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It's Time To Get Jacked For The Playoffs

April 27, 2009 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Portland Lumberjax News Release


PORTLAND, April 27, 2009 - In 2006 the expansion Portland LumberJax won the West Division and hosted the franchise's first playoff game. Three seasons later the defending West Division Champion Jax are set to host another playoff game in the Rose City. On Friday, May 1st, Portland hosts the San Jose Stealth in a West Division Semifinal playoff game at 7:30 p.m. at the Rose Garden Arena. Tickets start at just $10, but the arena is filling fast. Seats can be reserved by calling the Jax Ticket Line at 1-866-983-5656, at the Rose Quarter Box Office or through most TicketsWest Outlets.

The winner of the Portland and San Jose game will face either the Calgary Roughnecks or Colorado Mammoth in the West Division Championship during the weekend of May 8-10.

The Jax (9-7) finished second in the West after winning three of their final four games. Portland relied heavily on a balanced scoring attack and a physical defense all season.

The team was 5-1 this season when seven or more players scored goals. Portland also saw four different players score 50+ points, which was a franchise best. The team even dished out a franchise-high 280 assists.

Forward Ryan Powell (18 goals, 44 assists) led the team with 62 points. His assist total was a career-high and epitomized the unselfish nature on the offensive end that Head Coach/General Manager Derek Keenan has preached since training camp in November.

On the defensive end, goalie Matt Disher set the tone early on. The cagey veteran finished with 502 saves and only allowed 10.80 goals-per-game. In fact, Disher was at his best when facing a deluge of shots. Portland went 7-2 in games that Disher faced 45 shots on goal or more.

San Jose (7-9) is no stranger to this Portland squad. This will be the fourth time the two rivals have met this season. The Jax won two of the three matchups and split the season series in Portland. Overall, Portland leads the series history, 8-5.

Like Portland, San Jose had a very historic season. The Stealth became the fifth team in National Lacrosse League history to outscore their opponents, yet finish with a losing record.

This will be the second consecutive year that the two clubs have met in the postseason. Last year in the West Division Semifinals, Portland traveled to San Jose and dropped a then franchise-high 18 goals on the Stealth in an 18-16 win.

Portland's goal early in the season was to first earn a playoff berth, then clinch a home playoff game. The Jax have done both. Now, the focus shifts to advancing to the West Division Championship.

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