Minnesota Swarm Can Clinch A Playoff Berth This Weekend

Published on April 6, 2006 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Minnesota Swarm News Release


SAINT PAUL/MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - With a playoff spot on the line, the National Lacrosse League's (NLL) Minnesota Swarm (7-6) will play back-to-back contests this weekend starting Saturday night on the road against the Rochester Knighthawks (7-7) in a key East Division battle. The Swarm then hosts the San Jose Stealth on Sunday at 5:00 PM at Xcel Energy Center. The first 5,000 children 16-and-under in attendance will receive a Ryan Ward magnet, presented by KARE 11.

First-place Buffalo (9-4) clinched a berth last weekend, leaving the other three Eastern playoff spots open. After battling in perhaps the tightest division race in league history, the four remaining Eastern teams, still all separated by a half game, each have a chance to reach the playoffs this weekend. With two weekends remaining in the regular season, the Swarm is currently tied for second place in the East Division with Philadelphia. Minnesota can clinch a playoff spot with a pair of wins this weekend, or with a win at Rochester coupled with a Philadelphia win at Toronto on Saturday.

A season-high 10,084 fans at Xcel Energy Center watched Minnesota win in dramatic come-from-behind fashion last Saturday, as the team scored eight unanswered goals, including five in the fourth quarter, to defeat the Toronto Rock 10-9. The Swarm trailed 9-2 mid-way through the third quarter, and 9-5 heading into the final frame, but stunned Toronto with a 5-0 fourth quarter run. Brock Boyle, Spencer Martin and Sean Pollock each tallied two goals for Minnesota. Matt Disher earned the victory in net allowing just one goal and stopping 12 of the 13 shots faced in the final 25 minutes of action.

Ryan Ward leads the club and ranks 13th in the NLL in scoring with 58 points (16-42=58) and Chad Culp is second with 44 points (19-25=44). Disher has backstopped the Swarm to victory in two of its last three games and is 2-4 on the season with a 10.55 goals against average (GAA). Nick Patterson is 5-2 with a 10.81 GAA.

Saturday's game at Blue Cross Arena marks the 11th and final regular season game against an East Division opponent for the Swarm. Minnesota is 4-6 this season against the East. The club won the season-series against Philadelphia (2-1), dropped the season-series to Buffalo (1-2), is 0-2 against Rochester and split a pair of games against Toronto (1-1). The Swarm is 2-3 in five lifetime meetings with the Knighthawks, including a 1-2 record at Xcel Energy Center. Rochester has won the last three meetings overall between the two clubs, outscoring Minnesota 42-26 in those games, including the first two this season at Xcel Energy Center.

The Swarm will play its final two regular season games against West Division opponents at home starting Sunday against San Jose. The team is undefeated against the West Division (3-0) this year defeating Calgary, Edmonton and Portland on the road. The Stealth (5-7) will also be playing two games this weekend as they host Portland Friday night before visiting Xcel Energy Center Sunday. Minnesota defeated San Jose, 9-8, in its first and only meeting on January 22, 2005 as Disher made 38 saves. The Swarm will host the Portland LumberJax in the regular season finale on Saturday, April 15 at 7:00 PM.

Swarm regular season single game tickets are available in all price categories and range from $12.00 to $27.00 per game. For more information on becoming a Minnesota Swarm season ticket holder please call (888) MN-SWARM. Fans can watch this weekend's Swarm games online via B2 networks for $6.00. To watch the contest online go to www.mnswarm.com ten minutes before the start of a game and click on the WATCH THE GAME LIVE ON B2 link to purchase and watch the game.

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