Minnesota Swarm Searching For First Postseason Victory

Published on April 28, 2010 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Minnesota Swarm News Release


SAINT PAUL, MN - The National Lacrosse League's (NLL) Minnesota Swarm (5-11) will battle the top seed in the Western Division, the Washington Stealth (11-5) this Saturday, May 1 in the Divisional Semifinal of the 2010 NLL playoffs. Game time is set for 9:30 p.m. CST at The Comcast Arena at Everett. The Swarm is the #4 seed in the West.

Minnesota will be searching for their first postseason win in the team's six-year history. The Swarm is 0-3 all-time in the playoffs after making three straight appearances from 2006-08. Minnesota has played two playoff games on the road and both resulted in losses to Buffalo in 2006, 11-10, and in 2007, 14-8.

The Swarm split the regular season series with the Stealth, 1-1, with each team winning in their respected arena. Washington improved their record to 5-0 after they defeated the Swarm at home on Feb. 5, 12-9, behind eight points (4g, 4a) from F Jeff Zywicki.

A week later at Xcel Energy Center on Feb. 13, Minnesota handed the Stealth their first loss of the season and snapped a three game losing streak of their own, winning 16-12. The 16 goals scored that night was the second highest the Swarm notched all season. Team Captain F Aaron Wilson led the Swarm with eight points (2g, 6a) in the victory and F Tim Campeau added a season-high four goals.

"Obviously with all of our losses, we are going in as underdogs," said Head Coach Mike Lines. "They are a team we played tough in the regular season and we beat them once at home. There's no pressure on us - all the pressure is on them. They were the best team in the West this year."

Minnesota was led in 2010 by the trio of Wilson 89 points (40g, 49a), F Callum Crawford 96 points (32g, 64a) and F Ryan Benesch 83 points (28g, 55a). All three players finished in the Top 10 in scoring as well as posted career highs in points. On defense, Swarm veterans and Assistant Captain's D Jon Sullivan and D Eric Pacey provided physical play and leadership in 2010. G Nick Patterson's 4-7 record did not accurately reflect his level of play this season, as he managed to keep the team in games all year. Patterson set a personal and franchise record for most saves in a game with 59 back on Mar. 26 in a 17-13 victory in Calgary. Three of Patterson's losses also came in sudden death overtime.

The Stealth were also led by a trio of forwards this season in Lewis Ratcliff 97 points (46g, 51a), Rhys Duch 86 points (33g, 53a) and Jeff Zywicki 71 points (30g, 41a). Together they helped the Stealth score a league-high 211 goals in 2010. Ratliff's 46 goals led the league and he finished as the runner-up for the scoring crown with 97 points.

"You have to limit his (Ratcliff) opportunities," Lines said. "He's a shooter and takes a lot of shots. We want to make him take shots that he doesn't want to take. We will be bringing a lot of pressure on the outside."

On the other side of the ball, Lines summed up the Stealth's defense in one word, "Size."

"They are huge on defense and that's something we should be able to expose with our speed up front."

If the record books mean anything, the Swarm knows they have a fighting chance this postseason. In 2008, the Portland LumberJax finished the regular season with a 6-10 record, but managed to advance all the way to the championship game as the #4 seed. The LumberJax lost in the championship to New York, 14-13, but nonetheless the LumberJax proved that any team can win in the playoffs regardless of how they finished in the regular season.

"It's a whole new season," Lines said. "Everyone is 0-0. No one has anything on anyone right now. The only difference is that we are on the road instead of being at home. Rich Morgan was on that club in Portland, so he knows all about it."

Minnesota is 5-2 all-time against the Stealth. The Stealth moved to Everett, Wash. this year after playing in San Jose from 2004 to 2009.

Fans can watch Saturday's game LIVE on mnswarm.com with Swarm Vision and can also follow the team's gameday blog powered by CoveritLive for additional insights on the action. Fans not near a computer during the game can text "SWARM TURF" to 91944 to receive halftime and final score updates. The Swarm will also be hosting a playoff party at Tom Reid's Hockey City Pub in St. Paul where fans can watch the game.

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National Lacrosse League Stories from April 28, 2010


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