Breaking Down the Tenth Anniversary Schedule

2014 Schedule

September 3, 2013

Schedule

The Minnesota Swarm and the rest of the National Lacrosse League announced the 2014 Regular Season Schedule today. This year the regular season expands from sixteen to eighteen games. The Swarm also return to the East Division where they resided for their first four years of existence from 2005 - 2008.

The Swarm open the tenth anniversary season on the road in Rochester to face the two-time defending NLL Champions on December 28, 2013. This game is one of three games to open the NLL season on that date. The Swarm's first three games of the season are on the road. Last year, the two teams only faced each once and that was in the East Division finals. The Swarm crossed over to the East playoffs due to having a better record than the last place East team, Buffalo. They advanced to the East Division finals and lost 12-10 in Rochester, falling one game short of the NLL Champions Cup. This game will celebrate the Swarm's first ever regular season game which also was in Rochester on January 1, 2005, which the Swarm won 12-11 on a Craig Conn game-winning goal. The Swarm host the Knighthawks on April 4th to start a home and home series wrapping up in Rochester the following night.

The Swarm play on January 11th in the Vancouver Stealth's home opener at their new home at the Langley Events Centre. Last year, the Stealth were in Everett, Washington and known as the Washington Stealth. The Swarm won two of three games against the Stealth last year and this game will be the only time the two teams face each other this year.

The Swarm have a home and home series the following weekend against the Philadelphia Wings. The first game is on January 18th in Philadelphia and the next day, the Swarm have their home opener on Sunday at 2:00 pm as the host the same Wings. The Swarm and Wings split last year with both winning at home. The home win for the Swarm last year over the Wings was the first time the Swarm ever scored 20 goals in a game. The Swarm later travel back to Philadelphia on February 23rd.

The Swarm immediately return back to the road as they travel to Denver to play the Colorado Mammoth on February 1st. The Mammoth won last year's series 2-1 over the Swarm and with that series win, they clinched fourth place over the Swarm. The Mammoth have won 2 of 3 against the Swarm in both the last two years. The Swarm host the Mammoth later in the year at The Hive on April 19th.

The Swarm have their second game at The Hive on February 8th as they host the Calgary Roughnecks. The Roughnecks swept the Swarm last season on their way to the West Division Regular Season title. The Swarm travel to Calgary on March 29th.

The Swarm host the Edmonton Rush for their only game of the season between the two teams on February 15th. Last year, the two teams split their series with both teams winning on the road. The road game in Edmonton on Febuary 22nd was the game that saw Andrew Suitor's season end with a knee injury, which he hopes will be recovered from in time for the season opener in Rochester.

The Swarm embark on their second three-game road trip on February 22nd as the travel to Toronto to face the Rock. The two teams split during the regular season both winning 13-12 and both winning at home. The Swarm's home victory was an overtime thriller with Tyler Hass scoring the game winner. The Swarm open last year's playoffs in Toronto in which they played their best ever playoff game in a resounding 20-11 victory with both Jordan MacIntosh and Shayne Jackson scoring four goals each. The Swarm host the Rock twice at The Hive on March 16th and the regular season finale on April 26th.

After a road game in Philadelphia, the Swarm continue their three-game road trip to Buffalo on March 8th to face the Bandits. That means rematch time against the Swarm's all-time leading goal scorer Ryan Benesch and the Swarm's all-time leading shorthanded goal scorer Andrew Watt, both of whom were traded this off season to the Bandits for first round picks in 2015 and 2016 and a third rounder in 2017. In what many consider to be the worst trade in Swarm team history, both Benesch and Watt will be able to wreak revenge on the Swarm for the next two years before the Swarm can finally get that 2015 first rounder (possibly Wesley Berg or Jesse King) in Swarm blue and gold in 2016. Benesch and Watt return to The Hive for the first time on March 23rd and again on April 12th. Last year, the two teams split with both teams winning at home. The 21-7 home victory over Buffalo saw the Swarm score the most ever goals in a game in team history breaking the record 20 set the previous weekend in Philadelphia.

The Swarm start the season on the road with three games and finish the season at The Hive with three games. They have five Saturday games, three on Sunday and one on Friday at home as they schedule around various high school and college tournaments. The January 19th home opener is the earliest in the year the Swarm have had a home opener since 2011.

The Swarm play eight of their nine road games on Saturday including an 11:00 am start in Philadelphia on January 18th. This will be the earliest time in the day that the Swarm have ever played regular season or playoff game.

The Swarm face each of their new but also old East Division rivals three times each this season hosting Buffalo and Toronto twice and Philadelphia and Rochester each once. They also play each West Division team at least once, playing both Colorado and Calgary home and away. They host Edmonton and travel to Vancouver for the single games.

The return to the East matches the Swarm up with the same four teams they originally faced in the East in their inauguaral 2005 season with Buffalo, Philadelphia, Rochester and Toronto (ie the Old Four). Ten years later, deja vu all over again, as the Swarm reunite with old familiar foes.

With the schedule coming out, I peer through my blue and gold Swarm glasses and see the Swarm winning the opener in Rochester followed by another seventeen regular season victories to clinch home field throughout the playoffs with a 18-0 record. It may be a bit bold but why not ring in a new 18 game format with a 18-0 record. Even taking off the blue and gold Swarm glasses, I still see a very successful season for the team as they win at least 8 of 12 in division and 4 of 6 against West foes, for a 12-6 record. Of course, that sets the Swarm up for great playoff positioning, a first round bye more than likely and it goes without saying but I will say it:

2014 NLL Champions Cup Winners