Minnesota Swarm (0-0 H 0-0 A 0-0)

at
Toronto Rock (1-0 H 0-0 A 1-0)

The We Will Swarm You Edition of Minnesota Swarm Lacrosse

Friday, January 11, 2008 - 6:30pm CST
Air Canada Centre
Toronto, Ontario

Live Statistics

TV/Internet/Radio Coverage:
Tape delay on Channel 45 KSTC on Saturday, January 12th at 4:00 pm CST
Rogers Sportsnet Ontario

Webcast: B2 Networks $7.00 per game

More Coverage of this game at:

Swarm v. Rock History:

The Rock won the first of two last year, 13-6, in Minnesota on March 23, 2007. Two Fridays later on April 6, the Swarm traveled to Toronto and won their first ever game there by a score of 13-11.

These two teams met in the pre-season with the Rock beating the Swarm 17-12 on December 15, 2007 in Oshawa, Ontario.

The Swarm are 1-2 in regular season openers. Last year, the Swarm lost their regular season opener on January 13, 2007 to the Chicago Shamrox, 11-10. The only season opening win in Swarm history was against the Rochester Knighthawks on January 1, 2005 in Rochester which they won 12-11, which also was the first ever Swarm regular season game.

Rosters:

Regular Season Statistics:

2008 NLL Standings

Former Rock With The Swarm:

• Eric Pacey

Former Swarm With The Rock:

• Kasey Beirnes
• Scott Campbell
• Jon Harasym
• Jamie Taylor

The Minnesota Swarm will begin their fourth season on the road in Toronto's home opener. Toronto has already played last Saturday in Chicago to open their season. That night the Rock came back from a 9-8 deficit going into the fourth quarter to beat the Shamrox, 11-9. With the victory, the Rock lead the East.

Toronto will enter this game having played two pre-season and one regular season games while the Swarm will have played only one pre-season game, which was before Christmas. This will be the third straight season the Swarm's first opponent will have already played a regular season game and the Swarm failed to beat their opponent both times under this scenario. The Swarm will have to get rid of the season opener jitters quickly so they do not experience the same result. It is probably beneficial that the Swarm open the season on the road where the pressure will not be as great. In addition, half the team lives near or in Toronto even during the season, which will reduce travel issues for the whole team overall.

The Swarm's defense will have to perform much better than they did in the pre-season loss against the Rock. The leader of the defense and team captain Ryan Cousins (9g 14a) came off a fantastic 2007 season in which he named the 2007 NLL Defensive Player of the Year. The three-time all-star has a young defense behind him that he has to whip into shape. One of those young players that Cousins must integrate quickly into the defense is Chris Courtney, who the Swarm acquired in the most recent entry draft in the second round. Head Coach Duane Jacobs has followed the 20-year-old Courtney's career on the Six Nations reservation in Ontario and felt that even at such at young age that Courtney had the tools to make the jump to the NLL. Even so, it appears that Courtney has been even better than Jacobs thought he would be at this time and has turned out to be the most pleasing surprise of training camp.

Nick Patterson should start in goal on Friday for the Swarm. Last year, Patterson went 1-1 against the Rock with an 11.41 GAA and a .765 save percentage. The possibility of Patterson playing both games this weekend is high since backup Kevin Croswell has never played a regular season NLL game and that Patterson has played well in his career against the Rock.

The Rock offense is star studded. The leader of the offense is Josh Sanderson (2g 2a), who holds the NLL record for most assists in a year with 71 in 2005. He is considered the league's best playmaker and even though he is only 5' 7" 160 lbs, he never shrinks from the confrontation and continues to get the best of his opponent. Over the last few years, Sanderson has had two constants to distribute the ball to in Aaron Wilson (1g 2a) and Blaine Manning (4g 4a). Manning, in particular, stepped up in their victory over Chicago and earned NLL Player of the Week honors. On draft day on September 1st, the Swarm traded Kasey Beirnes (3g 2a) to the Rock and Beirnes has already given the Rock a huge boost. Another player the Swarm will have to watch out for is 2007 NLL Rookie of the Year, Ryan Benesch (3a) who works along with Sanderson on the left side.

Last Saturday against the Shamrox, the Rock were five of nineon the power play. In the exhibition game in December between the two teams, the Rock were very successful on the power play in that game going 6 for 11. If the Swarm can keep the game five on five as much as possible, the probably of a Swarm victory will be very high.

Prediction - Minnesota 14 Toronto 13

Both teams continue their home and home series on Saturday, January 12th at the Xcel Energy Center. Game time is 7:00 pm CST.