Four MSL Players earn Week Four National Lacrosse League Awards

Blasdell, Tavares, Steenhuis & Benesch

NLL.com -Jan 24, 2007 - The National Lacrosse League has announced the Week number four player awards for the 2007 season. Arizona Sting goaltender Rob Blasdell earned Overall Player of the Week and Defensive Player of the Week honors, Buffalo Bandits forward John Tavares earned Offensive Player of the Week honors, Buffalo's Mark Steenhuis was named Transition Player of the Week and Toronto's Ryan Benesch was named Rookie of the Week.

Arizona Sting goaltender Rob Blasdell earned Overall Player of the Week and Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance in a weekend sweep of the Portland LumberJax. On Friday, Blasdell turned away 49 shots and allowed only four goals in an 11-4 victory over Portland at Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Arizona. The veteran goaltender held the previously unbeaten LumberJax squad scoreless for the first 38:43 seconds of the game. On Saturday, Blasdell recorded 27 saves and allowed nine goals in Arizona's 11-9 win over the LumberJax. Blasdell also recorded an assist in Saturday's victory at Rose Garden in Portland.

Buffalo Bandits veteran forward John Tavares was named the Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in a 22-13 home win over the Minnesota Swarm on Saturday. Tavares flirted with two NLL records as he recorded 10 assists and 13 points in the win, both are one shy of single game records. Tavares scored three goals, including one short-handed goal and one power play goal. The veteran also collected six loose balls in the win.

Mark Steenhuis of the Buffalo Bandits earned Transition Player of the Week honors. Steenhuis scored seven points on three goals and four assists and collected 10 loose balls in a 22-13 win over the Minnesota Swarm on Saturday. Steenhuis scored one of his goals on the Power Play in the win at HSBC Arena in Buffalo.

Toronto Rock rookie forward Ryan Benesch earned Rookie of the Week Honors for Week Four. Benesch scored five points on four goals and an assist in Toronto's 19-15 home loss to Rochester on Saturday at Air Canada Centre. The first overall selection in the 2006 Entry Draft, Benesch also collected six loose balls and scored one of his goals on the power play.