Alex Urquhart
The Minnesota Swarm got a bye week last weekend and are now looking to take on the Vancouver Stealth, in Vancouver. The Swarm are coming off an extremely tough loss to the Rochester Knighthawks. The Swarm dropped the game 8-6 two weeks ago.
The Swarm have been hard at work to get that first win. The Swarm have spent a lot of time trying to get players in the right situations and all on the same page.
The Swarm will be looking to have rookie Scott Jones pick up where he left off in the preseason, after a lackluster season opener. The team will also look to have Logan Schuss to step up even more than his one goal and one assist in the game against Rochester. Along with the young talent the Swarm will be looking to Captain Andrew Suitor to continue to improve on the floor. Suitor had no points in the game against Rochester but he did have nine loose balls and a face-off win. The Swarm will need their Captain to be up to snuff this week in Vancouver.
This game will be more or less a homecoming for both rookies Schuss and Jones. Both grew up in the Vancouver area and will want to have a good showing in front of their friends and family.
Unfortunately for the Swarm rookie defender Jason Noble is going to be suspended by the league for Saturday night’s game. Noble was suspended for an illegal crosscheck during the preseason; he was able to play in the season opener because he had appealed the suspension through the league, but unfortunately the young defender lost his appeal and now has to serve his suspension this week. Noble’s suspension puts a bit of a strain on the Swarm’s defense as they will have to dress Dominique Alexander, a Ohio St. grad who is listed on the team’s practice squad. Alexander should be able to fill most of Noble’s role as he is a 6′ 2″, 215 lb defender with a mean streak and extremely quick feet.
Most likely for the Swarm Tyler Carlson will get the start in net. Carlson played well enough two weeks ago for the Swarm to win but didn’t get much help on the scoreboard. Carlson looks to be the bona fide number one goalie the Swarm need him to be this year if they want any chance of going deep into the playoffs.
The Game will be streamed live on TLN’s YouTube channel at 10 pm ET and will be the last game of the night on Saturday.
