Minnesota Swarm (4-0 H 1-0 A 3-0)

vs
Portland LumberJax (1-3 H 0-2 A 1-1)

The ExJax Edition of Minnesota Swarm Lacrosse

Sunday, February 10, 2008 - 3:00pm CST
Xcel Energy Center
St. Paul, Minnesota

Live Statistics

Minnesota Swarm Game Center

TV/Internet/Radio Coverage: None

Webcast: B2 Networks $7.00 per game

More Coverage of this game at:

Swarm v. LumberJax History:

The road team has won every game in the series. Last year, the Swarm visited the LumberJax in Portland and won 11-8. Sean Pollock tied a team record with five goals and assisted on three others. Nick Patterson's 41 saves kept prevented the Jax from sawing through the Swarm.

Rosters:

Regular Season Statistics:

2008 NLL Standings

Former LumberJax With The Swarm:

• Mike Hominuck
• Ryan Sharp

Former Swarm With The LumberJax:

• Ray Guze
• Michael Kilby
• Spencer Martin
• Scott Stewart

Minnesota Swarm Promotions:

• The first 10,000 fans get a Swarm/Minnesota Lacrosse Association bandana

Dean Hill v. Craig Point - Who's winning the side bet?

This game will the second of the weekend at home for the Swarm after playing the New York Titans on Friday night.

Portland enters Sunday's game off their first win of the year in Edmonton last Saturday night. That game saw the LumberJax score two late goals to tie and then beat the Rush, 11-10. Before Portland arrives in St. Paul on Sunday, they will play the best in the West, the Colorado Mammoth (4-0), in Denver on Thursday, February 7th.

There was a lot of optimism in Portland for the upcoming season. The big reason for it was when the Jax acquired Dangerous Dan Dawson (10g 8a) from the Arizona Sting in the dispersal draft. Instant offense finally arrived in Portland for a team in desperate need of it. Dawson's big frame and swim move have fit in well but the rest of the offense, except for Derek Malawsky (10g 7a) looks similar to last year's - stagnant. Dawson and Malawsky have scored 20 of the Jax's 39 goals this year. Six of their ten forwards have scored less than 10.5% on their shots. All together, the LumberJax have only connected on a league low 14% of their shots.

Defensively, the LumberJax have held up relatively well. The leader on defense is Brodie Merrill (3g 1a), the 2006 NLL Rookie and Defensive Player of the Year. Merrill is leading the league in loose balls with 54 again after winning last year's league loose ball title. Ian Crashley (1g 2a) may be peculiar looking but he also has impressed many in only his second year in the league. Merrill and Crashley are the foundation of the defense for many years to come in Portland.

There appears to be a changing of the guard in net in Portland. Matt King (1-3 11.18 GAA .747 Save %) has assumed the number one role in Portland after relieving Dallas Eliuk (0-0 14.85 GAA .667 Save %) in the first game of the year. He has done well against the Swarm in his career so expect him to be in the net on Sunday.

Craig Point (8g 13a) has led the Swarm twice in points in a game this season. Point leads all rookies this year so far in assists, points and tied for first with Philadelphia's Merrick Thomson in goals. Dean Hill (7g 5a) leads the Swarm with six power play goals which is tied for second in the league. Including D. Hill, Chad Culp (6g 8a), Ryan Ward (11g 11a), Andy Secore (8g 14a) and Pollock (11g 7a) are all shooting over 20% this year.

This may be the game in which Kevin Croswell gets the nod for the first time in his career over Patterson (4-0 11.88 GAA .770 Save %) even though Patterson seems that he can go on and on denying all opponents in his way.

Both teams have had quite a few players moving from one to the other over this past year. Within a week of the Swarm's victory over the LumberJax last year, Minnesota acquired Hominuck (1g 8a) and Sharp (5g 1a) in two separate trades. Both gave a huge boost to the team immediately last year and this year both are contributing greatly. Sharp has scored in every game this year as he has emerged from former teammate's Merrill's transition shadow to stand along with Ryan Cousins (5g 1a).

The LumberJax have three players that ended last season with the Swarm. The most notable is Michael Kilby (9 LB) who was an assistant captain for the Swarm the last two years. A definite crowd favorite, Kilby got his chance in Minnesota to prove he is a NLL caliber defenseman and prove it he did. Spencer Martin (1g 5a) was sent to Portland in the same trade with Kilby. His ability to clear space for shooters in front of the net earned him an every game position for the Swarm. Last year, Martin had a career year with 14 goals and 27 assists and that drew the attention of the Jax who needed an injection of offense on their left side. Scott Stewart (1g 7a) traveled a winding road after the season ended last year. He was picked up Boston in the expansion draft but was traded to Portland at the beginning of October to be closer to his new home in British Columbia.

It will be nice to see some former Swarm return this weekend but it won't be so enjoyable for them from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm on Sunday. The Jax have a lot of offensive players in slumps and it is unlikely that enough will break out to make a difference against the Swarm. Sharp and Cousins should score two or three goals in transition and the seven-headed scoring machine looks well oiled and in fine working condition. The weekend sweep should be accomplished on Sunday with the Swarm 6-0 and leading the East.

Prediction: Minnesota Swarm 13 Portland LumberJax 10

This weekend is time for the Swarm to continue accruing confidence because starting the following weekend, the Swarm will embark on a season long and grueling three game road trip. The first of those three will take place in Buffalo against their arch-nemesis, the Bandits. That game will start on Saturday, February 16 at 6:30 pm CST as HSBC Arena. The next home game for the Swarm will be on Friday, March 14 at 7:00 pm CST against the Brock Boyle-led Chicago Shamrox. Portland will next host the Edmonton Rush at the Rose Garden on Sunday, February 17 at 3:00 pm CST.