NLL week one preview

The NLL is set to kick off their 27th season this Saturday and lacrosse fans everywhere (with Internet access) can get in on the action.

The NLL along with the Lacrosse Network have agreed to broadcast all 2013 regular season games live at Youtube.com/tln How do you like them apples?

There is hope, perhaps given the NHL lockout fiasco. The NLL can gain some new fans. At least give some sports fans something to go along with their beer.

Lacrosse in many ways is just like hockey. The two sports share many similarities, from the goalie and out. The easiest way to look at lacrosse is to imagine a hybrid of hockey and basketball together. You have the physicality and contact of hockey combined with the skill and grace of basketball and  what you end up with is a game that is dubbed, the fastest game on two feet.

It's true the NLL is still a niche sport, but those who know it;  love it. Still the game of lacrosse has been growing on both sides of the border and a large part of that has been the coverage of the NLL.

But with only the lone game and in Washington, where the game won't air until 10 pm eastern time, the league has dropped the ball on what should of been a handful of back-to-back games.

The NLL should of used all their resources, pulled some strings and started the season earlier to make up for the lack of the NHL and tap into some new fans who are hungry for competition.

All in all it will be OK. I just want to see some competition.

Week one features a great match up between the defending champion Rochester Knighthawks and Washington Stealth.

The Knighthawks have improved their roster this off season, acquiring Dan and Paul Dawson and a 1st round draft pick in 2016 from Philadelphia. Gone is Paul Rabil who wanted out of Rochester, along with Jordan Hall, Joel White, Rob Campbell and a future pick in 2014.

It gets better for Rochester. As Casey Powell, arguably the best American born lacrosse player in the world is back after spending last season reporting and calling NCAA and NLL games on CBS.

The Knighthawks don't have a weak spot, they still have Cody Jamieson, Cory Vitarelli, Craig Point and Joel Walters on offence.

On the back end, Paul Dawson will help strengthen the core of, Sid Smith, Rory Glaves and speedster Brad Self. Not to forget the man in between the pipes, Matt Vinc; who is one of the games best goalies.

The Stealth look to rebound after a tough season, where they finished last in the league in 2012. Their head coach Chris Hall is back behind the bench after taking a leave of absence midway through the year to battle cancer. The Stealth who won the Champions Cup in 2010 and lost in the final in 2011 were in tough without their head coach, who is back and ready to lead then team.

Offensively the Stealth look strong. Their big three, with Rhys Duch, Athan Iannucci and Lewis Ratcliff will be tough to handle. Iannucci and Ratcliff have built up a special chemistry from their WLA championship season with the Langley Thunder and Duch is one of the games most lethal scorers.

On the defensive end they are led by newly appointed captain Kyle Sorensen and Mike Grimes. They are two big bodied defenders anchor the defence and are a force in front of the net; but they can both move the ball up the floor and help the transition game.

Note: TSN2 will be broadcasting 10 Rock games this season - click here for more.