2003 NLL season

2003 NLL season
LeagueNational Lacrosse League
SportIndoor lacrosse
DurationDecember 27, 2002 – May 3, 2003
Number of games16
Number of teams12
Regular season
Season MVPGary Gait (Colorado Mammoth)
Top scorerJohn Tavares (Buffalo Bandits)
Playoffs
Eastern championsColorado Mammoth
  Eastern runners-upPhiladelphia Wings
Central championsRochester Knighthawks
  Central runners-upBuffalo Bandits
Northern championsToronto Rock
  Northern runners-upCalgary Roughnecks
Champion's Cup
ChampionsToronto Rock
  Runners-upRochester Knighthawks
Finals MVPBob Watson (Toronto)
NLL seasons

The 2003 National Lacrosse League season is the 17th season in the NLL that began on December 27, 2002, and concluded with the championship game on May 3, 2003.

In 2003, the NLL became the first major men's sports league in North America to feature a woman playing in a regular-season game. Ginny Capicchioni, a stand-out goaltender at Sacred Heart University, was signed by the New Jersey Storm as their third-string goaltender. She dressed for three games, though only played in one. Capicchioni collected one loose ball and made six saves while allowing 7 goals in 11 minutes of play.[1]

Team movement

2003 saw the Montreal Express suspend operations, and also saw the Washington Power move to Colorado, where even they were unprepared for the warm welcome they received in Denver. The franchise had drawn small crowds in Washington as well as in Pittsburgh and Baltimore before that, but averaged more than 16,000 fans per game[2] in 2003, second in the league only to Toronto.

Teams

Central Division East Division North Division
2003 National Lacrosse League
Division Team City Arena Capacity
Central Albany Attack Albany, New York Pepsi Arena 14,236
Buffalo Bandits Buffalo, New York HSBC Arena 18,690
Columbus Landsharks Columbus, Ohio Nationwide Arena 18,136
Rochester Knighthawks Rochester, New York Blue Cross Arena 10,662
East Colorado Mammoth Denver, Colorado Pepsi Center 18,007
New Jersey Storm East Rutherford, New Jersey Izod Center 19,040
New York Saints Uniondale, New York Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum 16,234
Philadelphia Wings Philadelphia, Pennsylvania First Union Center 19,519
North Calgary Roughnecks Calgary, Alberta Pengrowth Saddledome 19,289
Ottawa Rebel Ottawa, Ontario Ottawa Civic Centre 10,550
Toronto Rock Toronto, Ontario Air Canada Centre 18,800
Vancouver Ravens Vancouver, British Columbia General Motors Place 18,514

Milestones

Final standings

Regular season

Reference: [4]

Central Division
PTeamGPWLPCTGBHomeRoadGFGADiffGF/GPGA/GP

1Rochester Knighthawks – xyz16124.7500.06–26–2214173+4113.3810.81
2Buffalo Bandits – x16124.7500.08–04–4231188+4314.4411.75
3Albany Attack1688.5004.04–44–4198191+712.3811.94
4Columbus Landsharks1688.5004.04–44–4184203−1911.5012.69
East Division
PTeamGPWLPCTGBHomeRoadGFGADiffGF/GPGA/GP

1Colorado Mammoth – xy1697.5620.06–23–5226223+314.1213.94
2Philadelphia Wings1688.5001.06–22–6203209−612.6913.06
3New York Saints16313.1886.02–61–7198239−4112.3814.94
4New Jersey Storm16313.1886.03–50–8187220−3311.6913.75
North Division
PTeamGPWLPCTGBHomeRoadGFGADiffGF/GPGA/GP

1Toronto Rock – xy16115.6880.06–25–3195164+3112.1910.25
2Calgary Roughnecks – x1697.5622.06–23–5209207+213.0612.94
3Vancouver Ravens – x1697.5622.05–34–4208196+1213.0012.25
4Ottawa Rebel16412.2507.03–51–7174214−4010.8813.38

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

Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship
4 Colorado 11
6 Vancouver 12 2 Toronto 15
4 Colorado 15 2 Toronto 8
1 Rochester 6
3 Buffalo 13
5 Calgary 9 1 Rochester 16
3 Buffalo 16

Semifinals

Colorado 11 @ Toronto 15
Buffalo 13 @ Rochester 16

Championship

Toronto 8 @ Rochester 6

All Star Game

No NLL All-Star game was held in 2003.

Awards

Award Winner Team
MVP Award Gary Gait Colorado
Rookie of the Year Award Brian Langtry Colorado
Coach of the Year Darris Kilgour Buffalo
GM of the Year Award Kurt Silcott Buffalo
Executive of the Year Award Brad Banister Calgary
Defensive Player of the Year Award Jim Moss Albany
Goaltender of the Year Award Pat O'Toole Rochester
Sportsmanship Award Chris Driscoll New York / Toronto
Championship Game MVP Bob Watson Toronto

Weekly awards

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

Week Overall Offensive Defensive Rookie
1 Bill Greer Tracey Kelusky Matt Roik Patrick Merrill
2 Erik Miller Steve Toll Erik Miller Cam Sedgwick
3 Jason Clark Jason Clark Pat Campbell Chris Schiller
4 Steve Dietrich Pat Maddalena Bill Greer Tom Montour
5 Dallas Eliuk Blaine Manning Dallas Eliuk Aaron Wilson
6 John Tavares Del Halladay Curtis Palidwor Aaron Wilson
7 Chris Driscoll Chris Driscoll Curtis Palidwor Nick Polanco
8 Bill Greer Colin Doyle Pat O'Toole Lewis Ratcliff
9 Jim Veltman Tom Marechek Jim Veltman Aaron Wilson
10 Gary Gait Shawn Williams Gee Nash Travis Gillespie
11 Jeff Ratcliffe Jeff Ratcliffe Kyle Couling Brian Tower
12 Gary Gait Derek Malawsky Dwight Maetche Marc Morley
13 Gary Gait Curt Malawsky Gee Nash Brian Langtry
14 Tracey Kelusky John Grant, Jr. Pat O'Toole Brian Langtry
15 Pat Maddalena Mike Accursi Brian Beisel Brian Lantry
16 Erik Miller Pat Maddalena Erik Miller Marc Morley

Monthly awards

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

Month Overall Rookie
Jan Pat Maddalena
John Tavares (tie)		 Cam Sedgwick
Feb Chris Driscoll Aaron Wilson
Mar Gary Gait Brian Langtry

Statistics leaders

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

Stat Player Team Number
Goals Gary Gait Colorado 61
Assists John Tavares Buffalo 58
Points John Tavares Buffalo 107
Penalty Minutes Casey Zaph Rochester 59
Loose Balls Jim Veltman Toronto 207
Save Pct Pat O'Toole Rochester 78.3

Attendance

Regular Season

Home Team Home Games Average Attendance Total Attendance[5]
Toronto Rock 8 16,733 133,867
Colorado Mammoth 8 16,488 131,907
Philadelphia Wings 8 14,021 112,168
Calgary Roughnecks 8 11,446 91,567
Rochester Knighthawks 8 8,984 71,870
Vancouver Ravens 8 8,337 66,699
Buffalo Bandits 8 7,002 56,015
New Jersey Storm 8 5,484 43,874
New York Saints 8 4,260 34,079
Ottawa Rebel 8 4,202 33,619
Albany Attack 8 3,689 25,103
Columbus Landsharks 8 3,138 25,103
League 96 8,603 825,871

Playoffs

Home Team Home Games Average Attendance Total Attendance[5]
Colorado Mammoth 1 17,129 17,129
Toronto Rock 1 16,733 16,733
Rochester Knighthawks 2 9,943 19,885
Buffalo Bandits 1 6,761 6,761
League 5 12,102 60,508

See also

References

  1. ^ "PLUS: LACROSSE; First Woman Plays In League Game". The New York Times. April 14, 2003. Retrieved February 4, 2007.
  2. ^ Philly, R.A. (August 11, 2003). "Denver to host 2004 All Star Game". Outsider's Guide to the NLL. Archived from the original on December 21, 2006. Retrieved February 4, 2007.
  3. ^ "Tavares hits 400 as Bandits top 'Sharks, 19–16". Outsider's Guide to the NLL. February 1, 2003. Archived from the original on August 18, 2007. Retrieved February 4, 2007.
  4. ^ "National Lacrosse League - 2003 Regular Season - Standings". NLL.com. Retrieved May 3, 2012.
  5. ^ a b "2003 Season". nllstats.com. Retrieved June 16, 2023.