Minnesota Swarm (4-4)

at
Buffalo Bandits (4-2)

March 4th, 2006, 6:30 pm CST
HSBC Arena
Buffalo, New York

Live statistics at: http://www.pointstreak.com

Minnesota Swarm website: http://www.mnswarm.com
Minnesota Swarm message board: http://boards.mnswarm.com/
National Lacrosse League website: http://www.nll.com
NLL message board: http://www.wingszone.com/nllmb/

Series Overall: Buffalo 4-0
Home Overall: Buffalo 3-0
Road Overall: Buffalo 1-0
This Season: Buffalo 1-0
Home This Season: N/A
Road This Season: Buffalo 1-0

More statistics on the Swarm at Pointstreak http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/teampl...56&seasonid=977

Standings:

http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/standi...30&seasonid=977

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The Swarm lost to the Buffalo Bandits on February 18th 14-9 in Buffalo. The record dropped the Swarm to 4-4 this year. #10 Chad Culp led the Swarm with two goals and two assists. Both #18 Spencer Martin and #22 Kasey Beirnes scored one goal and two assists. #93 Nick Patterson was in goal and made forty of fifty-four saves. The Swarm struggled defensively as both captain #50 Ryan Cousins and #16 Noah Talbot missed the game. Cousins missed due to an one game suspension received for his pre-game fight in Edmonton on February 3rd with Edmonton Rush s Trent Smalley. Buffalo Bandits forward #11 John Tavares scored six points in the game which tied him with Gary Gait with the most points in NLL history with 1,091. Tavares next chance to break the record is against the Swarm on March 4th in Buffalo.

All Star Game: http://www.nll.com/article_2256.shtml Boxscore: http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/boxsco...1&seasonid=1113

On Saturday, February 25th, the NLL held their All-Star Game in Toronto. The West Division beat the East Division 14-13. Calgary Roughneck Lewis Ratcliff scored the game winning goal with 4.4 seconds to go and collected the MVP trophy. The Swarm were represented by defensemen #50 Ryan Cousins and #19 Darryl Gibson. Cousins, the Swarm Captain, scored the first goal of the game for the East with Gibson getting an assist. Later, Gibson, aka Doctor D , scored the last goal for the East. In their two year history, the Swarm have sent four players total to the All-Star game. All four have scored a goal in their all-star appearances.

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The Swarm have an extremely important, colossal two game road trip this weekend against division rivals in Toronto on Friday and then they go to Buffalo on Saturday.

The standings are tight in the East and the Swarm have to make their move this weekend in order to improve their playoff chances. Remember, the top four in each division make the playoffs. The Swarm won the tiebreaker against Philadelphia but lost it to Rochester. Tiebreakers are still up for grabs against Toronto and Buffalo. The Swarm are already behind the eight ball to the Bandits as the Bandits beat the Swarm early this year.

Buffalo Bandits 4-2

Rochester Knighthawks 5-3

Toronto Rock 5-4

MINNESOTA SWARM 4-4

Philadelphia Wings 4-4

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After playing in Toronto the night before, the Swarm revisit the lovely city of Buffalo to play the Bandits. Once again, #11 John Tavares (14g 26a) will look to break the all-time points record he is now tied with Gary Gait at 1,091. It is inevitable and not an issue for the Swarm. What the Swarm will need to do is to bring the intensity from the night before in Toronto and continue it in Buffalo. Once again, many family and friends who will watch the game in Toronto, will also visit Buffalo to support the Swarm. A large crowd is expected in Buffalo and hopes are high in Buffalo. Watch for a possible letdown by the Bandits; but the team is too talented for that to happen.

The Swarm defense will have to go up against Tavares again, but the Swarm will have to give even more attention to #9 Mark Steenhuis (15g 13a). Game by game, it appears that Buffalo is giving orange-shoed Steenhuis more offensive responsibility and he continues to meet the challenge. Nonetheless, the Swarm will have a slight break defensively against Buffalo compared to Toronto. All defensemen will be used in one or both games and I think they will let it all hang out against the Bandits considering if they lose on Saturday, they will then lose tiebreakers against both the Bandits and the Rochester Knighthawks.

The Bandit defense still doesn't look impressive on paper, but they are very physical and overachieve often. Expect the Swarm to play #8 Rory McDade in his first NLL game this year against Buffalo. Also, to combat the physicality of the Bandits, the Swarm will rely I think on more of faster, spread out offense compared to the Toronto game. That means #18 Spencer Martin (2g 3a) will set picks and screens to open up scoring chances for #44 Ryan Ward (10g 19a), #10 Chad Culp (14g 16a) and #17 Sean Pollock (8g 12a).

The Bandits have #30 Steve Dietrich (4-2, 9.25 GAA) in goal. Dietrich, with the game against the Swarm on the 18th, passed #93 Nick Patterson (4-1, 9.92 GAA) in goals against average to lead the league. This happened after Dietrich was chosen over Patterson as the All-Star reserve goalie. Whatever Swarm goalie, Patterson or #1 Matt Disher (0-3, 12.10 GAA), starts against the Toronto Rock on Friday, the other will start. I believe Disher will play against the Rock so Patterson should get another shot against the Bandits.

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Swarm Righties
#44 Ryan Ward
#22 Kasey Beirnes
#17 Sean Pollock
#8 Rory McDade

Swarm Lefties
#10 Chad Culp
#40 Jamie Taylor
#11 Kelly Hall
#18 Spencer Martin
#7 Tony Henderson

Swarm Defense
#50 Ryan Cousins
#19 Darryl Gibson
#24 Brock Boyle
#16 Noah Talbot
#23 Jon Sullivan
#12 Eric Pacey
#77 Riley Kemp
#55 Michael Kilby
#33 Shawn Summerfield
#28 Nolan Heavenor
#47 Travis Hill

Swarm Face Off
#66 D'arcy Berthiaume (40 of 105, 38.1%)

Swarm Goalies
#93 Nick Patterson
#1 Matt Disher

Swarm Head Coach
Adam Mueller

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Bandits Righties
#7 Jon Harasym (former Swarm)
#15 Dan Teat
#99 Delby Powless
#97 Bryan Kazarian

Bandits Lefties
#11 John Tavares
#8 A.J. Shannon
#12 Lindsay Plunkett
#93 Kim Squire
#81 Roger Vyse

Bandits Two-Way Player
#9 Mark Steenhuis

Bandits Defense
#17 Kyle Laverty
#3 Billy Dee Smith
#32 Chris Langdale
#16 Rich Kilgour
#23 Pat McCready
#27 Kyle Couling
#6 Chris White
#2 Troy Bonterre
#5 Clay Hill
#77 Jeff Shattler

Bandits Face Off
#72 Cory Bomberry (57 of 119, 47.9%)

Bandits Goalies
#30 Steve Dietrich
#29 Ken Montour

Bandits Head Coach
Darris Kilgour

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My prediction is Swarm 10 Bandits 9. The Swarm will finish the sweep this weekend and will pick up their win in Buffalo. They are due for a win against the Bandits even with Tavares getting his points record .

Next, the Swarm have a weekend off but on March 17th 2006, they will travel to Portland to play the expansion Lumberjax (3-3) at the Rose Garden at 9:30 pm CST.