Colorado @ Toronto. A huge game for both teams. The Rock still have the best record in the NLL at 6-3, but they have seen there lead dwindle to a half game over the Philadelphia Wings who they face next week. Coming off a hard 15-13 defeat to the Bandits, look for Colin Doyle, Stephan LeBlanc, Garrett Billings and company to take advantage of a struggling Mammoth team. For the Mammoth, Dan Lewis put up a stellar effort versus Rochester last week only to come out on the losing end. With Colorado playing back to back games we could see Ty Belanger get a start. Even though it was a loss, was Lewis’ game play enough to spark the Mammoth for this weekend? Grant, Prout, Jones will need to come with a lot of ammo to crumble the Rock.
Minnesota @ Calgary. The Swarm have lost 3 of last 4 and are sitting at 3-6. Still in a playoff spot. A tough match this week against Calgary. With Andrew Suitor lost for the season, players need to step up even more, and the rookies will need to grow up quicker. For Calgary they have also lost 3 of their last 4, and have a 1-3 record at home, this is a huge game. Sitting at 5-5 a game behind the Stealth (they play March 30/April 6), the offense needs to kick into high gear and the defense needs to get on track as well. Face-off specialist Geoff Snider returns after his 1 game suspension and should add some extra possessions. Can the goaltending duo of Kirk and Carlson withstand the fire power of Calgary? Can the young Swarm put a sting into the Roughnecks and send them below the 500 mark? Can Mike Poulin return to his old form? Will Calgary come out and show who they really are?
Colorado @ Buffalo. Buffalo coming off a weekend split. Win in Toronto, then a loss at home to the Wings have the Bandits 1 game out of first, and also 1 game out of the last spot in the East. This is how close these teams are. 2 games separate first from last. The only question here is… Can the Bandits take advantage of a Mammoth team who is struggling, and also playing the night before versus Toronto. For Colorado…it’s the same as for the Toronto game.
Washington @ Philadelphia. In a game labeled as the Return of Iannucci, the Stealth come in at 6-4 and in first place in the Western Conference. After starting at 2-0, then falling to 3-3, people started thinking ..”here we go again”, But the Stealth have won 3 of their last 4 climbed to first and have more wins then last seasons 4. This Stealth team is for real. Iannucci, Ratcliff have brought their playmaking from the summer with the Langley Thunder (WLA) and continued it with the Stealth. For the Wings, they currently are on a 3 game winning streak after a huge OT comeback win over Buffalo. They now return home and look for #4. It will be a reunion of all sorts. Rabil, Hartzell and Manney former Stealth players. Should be a very entertaining game with the talent on both sides of the ball. A lot of questions here…
What can the Wings throw out there to contain Bobby Snider in the face-offs?
Can the young Philly D contain the power that is Iannucci, Ratcliff and Duch?
Rabil has 3 hat-tricks in 5 games..can he continue this?
Tyler Richards and Brandon Miller have been the 2 hottest goalies in recent weeks, can they keep it up?
As I said…a lot of things to look for in this game
| PLAYOFF STANDINGS AS OF 3/6/13 | ||||
|
SEED |
TEAM |
W |
L |
GB |
|
1-E |
Toronto Rock |
6 |
3 |
|
|
2-W |
Washington Stealth |
6 |
4 |
0.5 |
|
3-E |
Philadelphia Wings |
5 |
3 |
0.5 |
|
4-E |
Buffalo Bandits |
5 |
4 |
1 |
|
5-W |
Calgary Roughnecks |
5 |
5 |
1.5 |
|
6-W |
Edmonton Rush |
5 |
5 |
1.5 |
|
7-E |
Rochester Knighthawks |
4 |
5 |
2 |
|
8-W |
Minnesota Swarm |
3 |
6 |
3 |
|
9-W |
Colorado Mammoth |
2 |
6 |
3.5 |
Seeds 1-2 go to division leaders. Because of a crossover rule, IF the 5th place team in the West has a better
Record then the 4th team in EAST, they will receive the playoff berth
