Portland Continues Its Playoff Push

Published on April 15, 2008 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Portland Lumberjax News Release


PORTLAND - The National Lacrosse League playoff race has continued to heat up more and more each week. With only two weeks left of regular season play, both the East and West Divisions are separated by no more than three-and-a-half games. In the Wild West Division, two spots have been claimed by the San Jose Stealth and Colorado Mammoth. The other two spots are left for the Calgary Roughnecks, Edmonton Rush and Portland LumberJax.

To help solidify their playoff berth, the Jax (5-9) travel to San Jose to meet the Stealth (8-6) on Friday, April 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the HP Pavilion. This is the third and final regular season meeting between the two division rivals. Of the eight all-time meetings, six have been won by the road club. Both meetings this season were also won by the visiting team.

The Stealth, who clinched a playoff spot with their 14-6 win over Edmonton on Sunday, enter the game with a half game lead over the Colorado Mammoth for first place in the West. The Mammoth and Stealth wrap up the regular season on Friday, April 25 in a game that will likely determine first place.

In the first meeting between the Jax and Stealth in Portland on April 5, San Jose used a 9-0 run to turn a 4-2 deficit into an 11-4 lead. A late Portland charge cut the Stealth lead to 11-9, but San Jose ultimately pulled out the 12-9 victory.

The next day, both teams met again, this time in San Jose. Keeping up with the theme of the series, the road team won. Down 7-5 in the third quarter, the Jax put together a game defining 4-0 run that changed the momentum for good.

All-Star forward Dan Dawson lead led the Jax with six points (2 goals, 4 assists) and forward Ryan Powell notched a hat trick and two assists. Defenseman Richard Morgan added an empty net goal with 5-seconds remaining to give Portland a 12-10 win.

Starting his second game for Portland, goalie Matt Disher stopped 42 of the 52 shots he faced. Disher and the rest of the Portland defense was instrumental as the Jax held the Stealth scoreless over a 12-minute period during the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth. Conveniently, Portland went on its 4-0 run as the defense closed San Jose down for over 12-minutes.

Portland can clinch a playoff berth this weekend with a win over San Jose on Friday evening and at least one Edmonton loss. The Rush (4-9) have a home-and-home series with the Mammoth on Friday and Saturday. Two Edmonton losses would also clinch Portland's second ever postseason berth.

The Jax can also assure themselves of a playoff spot by taking a page out of Oakland Raiders Owner Al Davis's book: "Just win, baby." Winning the final two regular season games (San Jose and Buffalo) would assure Portland of a playoff spot, regardless of what Edmonton and Calgary do the rest of their respective seasons.

The playoffs are there for the taking. Now, it's simply up to the Jax to decide where they finish.

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National Lacrosse League Stories from April 15, 2008


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