The Maryland Whipsnakes and Boston Cannons will square off on Saturday Night Lacrosse this week in Baltimore (7 p.m. ET; ESPN2/ESPN+). Here are four things to watch for in the star-studded Eastern Conference matchup:
Who plays at attack alongside TJ Malone?
There have been plenty of questions about the Whipsnakes’ attack line this season, but one thing that has stayed consistent is Malone.
The reigning Rookie of the Year is tied for the league lead in goals (eight) and has paced Maryland in points (13), goals and assists (five). Rob Pannell also seemed to find his rhythm last weekend against the New York Atlas, dishing out three assists and looking much more comfortable in a Maryland jersey.
But outside of Malone and Pannell, that third spot on the Whips’ attack line is still up for grabs.
“We haven’t made any decisions there yet,” Whipsnakes head coach and general manager Jim Stagnitta said. “Certainly TJ and Rob, and you know that third spot, we have to get some more production. We are going to look at the film and start evaluating.”
Matt Rambo, who did not get the start alongside Malone and Pannell last week, has had an uncharacteristically down season thus far. Last weekend, he notched his first two points of the campaign (2A) against the Atlas after not appearing on the stat sheet for the first two weeks.
Midfielder Matt Brandau, a new addition to the Whipsnakes in the offseason, has had his fair share of looks at attack, taking a few shifts against the Philadelphia Waterdogs in Charlotte starting over Rambo against New York.
“I thought Matt Brandau did a nice job [at attack], but I think he could be more valuable as a midfielder because he does so many things,” Stagnitta said.
While rookie midfielder Aidan Carroll played attack at Georgetown, where he racked up 77 points (50G, 27A) in his senior year, Stagnitta feels he also is better suited for the midfield.
“He’s so good in front of the cage,” Stagnitta said. “He can run by people, and I don’t know that he puts as much pressure on teams if he’s not in front of the cage.”
Midfielder Levi Anderson, who was left off Maryland’s gameday roster against the Atlas, will be back in the lineup at some point over the Whips’ Homecoming Weekend. He got reps at attack in the fourth quarter of Maryland’s Week 2 loss against the Waterdogs, where he picked up an assist.
Maryland has tinkered with its offense in all three games this season, but Stagnitta has made one thing clear throughout all the change.
“We’re just looking for the best combinations and a little more production,” he said.
Will Rob Pannell break Ryan Boyle’s assists record?
Pannell is chasing history.
The 35-year-old entered the season just six assists away from breaking the career assists record. After dishing out three assists against the Atlas in the Whipsnakes’ 16-12 victory last weekend, Pannell has now climbed to 291 career assists, just one shy of tying Boyle’s all-time record.
Throughout his 13-year career, he has quarterbacked the New York Lizards and the California Redwoods and is now the signal-caller for the Whipsnakes. Since he was young, he has always recognized the value of being a strong feeder, something he learned from his dad.
“My dad always told me that an assist counts just as much as a goal,” Pannell said. “I always loved feeding. I always got more satisfaction after creating a scoring opportunity for a teammate. Beating my guy, drawing a double team and passing it to a guy where he can just catch and put it in.”
Because of this, since turning pro in 2013, Pannell has averaged 4.2 points per game – two of which have come from his feeding.
Even with 323 career goals over his decorated career, Pannell has always balanced his scoring with his ability to create through his passing game.
Now, with a doubleheader against the Boston Cannons on Saturday Night Lacrosse and the Carolina Chaos on Sunday afternoon, the home crowd in Baltimore will be watching intently, looking for a chance to witness history.
Can Asher Nolting beat Matt Dunn one-on-one?
The most pivotal matchup in Saturday night’s showdown between the Cannons and Whipsnakes will be Nolting vs. Dunn — a physical, cerebral one-on-one battle that could swing the game’s outcome. Nolting, the Cannons’ primary facilitator, draws the most defensive attention every week, and for good reason. He’s the engine of Boston’s offense, known for backing down defenders, seeing skip lanes few others can and carving up sliding defenders.
But Dunn has proven to be one of the few defenders who can hold his ground against Nolting. Last season, the Whipsnakes veteran held Nolting to 1-for-10 shooting as the closest defender, effectively rendering the Cannons’ quarterback invisible.
Last week, Nolting again struggled against another top-tier cover man in Waterdogs defenseman Ben Randall, who shut him down in one-on-ones, disrupting Boston’s entire offensive rhythm. With Randall locking him off, Nolting was forced into awkward reset situations, far from his usual dominant role.
If Dunn can replicate that performance, it would test whether Boston’s offense can adapt when its focal point is taken out of rhythm.
Marcus Holman seeking to join an elite club
Holman enters Saturday’s matchup looking to make some history of his own.
The veteran attackman is just one point shy of 500 career points, a milestone that would cement his place among pro lacrosse’s preeminent offensive threats. Currently sitting at 499 points, it feels more likely than not we’ll see the Cannons star become the sixth player to reach the milestone, joining Paul Rabil (657), John Grant Jr. (643), Pannell (613), Joe Walters (565) and Casey Powell (523).
