Minnesota Swarm (2-1) 9
Buffalo Bandits (4-0) 10
The Measuring Stick Almost Measured Up
Saturday, January 24, 2009
St. Paul, Minnesota
Attendance: 11,458
Leading up to last night's game against the Buffalo Bandits, the Minnesota Swarm were talking of this game as being a measuring
stick for their team. What the Swarm were measuring was where their team was in comparison with the defending NLL Champion
Bandits. They measured up well but quite well enough in the 10-9 loss to the Bandits. John Tavares' goal coming off
rolling behind a pick with 1:32 left in the game kept the Bandits one measured unit ahead in this year's 2009 season.
The Bandits sprinted out the gate in this game with Tavares finding Roger Vyse for the first goal of the game just
1:28 into the game. Mike Accursi scored two in a row after that to advance the lead to 3-0 and after Cory Bomberry fired a low
laser past Nick Patterson (1-0 9.00 GAA .810 Save%) late in the first quarter to extend the lead to 4-0, the
Swarm made a goaltender change to Kevin Croswell (1-1 7.31 GAA .852 Save%).
The Bandits kept on rolling in the second quarter with a Kyle Schmelzle breakaway goal for their fifth straight to
begin the game. A fast start like this in the past often doomed the Swarm against the Bandits like in 2007, but not this time. The comeback started with
Kevin Fines (3g 1a) on a breakaway goal through Mike Thompson's five hole. The Swarm next scored on the power play after
Dean Hill (1g 7a) found Dan Marohl (5g 4a) on the other side of the crease for the only power play goal of the game for both
sides. Ryan Ward (7g 4a) got his 100th regular season goal for the Swarm as he cut down the middle where D. Hill found him open
on his way to the net. Chad Culp (2g 2a) scooped up a rebound from a Kevin Ross (5g 9a) shot and found a nook past Thompson.
The Bandits challenged the goal but the goal stood to cut the Bandit lead to 5-4. Unfortunately for the Swarm, the Bandits
nipped the rally in the bud with two goals in only one minute and a second after the Culp goal to give the Bandits a 7-4
advantage. Swarm fans got the opportunity to see their first fight of the year at the X late in the second quarter when
Sean Pollock (4g 6a) to out his frustration on the Bandits' Brandon Swamp. Pollock did have a slight forehead shiner after
the game but his rights connected often with the Bandits' main face off man.
The Swarm had some rare in the third quarter, a good third quarter. It started a man down after a too many men call on the
team when Culp found Ward through two Bandits. Ward got the ball and stung it past Thompson. Ross then put the moves on Schmelzle
eventually finding an opening to score and cut the lead to 7-6. The Bandits yet again thwarted the Swarm comeback with Vyse
scoring his second of the night. Tavares then pulled off the air gait to make it 9-7 but the Swarm challenged the goal. The
crew chief overturned the Tavares goal since his stick touched Croswell leaving the score at 8-7. The Swarm then had a 4 on 2
break going led by Andrew Watt (1g 2a) who found Ryan Cousins (1g 0a) attacking the middle for the goal. Ross appeared to tie
it later in the quarter but the refs ruled a no goal. The goal was challengeable but since the Swarm had already used their
one challenge for the half, there was nothing that could be done.
The Bandits started to last quarter getting back that two goal lead just 19 seconds in on a Sean Greenhalgh goal. Colin
Achenbach (0g 2a) retrieved a loose ball in the defensive end and took it nearly the length of the floor before he found D. Hill
coming off the bench to cut the deficit to 9-8. Ross nearly tied it at nine but Pollock was in the crease at the time and the goal
was waived off. Pollock redeemed himself with a backhanded flip to Fines who came off the pick set for Pollock to tie the game
at nine. Tavares then got the aforementioned game winner but the Swarm were unable to answer to tie it by the end of regulation.
Ross and D. Hill both scored one goal and three assists while Ward and Fines each scored two goals to lead the Swarm.
Patterson started the game in net making 11 saves on 15 shots. Croswell replaced Patterson late in the first and stopped 33
of 39 shots. Tavares led the Bandits with a goal and four assists. The game winner is the third for Tavares against the Swarm.
Accursi and Vyse both had two goals for the Bandits. Thompson went the distance saving 58 of a Swarm team record 67 shots.
The Swarm did well in coming back. They limited the league's now third leading scorer Mark Steenhuis to just an assist. They
came out strong in the third, did not allow a Bandit power play goal and matched the physicalness of the Bandits. Still, the
Bandits got the upperhand in the end thanks to fantastic goaltending from Thompson and clutchness of Tavares. The Swarm will
get the opportunity to avenge the loss on February 28 in Buffalo but before then, the Swarm will numerous obstacles that need to
be overcome. This first priority is the undefeated and West leading Calgary Roughnecks (4-0) on February 6.
Game Statistics
Box Score |
Minnesota Swarm Game Center
| Team Stats |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
F |
|
Sv/S |
PIM |
PP |
SH |
S |
SOG |
LB |
FO |
| Minnesota |
0 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
9 |
|
44/54 |
13 |
1/2 |
1 |
92 |
67 |
95 |
10/23 |
| Buffalo |
4 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
10 |
|
58/67 |
13 |
0/2 |
0 |
80 |
54 |
86 |
13/23 |
| # |
Minnesota |
G |
A |
Pts |
PIM |
PPG |
SHG |
S |
SOG |
LB |
FO |
| 71 |
Kevin Ross |
1 |
3 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
11 |
7 |
5 |
0/0 |
| 73 |
Dean Hill |
1 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
12 |
1 |
3 |
0/0 |
| 21 |
Kevin Fines |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
3 |
8 |
1/5 |
| 44 |
Ryan Ward |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
12 |
7 |
4 |
0/0 |
| 7 |
Dan Marohl |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
7 |
7 |
5 |
0/0 |
| 19 |
Chad Culp |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
6 |
3 |
0/0 |
| 50 |
Ryan Cousins |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
5 |
8 |
0/0 |
| 17 |
Sean Pollock |
0 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
13 |
11 |
8 |
0/0 |
| 22 |
Andrew Watt |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
12 |
0/0 |
| 26 |
Ryan Sharp |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
6 |
0/0 |
| 27 |
Colin Achenbach |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0/0 |
| 34 |
Nick Inch |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
0/0 |
| 9 |
Craig Point |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
11 |
6 |
4 |
0/0 |
| 16 |
Noah Talbot |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0/0 |
| 23 |
Jon Sullivan |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0/0 |
| 28 |
Darren Halls |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
13 |
9/18 |
| 31 |
Kevin Croswell |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0/0 |
| 93 |
NickPatterson |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0/0 |
| 4 |
Joe Cinosky |
Did Not Dress |
| 12 |
Eric Pacey |
Did Not Dress |
| 33 |
Kevin Buchanan |
Did Not Dress |
| 47 |
Travis Hill |
Did Not Dress |
| 77 |
Riley Kemp |
Did Not Dress |
| |
| # |
Minnesota |
MIN |
GA |
Saves |
Shots |
Dec |
|
| 93 |
NickPatterson |
13:19 |
4 |
11 |
15 |
|
|
| 31 |
Kevin Croswell |
46:41 |
6 |
33 |
39 |
L 1-1 |
|
| |
| # |
Buffalo |
G |
A |
Pts |
PIM |
PPG |
SHG |
S |
SOG |
LB |
FO |
| 11 |
John Tavares |
1 |
4 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
13 |
11 |
6 |
0/0 |
| 81 |
Roger Vyse |
2 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
5 |
5 |
0/0 |
| 19 |
Sean Greenhalgh |
1 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
11 |
7 |
4 |
0/0 |
| 72 |
Cory Bomberry |
1 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
5 |
4 |
1/2 |
| 51 |
Kevin Dostie |
0 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
0/0 |
| 44 |
Mike Accursi |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
10 |
6 |
6 |
0/0 |
| 8 |
Delby Powless |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
0/0 |
| 24 |
Kyle Schmelzle |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
0/0 |
| 28 |
Clay Hill |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
10 |
0/0 |
| 2 |
Ian Llord |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0/0 |
| 9 |
Mark Steenhuis |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
18 |
10 |
7 |
0/0 |
| 66 |
Mike Thompson |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0/0 |
| 6 |
Chris White |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
0/0 |
| 14 |
Joe Smith |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0/0 |
| 17 |
Brandon Swamp |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0/0 |
| 18 |
Phil Sanderson |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
11 |
0/0 |
| 84 |
Brandon Francis |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
13 |
12/21 |
| 29 |
Ken Montour |
Back up Goaltender - DNP |
| 3 |
Billy Dee Smith |
Did Not Dress |
| 4 |
Andrew Lazore |
Did Not Dress |
| 12 |
Brian Croswell |
Did Not Dress |
| 63 |
Thomas Montour |
Did Not Dress |
| 88 |
Cody Jacobs |
Did Not Dress |
| |
| # |
Buffalo |
MIN |
GA |
Saves |
Shots |
Dec |
|
| 66 |
Mike Thompson |
60:00 |
9 |
58 |
67 |
W 2-0 |
|
| 29 |
Ken Montour |
0:00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Next Games After This Match Up
- Minnesota (2-1) at Calgary (4-0) - Friday, February 6 8:30 pm CST
- Buffalo (4-0) at Edmonton (2-2) - Thursday, January 29 8:00 pm CST
| 
