The 2004 National Lacrosse League season is the 18th season in the NLL that began on December 26, 2003, with the Arizona Sting hosting the Vancouver Ravens. That game was the Sting's first-ever game and the first event held in the new Glendale Arena (now Gila River Arena) in Glendale, Arizona. The season concluded with the championship game on May 7, 2004. Over 19,000 fans, the second largest crowd ever at an NLL game, packed the Pengrowth Saddledome (now Scotiabank Saddledome) to watch the Calgary Roughnecks defeat the Buffalo Bandits 14–11. [2] This game was the first NLL championship game since 1998 that did not feature the Toronto Rock.

Contents

The collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the league and the Professional Lacrosse Players' Association expired before the 2004 season, and the lack of a new agreement caused a 12-day players strike in December 2003. On December 17, the NLL and PLPA announced that the previous CBA had been extended by one year, guaranteeing that the 2004 season would be played without strikes or lockouts. [3]

Team movement

2004 was a season of turmoil for the NLL – two franchises disappeared while three others moved cross-country, causing a division realignment. Gone was the three-division format that had been used in the preceding two seasons; the league was now split into East and West divisions. The Ottawa Rebel and New York Saints franchises both folded, and the following teams moved:

These three joined Colorado, Calgary, and Vancouver in the West division, while perennial rivals Toronto, Buffalo, Rochester, and Philadelphia were left to fight over three playoff spots in the East.

Teams

Blue pog.svg East Division Red pog.svg West Division
2004 National Lacrosse League
DivisionTeamCityArenaCapacity
East Buffalo Bandits Buffalo, New York HSBC Arena 18,690
Philadelphia Wings Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Wachovia Center 19,523
Rochester Knighthawks Rochester, New York Blue Cross Arena 10,662
Toronto Rock Toronto, Ontario Air Canada Centre 18,800
West Anaheim Storm Anaheim, California Arrowhead Pond 17,174
Arizona Sting Glendale, Arizona Glendale Arena 17,125
Calgary Roughnecks Calgary, Alberta Pengrowth Saddledome 19,289
Colorado Mammoth Denver, Colorado Pepsi Center 18,007
San Jose Stealth San Jose, California HP Pavilion 17,496
Vancouver Ravens Vancouver, British Columbia General Motors Place 18,514

Milestones

Final standings

Regular season

Reference: [6]

East Division
PTeamGPWLPCTGBHomeRoadGFGADiffGF/GPGA/GP

1 Toronto Rock –xy16106.6250.05–35–3202176+2612.6211.00
2 Rochester Knighthawks –x1688.5002.06–22–6173186−1310.8111.62
3 Buffalo Bandits –x1688.5002.04–44–4205198+712.8112.38
4 Philadelphia Wings 1679.4383.03–54–4192198−612.0012.38
West Division
PTeamGPWLPCTGBHomeRoadGFGADiffGF/GPGA/GP

1 Colorado Mammoth –xyz16133.8120.07–16–2223173+5013.9410.81
2 San Jose Stealth –x16115.6882.07–14–4204201+312.7512.56
3 Calgary Roughnecks –x16106.6253.04–46–2214187+2713.3811.69
4 Arizona Sting 1679.4386.06–21–7200208−812.5013.00
5 Vancouver Ravens 16511.3128.03–52–6188213−2511.7513.31
6 Anaheim Storm 16115.06212.01–70–8171227−5610.6914.19

x: Clinched playoff berth; c: Clinched playoff berth by crossing over to another division; y: Clinched division; z: Clinched best regular season record; GP: Games Played
W: Wins; L: Losses; GB:  Games back; PCT: Win percentage; Home: Record at Home; Road: Record on the Road; GF: Goals scored; GA: Goals allowed
Differential: Difference between goals scored and allowed; GF/GP: Average number of goals scored per game; GA/GP: Average number of goals allowed per game

Playoffs

Divisional SemifinalsDivisional FinalsChampionship
East Division
3Buffalo19
3Buffalo131Toronto10
2Rochester9E3Buffalo11
W3Calgary14
West Division
3Calgary13
3Calgary151Colorado11
2San Jose14

All Star Game

The 2004 All-Star Game was held at Pepsi Center in Denver on February 22, 2004. The East division defeated the West 19–15, and Buffalo's Mark Steenhuis was named game MVP.

All-Star teams

Eastern Division starters Western Division starters
Colin Doyle, Toronto Gary Gait, Colorado
Blaine Manning, Toronto Tracey Kelusky, Calgary
John Tavares, Buffalo Gavin Prout, Colorado
Pat Coyle, Toronto Jim Moss, San Jose
Mike Hasen, Rochester Andy Ogilvie, Vancouver
Pat O'Toole, Rochester (goalie) Gee Nash, Colorado (goalie)
Eastern Division ReservesWestern Division Reserves
Mike Accursi, BuffaloTed Dowling, Calgary
Jake Bergey, PhiladelphiaMark Shepherd, Anaheim
Paul Cantabene, Philadelphia Jay Jalbert, Colorado
Glenn Clark, TorontoRob Kirkby, Calgary
Kyle Couling, BuffaloMike Law, Anaheim
Steve Dietrich, Buffalo (goalie)Pat Maddalena, Arizona
Derek Malawsky, Rochester Mike Miron, Arizona (goalie)
Tom Marechek, Philadelphia Casey Powell, Anaheim
Jeff Ratcliffe, Philadelphia Josh Sanderson, San Jose
Mark Steenhuis, BuffaloDan Stroup, Vancouver
Andrew Turner, Rochester Kaleb Toth, Calgary
Jim Veltman, Toronto Cam Woods, San Jose

Awards

AwardWinnerTeam
MVP Award Jim Veltman Toronto
Rookie of the Year Award Taylor Wray Calgary
Les Bartley Award (Coach of the Year)Paul DayRochester
GM of the Year Award John Mouradian San Jose
Executive of the Year Award Steve Govett Colorado
Defensive Player of the Year Award Cam Woods (tie)San Jose
  Taylor Wray Calgary
Goaltender of the Year Award Gord Nash Colorado
Sportsmanship Award Gary Gait (tie)Colorado
  Peter Lough Arizona
Championship Game MVP Curtis Palidwor Calgary

Weekly awards

The NLL gives out awards weekly for the best overall player, best offensive player, best defensive player, and best rookie.

WeekOverallOffensiveDefensiveRookie
1No awards given
2 Gary Gait Gary Gait Mike Miron AJ Shannon
3Ted Dowling John Grant, Jr. Matt KingRandy Daly
4 Blaine Manning Blaine Manning Andy Ogilvie Craig Conn
5 Mike Regan Mike ReganBrandon MillerNick Patterson
6 John Tavares Shawn Williams Curtis Palidwor Steve Hoar
7 Dallas Eliuk Derek Malawsky Dallas Eliuk Taylor Wray
8John TavaresJeff Ratcliffe Pat O'Toole Ryan Ward
9 Dan Teat Mark Shepherd Cam Woods AJ Shannon
10Curtis PalidworShawn WilliamsCurtis Palidwor Scott Evans
11Mike MironPat MaddalenaMike MironCam Bergman
12 Jim Veltman Jim VeltmanDwight MaetcheScott Evans
13Shawn WilliamsShawn WilliamsPeter LoughChris Cercy
14Jim Veltman Colin Doyle Dallas EliukRyan Ward
15Shawn WilliamsShawn Williams Pat O'Toole Curtis Smith
16Shawn WilliamsShawn WilliamsPat O'TooleBrad MacDonald

Monthly awards

Awards are also given out monthly for the best overall player and best rookie.

MonthOverallRookie
Jan Gavin Prout Craig Conn
FebJohn TavaresCraig Conn
MarJim VeltmanTaylor Wray

Statistics leaders

Bold numbers indicate new single-season records. Italics indicate tied single-season records.

StatPlayerTeamNumber
Goals Gary Gait Colorado55
Assists Josh Sanderson San Jose61
Points Gary Gait Colorado93
Penalty MinutesTroy BonterreArizona73
Loose Balls Jim Veltman Toronto179
Save Pct Gee Nash Colorado79.0

Attendance

Regular Season

Home TeamHome GamesAverage AttendanceTotal Attendance [7]
Colorado Mammoth817,617140,942
Toronto Rock816,907135,256
Philadelphia Wings813,640109,123
Calgary Roughnecks89,99479,950
Buffalo Bandits88,92971,435
Rochester Knighthawks88,78770,293
Vancouver Ravens87,12456,992
Arizona Sting85,76846,147
San Jose Stealth85,33242,656
Anaheim Storm84,75037,997
League809,749779,946

Playoffs

Home TeamHome GamesAverage AttendanceTotal Attendance [7]
Calgary Roughnecks119,28919,289
Toronto Rock114,61814,618
Colorado Mammoth114,28314,283
Rochester Knighthawks17,0297,029
San Jose Stealth14,8744,874
League512,01960,093

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. ↑ "NLL Champion's Cup Playoffs Games on TV this weekend". Our Sports Central. April 15, 2004.
  2. ↑ Philly, R.A. (May 7, 2004). "Capacity crowd cheers Calgary to Cup". Outsider's Guide to the NLL. Archived from the original on August 18, 2007. Retrieved February 6, 2007.
  3. ↑ "Re-Lax! League Players Reach Agreement". NLL.com. December 17, 2003. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved February 4, 2007.
  4. ↑ Tucker, Seth (January 10, 2004). "Sting outlasts Storm, 19–18, in triple OT". Outsider's Guide to the NLL. Archived from the original on August 18, 2007. Retrieved February 4, 2007.
  5. ↑ Philly, R.A. (December 28, 2004). "League announces various rule changes". Outsider's Guide to the NLL. Archived from the original on August 18, 2007. Retrieved February 4, 2007.
  6. ↑ "National Lacrosse League - 2004 Regular Season - Standings". NLL.com. Retrieved May 3, 2012.
  7. 1 2 "2004 Season". nllstats.com. Retrieved June 16, 2023.


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