Minnesota Swarm (5-6 H 1-3 A 4-3)

vs
Calgary Roughnecks (8-2 H 4-1 A 4-1)

Saturday, March 28, 2009 - 7:00 pm CST
Xcel Energy Center
St. Paul, Minnesota

Live Statistics

Minnesota Swarm Game Center

TV/Internet/Radio Coverage:

More Coverage of this game at:

Regular Season History:

The two teams met on February 6 in Calgary, with the Roughnecks winning 13-8. Tracey Kelusky (17g 39a) scored four goals and five assists for Calgary while Chad Culp (10g 18a) led Minnesota with two goals and an assist. The Roughnecks opened the game with a 6-0 run before Culp scored at the 12:49 mark of the second quarter . This Saturday's meeting will be the first time the Roughnecks visit the Xcel Energy Center. A win by the Roughnecks will clinch them the head to head tiebreaker between the two teams.

Rosters:

Regular Season Statistics:

2009 NLL Standings

Former Roughnecks With The Swarm:

• Ryan Sharp (3g 3a)

Former Swarm With The Roughnecks:

• Nolan Heavenor (3g 1a)
• Michael Kilby (0g 1a)

The Minnesota Swarm saw their three game winning streak end last Sunday in Denver as they lost to the Colorado Mammoth (6-5) by a score of 13-11. Aaron Wilson (23g 19a) had four goals and two assists and Sean Pollock (16g 27a) had two goals and four assists. The loss dropped them a game behind both Colorado and the Portland LumberJax (5-4) in the standings and guaranteed that the Mammoth will hold the head to head tiebreaker against the Swarm.

The Calgary Roughnecks beat the Mammoth the night before in Calgary by the score of 13-10. They have extended their West Division lead to two and half games. The Roughnecks can clinch a playoff spot with two wins or one win and a San Jose Stealth (4-7) loss or two Stealth losses and one Edmonton Rush (3-8) loss this weekend. The Roughnecks will host the Toronto Rock (4-7) the night before they travel to Minnesota for Saturday night's game. The game against Toronto is for bragging rights in Canada and if they win, they will have swept the Rock in two games this year.

Pollock passed Ryan Ward (18g 22a) for the team scoring lead after the Colorado game. A reason for that is Ward's goal production has taken a big hit with only one goal in his last three games compared with his 2.42 goal per game pace before the Rock game on February 27. He reportedly suffered a lower body injury either during that Rock game or leading up to it that may still be hindering him now. As many saw on Sunday night's online broadcast, Culp suffered a lower body injury in the fourth quarter that required him to be carried off the field at the time of injury but after the game as well. A half day later he was moving on his own power but slightly slower than his usual gait. If Culp can't go, Rory McDade (0g 4a) should get the nod even as he is recovering from a minor lower body injury of his own suffered against Buffalo on February 28.

Nick Patterson (3-3 12.45 .742 Save %), even in last Sunday's loss, looks to be continuing his resurgence in play in the second half of the season. He did not fare well in Calgary last month as he saved only 21 of 30 shots and was replaced by Kevin Croswell (2-3 10.86 GAA .784 Save %) but that should not influence the Swarm's decision's to start him on Saturday.

The Swarm gave up five power play goals and two shorthanded in Calgary last month. They also gave up five last Sunday in Colorado. It is imperative that the same can not happen on Saturday. Conversely, they only scored one power play goal in both Calgary and Colorado. That power play pattern is season wide as Calgary leads the league in power play conversion at 62% and the Swarm are next to last in the league at 34%.

Heavenor makes his return to Minnesota for the first time since 2006 season when he was a rookie. Heavenor is from Victoria, BC just like Swarm General Manager Marty O'Neill who drafted Heavenor with the Swarm's first pick in the 2005 Entry Draft which was a second rounder. Heavenor played regularly in the first five weeks of 2006 (4 games 3g 1a) but afterwards there appeared to be a falling out between Heavenor and the Swarm, which saw Heavenor not only not dressing for the rest of the season, but not even travelling with the team. During the following off season, the Swarm traded Heavenor to Calgary, where he has flourished in the past three years sharing face off duties with Devan Wray (0g 3a) and as one of their top transition threats. Incidentally, when Heavenor was with the Swarm his best game came against Calgary when he scored two goals in the Swarm's only victory over the Roughnecks on January 20 by a score of 12-8.

When the Swarm played Calgary earlier this year, Pat Campbell (4-2 10.86 GAA .758 Save %) was in net and performed well. He was their starter for the first half of the season but during their current three game winning streak, Campbell has given way to Matt King (4-0 9.20 GAA .780 Save %), who is now the hot goaltender in Calgary. I expect to see King start this Saturday and during King's career he has done well against the Swarm saving 110 of 136 shots on him for a .809 Save %.

The Swarm will finally return home this weekend after being on the road since February 20. They finish with four of five at home including three divisional opponents at our place (Calgary, Edmonton and Portland). Success is not guaranteed with the return to home for the Swarm. They have lost three straight at home this season and have lost six of their last seven at home going back to when they started 6-0 at home in 2008.

Even with the lack of home success of late, the Swarm have gained quite a bit of confidence with their 3-2 road trip this past month. They are much improved since they last played at home and last played Calgary. Wilson and Buchanan have added punch to the offense and the five on five defense has been solid with All-Star Nick Inch (0g 3a) and both Travis Hill (1g 4a) and Eric Pacey (0g 3a) have gained back playing time and the coaches confidence after both being sat earlier in the season. With the offensive threats that the Roughnecks have in Kelusky, point man Josh Sanderson (21g 43a), sophomore sensation Dane Dobbie (27g 28a) and 2000 Champions Cup hero Kaleb Toth (22g 27a), the defense probably can't just double team one of them all the time, but will have to switch them up constantly to give Calgary a different look on each shift.

The Swarm will have to have a better start than the last time they played the Roughnecks, when they trailed 6-0 to start. We hope they don't start the game tense and try do impossible things just to please the fans. Play their game, relax, have Pollock, Wilson, etc. cut to the net, stay out of the box and help on defense so Patterson is not left one on one all night. Do those things and the Swarm should be able to pull out yet another close victory.

Prediction - Minnesota Swarm 12 Calgary Roughnecks 11

Minnesota Swarm Promotions:

• Irish Night - Wear Green and get $10 off a $50 or more purchase at the Lacrosse Lodge aka as the Hockey Lodge
• Postgame Party at Shamrocks

Next Games After This Match Up

• Minnesota (5-6) at San Jose (4-7) - Friday, April 3 9:30 pm CST
• Calgary (8-2) at Edmonton (3-8) - Friday, April 3 8:00 pm CST