Minnesota Swarm (2-0) 11 Toronto Rock (1-2) 4
Swarm Ascend to First Place with Victory
Saturday, January 12, 2008
St. Paul, Minnesota
Attendance: 10,104
Minnesota Swarm lacrosse returned to the Xcel Energy Center for 2008 in spectacular fashion. After a rough and tumble, high
scoring affair in Toronto the night before, the Swarm showed off their defense to 10,104 fans in a 11-4 victory over the Toronto
Rock. The four goals given up by the Swarm were the fewest given up by a Swarm team in history breaking the previous record of
six on February 3, 2006 in a 7-6 victory over the Edmonton Rush in Edmonton. The victory also was the first time in team history
that the Swarm won their home opener. After losing the first three games in their history to the Rock, the Swarm have now won
three straight against the laxers from Toronto. In addition, the Swarm now have their first 2-0 start in team history and
sit alone on top of the East Division.
Like the previous night, the game started slowly in the first quarter. Andy Secore scored the
first home goal of the season for the Swarm with 10:21 left in the quarter by scoring from behind the net one hander. Sean Pollock who was the Swarm's second leading scorer notched his first goal of the season after
being ejected in the first quarter for fighting on Friday night. The Rock finally got a goal by
Nick Patterson with 1:16 left in the quarter on a Jim Veltman breakaway.
The Swarm did not let up in the second quarter as they jumped out to a 5-1 lead on three consecutive goals, two of which were
scored by Ryan Ward. The last one was just after Ward served a two minute penalty where he got free on
a breakaway. After Aaron Wilson scored for the Rock to cut the lead to 5-2, Dean Hill scored the
Swarm's first power play goal with sixteen seconds left in the first half from his favorite spot on the crease right to the
goaltender's left. Controversy reared its head with seven seconds left in the half when the Rock asked the referees to check
Patterson's shin pads to see if they were in regulation. The crew chief escorted Patterson into the tunnel along with both
teams' captains and performed the measurement. After a couple minutes, they reemerged with Patterson's pads in comformity with
the rules. If the pads were too big, Patterson would have been removed from the game and Kevin
Croswell would have seen his first regular season action between the pipes for the Swarm. The Rock were issued a bench
minor for the unsuccessful challenge that would continue into the second half.
Craig Point capitalized on that unsuccessful challenge with a power play blast from top right
with 13:57 left in the third. Toronto put together two straight goals to cut the lead to 7-4 including the 41 year old Veltman's
second breakaway goal of the game. Ward got his second straight hat trick to snuff the Rock rally that forced Rock starting
goaltender Mike Poulin to the bench in favor of Bob Watson. Chad Culp finished the scoring in
the quarter on a pick and roll with Secore with 4:25 left.
The fourth quarter was the coronation of a fantastic performance by the Minnesota Swarm defense and spectacular goaltending by
Patterson as they held the Rock scoreless for the last quarter. This is the second time in the last three years that the Swarm
have held the Rock scoreless in the fourth at home. D. Hill got his second of the game, again on the power play, with 12:13 left.
The Swarm finished the scoring in the game as Patterson threw the ball at an empty net after the Rock attempted to score with an
extra attacker. The ball just missed and rebounded off the boards and back in front of the net where
Ryan Sharp streaked in to scoop it up and score as Watson just made it back off the bench.
The Swarm defense like I mentioned stole the show and Rock scoring chances. Two of the Rock goals were on breakaways off of
transition which makes the performance all that more impressive. The vaunted Rock power play that caused problems for the Swarm
in the preseason was only four for fourteen in total for both games this weekend including one for four at Xcel. Patterson ruled
the game with an iron fist and even after the shin pad check, did not falter.
The Swarm offense had six of seven forwards scoring goals which is just the way they want it. Like Pollock mentioned after the
game, the Swarm do not have a superstar scorer that if that player is shut down, the whole offense is shut down. Any one of the
seven forwards put into the line up for the game is equally adept to take home the bacon if another is contained. Travis Hill also preaches the philosophy of teamwork that is prevalent throughout the team. In addition,
T. Hill brought up the importance of not having to go through another head coaching change and the stability and sense of direction
that brings. The first three years of the franchise saw three head coach in three years but Head Coach
Duane Jacobs deservedly bucked that trend and has this team playing like a team like no Swarm team has ever played before.
Another amazing factor is how well the Swarm have assimiliated eight new players into the team. T. Hill explains that the Swarm
look for self-motivators that fit into a team concept and have the ability to adapt quickly to their surroundings. Swarm General
Manager Marty O'Neill says that the Swarm have a core group of players that will play every game and
that the rest of team understands their roles and keep their readiness level high when called upon.
Tonight's game was the return for Mark Miyashita after his season last year was cut short
prematurely by a serious knee injury. Miyashita mentioned the grueling rebabilition that he went through that started immediately
after his surgery. He will be wearing a brace this season but expects and can't wait to be rid of it. His return was successful
as he led the Swarm with nine loose balls, notched an assist and was 7 of 14 on face offs.
Swarm first round draft pick Justin Norbraten made a successful professional debut in front
of the fans. The 23 year old, newly tanned from a trip to Costa Rica, assisted on three goals as he got to work with Swarm
veterans Ward and Pollock on the right side.
Secore led the Swarm with a goal and four assists. Ward led the goal scorers with three and also assist with one. D. Hill and
Culp also contributed with four points with D. Hill getting two goals and Culp one. Patterson saved 40 of 44 shots and after last
night leads the league in goals against at 9.88 and is the only goaltender with a save percentage over .800 at .802. The Rock
were led by Veltman who scored two goals.
The Swarm have the following weekend off. They start a two game road trip and resume play in Rochester, New York on Saturday,
January 26th at 7:05 pm CST against the Knighthawks (1-1). They return home on Friday, February 8th at 7:00 pm CST to host the
New York Titans (1-0).
Game Statistics
Box Score
Swarm Game Center
| # | Minnesota |
G |
A | Pts |
PIM |
PPG | SHG |
S |
LB | FO |
|
# | Toronto |
G |
A | Pts |
PIM |
PPG | SHG |
S |
LB | FO |
| 21 | Andy Secore |
1 |
4 |
5 | 0 |
0 |
0 | 6 |
5 |
0-0 |
|
32 | Jim Veltman |
2 |
0 | 2 |
4 |
0 | 0 |
2 |
8 | 0-0 |
| 44 | Ryan Ward |
3 |
1 |
4 | 2 |
0 |
0 | 12 |
1 |
0-0 |
|
19 | Josh
Sanderson |
0 |
2 | 2 |
2 |
0 | 0 |
9 |
0 | 0-0 |
| 73 | Dean Hill |
2 |
2 |
4 | 0 |
2 |
0 | 8 |
0 |
0-0 |
|
21 | Ryan Benesch |
1 |
1 |
2 | 2 |
0 |
0 | 11 |
4 |
0-0 |
| 19 | Chad Culp |
1 |
3 | 4 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
8 |
1 | 0-0 |
|
10 | Aaron Wilson |
1 |
0 | 1 |
2 |
1 | 0 |
9 |
1 | 0-0 |
| 17 | Sean Pollock |
2 |
1 | 3 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
9 |
2 | 0-0 |
|
16 | Blaine
Manning |
0 |
1 | 1 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
9 |
7 | 6-9 |
| 24 | Justin Norbraten |
0 |
3 |
3 | 0 |
0 |
0 | 2 |
1 |
0-0 |
|
6 | Dan Ladouceur |
0 |
0 | 0 |
12 |
0 | 0 |
0 |
0 | 0-0 |
| 9 | Craig Point |
1 |
1 |
2 | 2 |
1 |
0 | 10 |
2 |
0-0 |
|
9 | Jon Harasym |
0 |
0 | 0 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
8 |
0 | 0-0 |
| 26 | Ryan Sharp |
1 |
0 |
1 | 0 |
0 |
0 | 3 |
3 |
0-0 |
|
14 | Rob Marshall |
0 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
0 |
0 | 3 |
1 |
0-0 |
| 20 | Kyle Ross |
0 |
1 |
1 | 0 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
5 |
0-0 |
|
15 | Mark Scherman |
0 |
0 | 0 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
1 |
1 | 0-0 |
| 39 | Mark Miyashita |
0 |
1 |
1 | 0 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
9 |
7-14 |
|
20 | Jay Winder |
0 |
0 | 0 |
4 |
0 | 0 |
1 |
2 | 0-0 |
| 12 | Eric Pacey |
0 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
1 |
0-0 |
|
22 | Cam Woods |
0 |
0 |
0 | 2 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
0 |
0-0 |
| 16 | Noah Talbot |
0 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
1 |
0-0 |
|
27 | Peter Lough |
0 |
0 | 0 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
1 |
7 | 5-10 |
| 23 | Jon Sullivan |
0 |
0 | 0 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
1 |
3 | 0-0 |
|
29 | Bob Watson |
0 |
0 | 0 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
0 |
0 | 0-0 |
| 28 | Darren Halls |
0 |
0 |
0 | 2 |
0 |
0 | 1 |
5 |
1-5 |
|
30 | Mike Poulin |
0 |
0 | 0 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
0 |
0 | 0-0 |
| 31 | Kevin Croswell |
0 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
0 |
0-0 |
|
33 | Kasey Beirnes |
0 |
0 | 0 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
5 |
2 | 0-0 |
| 47 | Travis Hill |
0 |
0 |
0 | 12 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
1 |
0-0 |
|
37 | Scott
Campbell |
0 |
0 | 0 |
12 |
0 | 0 |
1 |
1 | 0-0 |
| 50 | Ryan Cousins |
0 |
0 |
0 | 14 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
1 |
0-0 |
|
40 | Ian Rubel |
0 |
0 | 0 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
0 |
1 | 0-0 |
| 93 | Nick Patterson |
0 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
0 |
0-0 |
|
93 | Chris
Driscoll |
0 |
0 | 0 |
0 |
0 | 0 |
0 |
0 | 0-0 |
| # | Minnesota | MIN |
GA | Saves | Shots |
|
# | Toronto | MIN |
GA | Saves | Shots |
| 93 | Nick Patterson | 60:00 |
4 | 40 | 44 |
|
30 | Mike Poulin | 40:15 |
8 | 29 | 37 |
| 31 | Kevin Croswell | 0:00 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
|
29 | Bob Watson | 19:45 |
3 | 8 | 11 |
| Scoring by Quarter | 1 |
2 |
3 | 4 |
F |
| Minnesota | 2 |
4 |
3 | 2 |
11 |
| Toronto | 1 |
1 |
2 | 0 |
4 |
| Team Stats | Power Play | SHG |
PIM | LB | Saves/Shots |
Face Offs |
| Minnesota | 3-10 | 0 |
32 | 41 | 40/44 |
8/19 |
| Toronto | 1/4 | 0 |
44 | 35 | 37/48 |
11/19 |
| Scratches | | |
| | |
| Minnesota | Chris Courtney | Rory McDade |
Colin Achenbach | Nick Inch | Mike Hominuck |
| Toronto | Derek Suddons | Nathan Sanderson |
Matt Carroll | Jamie Taylor | Matt Taylor |
| 
