Last Saturday night served as a momentous occasion for the Calgary Roughnecks when the then .500 club trounced the two-time defending champion Buffalo Bandits; in front of more than 19,000 fans at downtown Buffalo’s KeyBank Center. The visitors from Alberta outscored the Western New Yorkers 10-5 in the second half, turning a 7-6 halftime advantage into a 17-11 decisive drubbing.
It’s an 8-point night for Curtis Dickson as @NLLRoughnecks take down Buffalo.
Watch Dickson’s sock trick 👇🧦 pic.twitter.com/3gD1hS5D8G
— NLL (@NLL) March 9, 2025
“Going against a team that’s lost one game all year and have been pretty dominant as back-to-back champs, it’s going to be a little intimidating,” explains Roughnecks forward Curtis Dickson. “I thought we did a good job of weathering the storm early. There were 19,000 plus there, and that’s obviously a tough environment to play in. I thought we did a really good job of staying with our game plans, keeping the game close, and then pulling away in the fourth quarter. It was just a full 60. As cliche as it sounds, that’s what we’ve struggled with this year, putting together full 60-minute effort.”
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The 36-year-old notched a Saturday evening sock trick to go along with two helpers to his buddies. The righty’s late second-quarter goal provided Calgary with a one-score lead heading into the dressing room. His subsequent four-goal post-half-time outburst effectively lowered the curtain on Buffalo’s efforts to prevent a second loss of the 2024-2025 season.
Calgary Roughnecks at Colorado Mammoth from Ball Arena in Denver Colorado on March 1, 2025
While Dickson remains proud of his six-goal, two-assist night at the office, a far greater degree of satisfaction comes from both a high level of reverence for the determination of his teammates, along with the unquestionable improvement displayed in the wake of the previous weekend’s 11-8 loss to the Colorado Mammoth.
“I think once we got the Bandits’ defense moving, we were finding holes and lanes to shoot,” analyzed the University of Delaware alum. “Obviously, we shot the ball well. It was a totally different story compared to the Colorado game. Dillon Ward played well, but I don’t know if we had the greatest shot selection, and we kind of settled for shooting from the outside. I thought we did a better job of penetrating the defense vs. Buffalo. They’re really good and Matt Vinc is probably the greatest to ever do it. So, it was no easy task.”
As for his supersonic performance, Dickson kept it simple.
“When you’re hot, you’re hot. I was shooting the ball well, so I just continued to shoot. Fortunately, I was able to help the team get the win.”
In a unique scheduling quirk, the Roughnecks and Bandits lock horns yet again, this upcoming Saturday, with the Calgary-based sequel premiering at 9:00 Eastern/7:00 Mountain.
Playing in his 14th NLL tour, Dickson leads the league in goals scored with 39, to go along with a robust 45 assists. Amid a resume that features a 61-goal output in 2016 and 54-goal yield in 2017, the man known in lacrosse circles as Superman continues to produce at a remarkable stratum.
CALGARY, AB – FEBRUARY 22, 2025: The Rochester Knighthawks versus the Calgary Roughnecks at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Saturday night (Photo by Angela Burger/Calgary Roughnecks).
When searching for potential secrets to his success, Dickson once again pays deference to those he has shared the field with, as opposed to accepting all credit for himself.
“There’s a lot of guys that take a lot of the pressure off me and find me in open spots,” reflects the NLL stalwart. “I’ve been able to put the ball in the net when asked to. I don’t know if I envisioned this when I first started playing. I feel good. I’m taking care of myself, trying to stay as healthy as possible, knock on wood. I’m still having fun, taking it basically game by game at this point. So, I’ll keep going as long as my body allows me to.”
Dickson spent the first 11 seasons of his career with the Roughnecks, earning 2011 Rookie of the Year honors, while being a proud member of Calgary’s 2019 NLL championship roster. After a two-year detour with the San Diego Seals, the Port Coquitlam, British Columbia product returned to Alberta’s largest city as part of a trade that sent Zach Currier down San Diego way.
Calgary Roughnecks’ Curtis Dickson on March 8, 2025 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. Calgary Roughnecks @ Buffalo Bandits. (Caroline Sherman/NLL)
While initial news of his sudden relocation came as a surprise, the third pick in the 2010 draft is thrilled to be back in such recognizable stomping grounds.
“It was a big shock, no fair warning or anything that the trade was happening. The year prior, I signed a two-year deal with San Diego. I was planning on sticking around there for the duration of it. Heading back to a familiar place like Calgary was kind of a blessing in disguise. There is a lot of old faces from when I was around, along with some fresh, young faces. It’s been a lot of fun,” opines Dickson.
Curtis Dickson has been making it look easy for years! 💪
This week in #NLL history we travel back to 2016 👀 pic.twitter.com/9bDXZZ2xh9
— NLL (@NLL) March 20, 2024
The NLL’s leading goal scorer’s return to the Roughnecks has included the bonus of continuing to lace them up alongside a living legend by the name of Dane Dobbie. Dickson and Dobbie’s careers have practically mirrored one another, with the pair spending more than a decade together in Calgary, followed by a nearly joint stint in Southern California, before reuniting at the Scotiabank Saddledome, prior to this season.
Dane Dobbie and Curtis Dickson of the Roughbecks playing at Albany 12/14/24
The bond built by these two greats of the game stretches well beyond that of simply being longtime teammates.
“It’s pretty cool. I followed Dane down to San Diego,” beams Dickson. “Dane left here for the one year we didn’t play together, and then I got traded and Dane was a free agent, so he followed me back to Calgary. We’ve become really close friends. It’s been pretty special getting to spend my entire career with one of the best players to ever do it. Now, I get to see him climbing all the ranks in goals and points. I owe a lot of my success to him, on and off the floor. He has one of the best lacrosse minds. He’s one of the smartest lacrosse players you’ll ever come around. Being a sponge and absorbing everything he has to say and has to show you on the floor has been a huge contributing factor to the success that I’ve had in my career.”
With legends like Dickson and Dobbie collectively assuming leadership roles, both between the boards and in front of the lockers, Dickson himself relishes everything he has been able to experience during his many years of box lacrosse excellence, while always being available to dispense his ever-growing array of expertise on younger players in search of knowledge.
CALGARY, AB – FEBRUARY 14, 2025: Saskatchewan Rush versus the Calgary Roughnecks at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Friday night (Photo by Angela Burger/Calgary Roughnecks).
“My biggest piece of advice would just be don’t take it for granted,” imparts Dickson. “I’ve been playing in this league for a long time. I’ve played in two championship series and won one. It’s really hard to make it there, let alone win it. Take it from me, the time flies by. Before you know it, you’ll be 36 years old. Enjoy the moment. Play every game like you think it’s going to be the last one.”
