Minnesota Swarm (10-6 H 6-2 A 4-4)

vs
New York Titans (10-6 H 5-1 A 5-5)

East Division Semifinal

The New Era in the East Has Begun
Edition of Minnesota Swarm Lacrosse

Saturday, May 3, 2008 - 7:00pm CDT
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. Titans History:

The Minnesota Swarm have never lost to the New York Titans. This year both games in the regular season were at the Xcel Energy Center. On February 8, 2008, the Swarm jumped out to a 13-0 lead that was not challenged until the third quarter on their way to a 16-9 victory. These teams met again on April 5, 2008 where the Swarm came from behind 7-6 to start the third. Sean Pollock (24g 36a) scored three in the fourth including the game winner to lead the Swarm back to a 12-9 victory. Pollock got the game winner in the February game and has gotten three of the four game winners for the Swarm against the Titans in their history.

Playoff History:

• Minnesota 0-2. The Swarm have been in the playoffs each of the last two years. They have traveled to Buffalo each of the last two years and have lost both games. 10-9 in 2006 and 14-8 in 2007.
• New York 0-0. This is the Titans first playoff appearance in their second year of existence.

Rosters:

2008 Final Regular Season Statistics:

Final 2008 NLL Regular Season Standings

Former Titans With The Swarm:

Former Swarm With The Titans:

• Anthony Kelly (0g 0a 7/13 on face offs) (Practice Squad 2006)
• Adam Mueller (Swarm Head Coach 2006)
• Paul Stewart (Director of Scouting 2006)

Jon Sullivan - Consecutive Game Streak - 50

Both the Swarm and Titans had the opportunity to earn first place and the #1 overall seed in the NLL playoffs this past weekend. The Swarm already had a playoff spot before they battled the Chicago Shamrox (6-10). They lost Friday night at the X by a score of 12-10 and then redeemed themselves against the Shamrox in Chicago on Saturday by a score of 12-11. With the Buffalo Bandits winning on Saturday night against the Portland LumberJax (6-10) mixed with the Swarm losing on Friday, it clinched first for Buffalo and second for Minnesota. New York was able to clinch a playoff spot and the third seed in the playoffs after winning their fourth in a row and nine of eleven with a 12-11 victory over the defending NLL champion Rochester Knighthawks (8-8). That loss for the Knighthawks ensured the first time in their fourteen years that the Knighthawks would not make the playoffs. For the Titans, this is their first ever playoff appearance. Titan Head Coach Adam Mueller has led both the Titans this year and the Swarm in 2006 to their first ever playoff appearances.

The Swarm's offense scored the third most goals in the league this year. Their leading scorer is Andy Secore (28g 48a) who this year broke the Swarm single season point record with 76 points breaking Ryan Ward's (33g 36a) record of 75 set last year. Secore is in his first year with the Swarm after being selected in the dispersal draft last November from the suspended Arizona Sting. This playoff run could be the last in a Swarm uniform for Secore as he reverts back to Arizona after the season is over due to the agreement that Arizona had with the league when they agreed to go dark for a year to look for new investors. Secore emerged this year after wasting away in Arizona as one of the best lefthanded scoring options in the league. Even missing two games due to injury this year, Secore averaged nearly five and half points per game. Ward also had a solid year this year as he led the Swarm in goals with 33 breaking the Swarm record of 32 set last year by Dean Hill (9g 10a). Chad Culp (23g 32a) had a career high in goals this season on the left side.

The Titans counter with a dangerous offense of their own especially on their right side. They are led by Casey Powell (32g 54g) who led them in scoring and was eighth in the league. Ryan Boyle (17g 45a), the 2005 NLL Rookie of the Year, is a proficient passer and Mike McLellan (33g 23a) led the league for a second straight year in power play goals with 19. Pat Maddalena (33g 52a), a chiropractor by trade, anchors the left side and works well on the crease and when Brendan Mundorf (23g 23a) joined the team at the end of January, the Titans achieved balance they needed on offense.

Two key rookies have fit in well with their respectives offenses and are the top two combatants for NLL Rookie of the Year. Craig Point (27g 34a) for the Swarm and Jordan Hall (24g 45a) for the Titans. Point started strong in the first half of the season but Hall finished strong in the second. Point has been more clutch this year according to NLL Insider: The MoneyBallers. It will be a close vote for sure. Here is the final regular season comparison between the two frontrunners:

Rookie of the Year Battle - Craig Point vs. Jordan Hall