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Below is a collection of standings, results, statistics, award winners, and season summaries from the 2001 National Lacrosse League season, archived for our visitors' convenience.
Final Regular Season Standings
Team GP W L Pct GB GF GA Streak
x Toronto Rock 14 11 3 .786 -- 168 125 Won 5
x Philadelphia Wings 14 10 4 .714 1.0 205 177 Won 2
x Rochester Knighthawks 14 10 4 .714 1.0 198 159 Won 1
x Washington Power 14 9 5 .643 2.0 226 204 Won 1
Buffalo Bandits 14 8 6 .571 3.0 248 218 Lost 2
New York Saints 14 6 8 .429 5.0 179 181 Won 1
Albany Attack 14 5 9 .357 6.0 152 169 Lost 4
Columbus Landsharks 14 3 11 .214 8.0 134 201 Lost 1
Ottawa Rebel 14 1 13 .071 10.0 144 220 Lost 1
x: clinched playoff berth
Week-By-Week Results
Winning teams in bold
Week One:
Thu 21 Dec Ottawa 7 @ Toronto 17
Week Two:
Fri 29 Dec Ottawa 7 @ Albany 14
Sat 30 Dec Buffalo 20 @ Washington 19
Sat 30 Dec New York 17 @ Columbus 12
Sat 30 Dec Philadelphia 17 @ Rochester 16
Sun 31 Dec Toronto 12 @ Washington 13
Week Three:
Fri 5 Jan New York 10 @ Albany 11 (OT)
Fri 5 Jan Toronto 16 @ Ottawa 7
Sat 6 Jan Columbus 10 @ Buffalo 23
Sun 7 Jan Rochester 16 @ Washington 18
Week Four:
Thu 11 Jan Albany 4 @ Toronto 7
Fri 12 Jan Rochester 14 @ New York 13 (OT)
Fri 12 Jan Ottawa 8 @ Philadelphia 17
Sat 13 Jan Washington 19 @ Columbus 11
Sun 14 Jan Ottawa 14 @ Washington 18
Week Five:
Fri 19 Jan New York 9 @ Ottawa 8
Sat 20 Jan Rochester 12 @ Albany 11
Sat 20 Jan Philadelphia 18 @ Buffalo 26
Sun 21 Jan Columbus 9 @ Washington 7
Week Six:
Fri 26 Jan Ottawa 10 @ Columbus 11 (OT)
Fri 26 Jan Washington 16 @ Toronto 13
Sat 27 Jan Albany 9 @ Philadelphia 18
Sat 27 Jan New York 12 @ Rochester 21
Sat 27 Jan Toronto 14 @ Buffalo 13 (2OT)
Week Seven:
Sat 3 Feb Ottawa 14 @ Buffalo 25
Sat 3 Feb Toronto 14 @ New York 9
Sat 3 Feb Rochester 12 @ Philadelphia 14
Week Eight:
Fri 9 Feb Philadelphia 11 @ Toronto 17
Fri 9 Feb Albany 13 @ Ottawa 10
Sat 10 Feb Philadelphia 13 @ New York 12
Sat 10 Feb Washington 21 @ Buffalo 17
Week Nine:
Fri 16 Feb Albany 15 @ Columbus 8
Fri 16 Feb Buffalo 21 @ Ottawa 12
Sat 17 Feb Toronto 7 @ Rochester 12
Sun 18 Feb Washington 18 @ Albany 15
Week Ten:
Sat 24 Feb Albany 11 @ New York 13
Sat 24 Feb Buffalo 12 @ Philadelphia 17
Sat 24 Feb Columbus 6 @ Rochester 18
Sun 25 Feb New York 9 @ Toronto 10 (OT)
Week Eleven:
Fri 2 Mar Rochester 17 @ Ottawa 11
Fri 2 Mar Buffalo 22 @ Columbus 19
Sat 3 Mar New York 18 @ Washington 16
Week Twelve:
Fri 9 Mar Columbus 8 @ Albany 11
Sat 10 Mar Columbus 9 @ New York 15
Sat 10 Mar Toronto 11 @ Philadelphia 7
Week Thirteen:
Fri 16 Mar Toronto 8 @ Columbus 5
Sat 17 Mar Albany 13 @ Buffalo 18
Sat 17 Mar New York 10 @ Philadelphia 14
Sat 17 Mar Washington 11 @ Rochester 13
Sun 18 Mar Washington 17 @ Ottawa 13
Week Fourteen:
Sun 25 Mar Rochester 10 @ Buffalo 9
Week Fifteen:
Fri 30 Mar Buffalo 17 @ Albany 14
Fri 30 Mar Ottawa 15 @ New York 14
Sat 31 Mar Columbus 8 @ Toronto 11
Sat 31 Mar Washington 13 @ Philadelphia 14 (OT)
Sat 31 Mar Buffalo 12 @ Rochester 19
Sun 1 Apr Philadelphia 19 @ Washington 20 (OT)
Week Sixteen:
Thu 5 Apr Rochester 4 @ Toronto 11
Fri 6 Apr Columbus 11 @ Ottawa 8
Sat 7 Apr Philadelphia 17 @ Columbus 7
Sat 7 Apr Buffalo 13 @ New York 18
Sat 7 Apr Albany 7 @ Rochester 14
Week Seventeen:
Sat 14 Apr Philadelphia 9 @ Albany 4
NLL Semifinals:
Fri 20 Apr Rochester 11 @ Philadelphia 12
Sat 21 Apr Washington 9 @ Toronto 10
NLL Championship Game:
Fri 27 Apr Philadelphia 9 @ Toronto 8
Team-by-Team Results
Albany Attack
DATE OPPONENT BAL-OPP W/L REC POS
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Dec 21-24 -open date- 0-0 t-2
Fri Dec 29 OTTAWA 7:30 14- 7 W 1-0 t-1
Fri Jan 5 NEW YORK 7:30 11-10 OT W 2-0 1st
Thu Jan 11 @ Toronto 7:30 4- 7 L 2-1 t-4
Sat Jan 20 ROCHESTER 7:30 11-12 L 2-2 t-5
Sat Jan 27 @ Philadelphia 8:00 9-18 L 2-3 t-6
Feb 1- 4 -open date- t-6
Fri Feb 9 @ Ottawa 7:30 13-10 W 3-3 t-5
Fri Feb 16 @ Columbus 7:30 15- 8 W 4-3 5th
Sun Feb 18 WASHINGTON 7:30 15-18 L 4-4 6th
Sat Feb 24 @ New York 7:30 11-13 L 4-5 6th
Mar 1- 4 -open date- 6th
Fri Mar 9 COLUMBUS 7:30 11- 8 W 5-5 6th
Sat Mar 17 @ Buffalo 2:00 13-18 L 5-6 6th
Mar 22-25 -open date- 6th
Fri Mar 30 BUFFALO 7:30 14-17 L 5-7 6th
Sat Apr 7 @ Rochester 7:35 7-14 L 5-8 7th
Sat Apr 14 PHILADELPHIA 7:30 4- 9 L 5-9 7th
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Buffalo Bandits
DATE OPPONENT BUF-OPP W/L REC POS
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Dec 21-24 -open date- 0-0 t-2
Sat Dec 30 @ Washington 1:00 20-19 W 1-0 t-1
Sat Jan 6 COLUMBUS 8:00 23-10 W 2-0 t-1
Jan 11-14 -open date t-1
Sat Jan 20 PHILADELPHIA 8:00 26-18 W 3-0 1st
Sat Jan 27 TORONTO 8:00 13-14 2OT L 3-1 t-1
Sat Feb 3 OTTAWA 8:00 25-14 W 4-1 t-1
Sat Feb 10 WASHINGTON 8:00 17-21 L 4-2 4th
Fri Feb 16 @ Ottawa 7:00 21-12 W 5-2 t-3
Sat Feb 24 @ Philadelphia 7:30 12-17 L 5-3 t-4
Fri Mar 2 @ Columbus 7:30 22-19 W 6-3 t-4
Mar 8-12 -open date- t-3
Sat Mar 17 ALBANY 2:00 18-13 W 7-3 t-2
Sun Mar 25 ROCHESTER 3:30 9-10 L 7-4 5th
Fri Mar 30 @ Albany 7:30 17-14 W 8-4 t-4
Sat Mar 31 @ Rochester 7:35 12-19 L 8-5 t-4
Sat Apr 7 @ New York 7:30 13-18 L 8-6 5th
Apr 12-15 -open date- 5th
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Columbus Landsharks
DATE OPPONENT COL-OPP W/L REC POS
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21-24 Dec -open date- 0- 0 t-2
Sat Dec 30 NEW YORK 7:30 12-17 L 0- 1 t-6
Sat Jan 6 @ Buffalo 8:00 10-23 L 0- 2 8th
Sat Jan 13 WASHINGTON 7:30 11-19 L 0- 3 8th
Sun Jan 21 @ Washington 7:30 9- 7 W 1- 3 8th
Fri Jan 26 OTTAWA 7:30 11-10 OT W 2- 3 8th
Feb 1- 4 -open date- t-6
Feb 8-11 -open date- 7th
Fri Feb 16 ALBANY 7:30 8-15 L 2- 4 7th
Sat Feb 24 @ Rochester 7:35 6-18 L 2- 5 8th
Fri Mar 2 BUFFALO 7:30 19-22 L 2- 6 8th
Fri Mar 9 @ Albany 7:30 8-11 L 2- 7 8th
Sat Mar 10 @ New York 7:30 9-15 L 2- 8 8th
Fri Mar 16 TORONTO 7:30 5- 8 L 2- 9 8th
Mar 22-25 -open date- 8th
Sat Mar 31 @ Toronto 2:00 8-11 L 2-10 8th
Fri Apr 6 @ Ottawa 7:00 11- 8 W 3-10 8th
Sat Apr 7 PHILADELPHIA 7:30 7-14 L 3-11 8th
Apr 12-15 -open date- 8th
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New York Saints
DATE OPPONENT NY-OPP W/L REC POS
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Dec 21-24 -open date- 0-0 t-2
Sat Dec 30 @ Columbus 7:30 17-12 W 1-0 t-1
Fri Jan 5 @ Albany 7:30 10-11 OT L 1-1 t-5
Fri Jan 12 ROCHESTER 8:00 13-14 OT L 1-2 t-6
Fri Jan 19 @ Ottawa 7:00 9- 8 W 2-2 5th
Sat Jan 27 @ Rochester 8:05 12-21 L 2-3 t-6
Sat Feb 3 TORONTO 7:30 9-14 L 2-4 8th
Sat Feb 10 PHILADELPHIA 7:30 12-13 L 2-5 8th
Feb 15-18 -open date- 8th
Sat Feb 24 ALBANY 7:30 13-11 W 3-5 7th
Sun Feb 25 @ Toronto 3:00 9-10 OT L 3-6 7th
Sat Mar 3 @ Washington 1:00 18-16 W 4-6 7th
Sat Mar 10 COLUMBUS 7:30 15- 9 W 5-6 7th
Sat Mar 17 @ Philadelphia 8:00 10-14 L 5-7 7th
Mar 22-25 -open date- 7th
Fri Mar 30 OTTAWA 8:00 14-15 L 5-8 7th
Sat Apr 7 BUFFALO 7:30 18-13 W 6-8 6th
Apr 12-15 -open date- 6th
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Ottawa Rebel
DATE OPPONENT OTT-OPP W/L REC POS
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Thu Dec 21 @ Toronto 7:30 7-17 L 0- 1 9th
Fri Dec 29 @ Albany 7:30 7-14 L 0- 2 9th
Fri Jan 5 TORONTO 7:30 7-16 L 0- 3 9th
Fri Jan 12 @ Philadelphia 8:00 8-17 L 0- 4 9th
Sun Jan 14 @ Washington 7:30 14-18 L 0- 5 9th
Fri Jan 19 NEW YORK 7:30 8- 9 L 0- 6 9th
Fri Jan 26 @ Columbus 7:30 10-11 OT L 0- 7 9th
Sat Feb 3 @ Buffalo 8:00 14-25 L 0- 8 9th
Fri Feb 9 ALBANY 7:30 10-13 L 0- 9 9th
Fri Feb 16 BUFFALO 7:30 12-21 L 0-10 9th
Feb 22-25 -open date- 9th
Fri Mar 2 ROCHESTER 7:30 11-17 L 0-11 9th
Mar 8-11 -open date- 9th
Sun Mar 18 WASHINGTON 1:30 13-17 L 0-12 9th
Mar 22-25 -open date- 9th
Fri Mar 30 @ New York 8:00 15-14 W 1-12 9th
Fri Apr 6 COLUMBUS 7:30 8-11 L 1-13 9th
Apr 12-15 -open date- 9th
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Philadelphia Wings
DATE OPPONENT PHI-OPP W/L REC POS
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Dec 21-24 -open date- 0-0 t-2
Sat Dec 30 @ Rochester 7:35 17-16 W 1-0 t-1
Jan 4- 7 -open date- 3rd
Fri Jan 12 OTTAWA 8:00 17- 8 W 2-0 t-1
Sat Jan 20 @ Buffalo 8:00 18-26 L 2-1 4th
Sat Jan 27 ALBANY 8:00 18- 9 W 3-1 t-1
Sat Feb 3 ROCHESTER 7:30 14-12 W 4-1 t-1
Fri Feb 9 @ Toronto 7:30 11-17 L 4-2 4th
Sat Feb 10 @ New York 7:30 13-12 W 5-2 3rd
Feb 15-18 -open date- t-2
Sat Feb 24 BUFFALO 7:30 17-12 W 6-2 2nd
Mar 1- 4 -open date- 1st
Sat Mar 10 TORONTO 8:00 7-11 L 6-3 t-3
Sat Mar 17 NEW YORK 8:00 14-10 W 7-3 t-2
Mar 22-25 -open date- 3rd
Sat Mar 31 WASHINGTON 8:00 14-13 OT W 8-3 3rd
Sun Apr 1 @ Washington 7:30 19-20 OT L 8-4 3rd
Sat Apr 7 @ Columbus 7:30 17- 7 W 9-4 3rd
Sat Apr 14 @ Albany 7:30 9- 4 W 10-4 t-2
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Fri Apr 20 ROCHESTER 7:30 12-11 W 11-4
Fri Apr 27 @ Toronto 7:00 9- 8 W 12-4
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Rochester Knighthawks
DATE OPPONENT ROC-OPP W/L REC POS
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Dec 21-24 -open date- 0-0 t-2
Sat Dec 30 PHILADELPHIA 7:35 16-17 L 0-1 t-6
Sun Jan 7 @ Washington 1:00 16-18 L 0-2 t-7
Fri Jan 12 @ New York 8:00 14-13 OT W 1-2 t-6
Sat Jan 20 @ Albany 7:30 12-11 W 2-2 t-5
Sat Jan 27 NEW YORK 8:05 21-12 W 3-2 5th
Sat Feb 3 @ Philadelphia 7:30 12-14 L 3-3 5th
Feb 8-11 -open date- t-5
Sat Feb 17 TORONTO 7:35 12- 7 W 4-3 t-5
Sat Feb 24 COLUMBUS 7:35 18- 6 W 5-3 t-4
Fri Mar 2 @ Ottawa 7:00 17-11 W 6-3 t-4
Mar 8-11 -open date- t-3
Sat Mar 17 WASHINGTON 7:35 13-11 W 7-3 t-2
Sun Mar 25 @ Buffalo 3:30 10- 9 W 8-3 2nd
Sat Mar 31 BUFFALO 7:35 19-12 W 9-3 2nd
Thu Apr 5 @ Toronto 7:30 4-11 L 9-4 2nd
Sat Apr 7 ALBANY 7:35 14- 7 W 10-4 2nd
Apr 12-15 -open date- t-2
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Fri Apr 20 @ Philadelphia 7:30 11-12 L 10-5
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Toronto Rock
DATE OPPONENT TOR-OPP W/L REC POS
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Thu Dec 21 OTTAWA 7:30 17- 7 W 1-0 1st
Sun Dec 31 @ Washington 1:00 12-13 L 1-1 t-5
Fri Jan 5 @ Ottawa 7:00 16- 7 W 2-1 4th
Thu Jan 11 ALBANY 7:30 7- 4 W 3-1 3rd
Jan 18-21 -open date- 2nd
Fri Jan 26 WASHINGTON 7:30 13-16 L 3-2 4th
Sat Jan 27 @ Buffalo 8:00 14-13 2OT W 4-2 4th
Sat Feb 3 @ New York 7:30 14- 9 W 5-2 t-3
Fri Feb 9 PHILADELPHIA 7:30 17-11 W 6-2 2nd
Sat Feb 17 @ Rochester 7:35 7-12 L 6-3 4th
Sun Feb 25 NEW YORK 3:00 10- 9 OT W 7-3 3rd
Mar 1- 4 -open date- t-2
Sat Mar 10 @ Philadelphia 8:00 11- 7 W 8-3 1st
Fri Mar 16 @ Columbus 7:30 8- 5 W 9-3 t-1
Mar 22-25 -open date- 1st
Sat Mar 31 COLUMBUS 2:00 11- 8 W 10-3 1st
Thu Apr 5 ROCHESTER 7:30 11- 4 W 11-3 1st
Apr 12-15 -open date- 1st
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Sat Apr 21 WASHINGTON 7:30 10- 9 W 12-3
Fri Apr 27 PHILADELPHIA 7:00 8- 9 L 12-4
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Washington Power
DATE OPPONENT WAS-OPP W/L REC POS
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Dec 21-24 -open date- 0-0 t-2
Sat Dec 30 BUFFALO 1:00 19-20 L 0-1 t-6
Sun Dec 31 TORONTO 1:00 13-12 W 1-1 t-5
Sun Jan 7 ROCHESTER 1:00 18-16 W 2-1 t-4
Sat Jan 13 @ Columbus 7:30 19-11 W 3-1 t-3
Sun Jan 14 OTTAWA 7:30 18-14 W 4-1 3rd
Sun Jan 21 COLUMBUS 7:30 7- 9 L 4-2 t-3
Fri Jan 26 @ Toronto 7:30 16-13 W 5-2 2nd
Feb 1- 4 -open date- t-3
Sat Feb 10 @ Buffalo 8:00 21-17 W 6-2 t-1
Sun Feb 18 @ Albany 7:30 18-15 W 7-2 1st
Feb 22-25 -open date- 1st
Sat Mar 3 NEW YORK 1:00 16-18 L 7-3 t-2
Mar 8-11 -open date- 2nd
Sat Mar 17 @ Rochester 7:35 11-13 L 7-4 5th
Sun Mar 18 @ Ottawa 1:30 17-13 W 8-4 5th
Mar 22-25 -open date- 4th
Sat Mar 31 @ Philadelphia 8:00 13-14 OT L 8-5 t-4
Sun Apr 1 PHILADELPHIA 7:30 20-19 OT W 9-5 4th
Apr 5- 8 -open date- 4th
Apr 12-15 -open date- 4th
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Sat Apr 21 @ Toronto 7:30 9-10 L 9-6
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Statistical Leaders
POINTS TEAM GP G AST PPG SHG PTS
Tavares, John BUF 14 51 64 22 1 115
Grant, John ROC 14 42 48 8 1 90
Gait, Gary WAS 14 43 47 16 0 90
Bergey, Jake PHI 14 43 43 10 1 86
Marechek, Tom PHI 13 48 31 11 1 79
Williams, Shawn BUF 14 46 31 22 2 77
Colsey, Roy NYK 14 51 25 14 2 76
Malawsky, Derek BUF 12 23 47 7 0 70
Bomberry, Cory ROC 14 24 42 13 0 66
Finneran, Kevin PHI 14 23 39 7 0 62
Millon, Mark PHI 14 23 37 3 1 60
Doyle, Colin TOR 14 26 33 9 0 59
Malawsky, Curt ROC 14 25 34 13 2 59
Jacobs, Duane ROC 14 33 24 16 4 57
Benedict, Mike COL 14 25 32 8 1 57
TOTAL GOALS TEAM GP G
Colsey, Roy NYK 14 51
Tavares, John BUF 14 51
Marechek, Tom PHI 13 48
Williams, Shawn BUF 14 46
Bergey, Jake PHI 14 43
Gait, Gary WAS 14 43
ASSISTS TEAM GP A
Tavares, John BUF 14 64
Grant, John ROC 14 48
Gait, Gary WAS 14 47
Malawsky, Derek BUF 12 47
Bergey, Jake PHI 14 43
FACEOFF PCT. TEAM FW FL PCT
Jacobs, Peter PHI 123 77 61.50
Goers, Mark COL 73 50 59.35
Fannell, Steve ALB 215 154 58.27
Cantabene, Paul WAS 98 79 55.37
MacArthur, Brad ROC 148 133 52.67
Minimum 80 faceoffs contested.
LOOSE BALLS TEAM GP LB
Veltman, Jim TOR 14 161
Tavares, John BUF 14 159
Sanderson, Phil ALB 14 154
Woods, Cam ALB 14 154
Toll, Steve TOR 14 128
PENALTY MINUTES TEAM GP PIM
Coyle, Pat TOR 14 65
Ladouceur, Dan TOR 13 60
Colsey, Roy NYK 14 52
McCready, Pat ROC 13 52
Donovan, Hugh WAS 13 52
GOALS AGAINST AVG TEAM GP MIN SV GA W- L AVG
Watson, Bob TOR 13 715:28 415 106 10- 2 8.89
O'Toole, Pat ROC 12 555:35 384 98 8- 2 10.58
Eliuk, Dallas PHI 14 747:49 504 149 9- 3 11.95
Blasdell, Rob ALB 13 745:57 474 151 5- 8 12.15
Nash, Gord NYK 14 807:27 571 168 6- 6 12.48
Campbell, Patrick COL 12 407:53 261 91 1- 5 13.39
Dalep, Devin WAS 13 550:26 385 139 5- 3 15.15
Palidwor, Curtis COL 12 429:51 266 110 2- 6 15.35
Collins, Derek OT/BU 16 763:02 508 196 1-13 15.41
Wetherup, Phil BUF 12 479:56 318 126 6- 4 15.75
Ranked by goals-against average. Minimum 360 minutes played.
SAVE PERCENTAGE TEAM SH SV PCT
O'Toole, Pat ROC 482 384 79.67
Watson, Bob TOR 521 415 79.65
Nash, Gord NYK 739 571 77.27
Eliuk, Dallas PHI 653 504 77.18
Blasdell, Rob ALB 625 474 75.84
Minimum 360 minutes played.
WINNING PERCENTAGE TEAM W L PCT
Watson, Bob TOR 10 2 .833
O'Toole, Pat ROC 8 2 .800
Eliuk, Dallas PHI 9 3 .750
Miller, Erik WAS 4 2 .667
Dalep, Devin WAS 5 3 .625
Minimum six decisions.
For further statistics, choose that option
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Award Winners
Most Valuable Player: John Tavares, Buffalo
Rookie of the Year: Tracey Kelusky, Columbus
Goaltender of the Year: Bob Watson, Toronto
Coach of the Year: Tony Resch, Philadelphia
Executive of the Year: Russ Cline, Philadelphia
Championship Game MVP: Dallas Eliuk, Philadelphia
2001 NLL All-Pro Teams:
First Team:
Roy Colsey, New York
Gary Gait, Washington
John Grant, Rochester
Tom Marechek, Philadelphia
John Tavares, Buffalo
Bob Watson, Toronto (goalie)
Second Team:
Jake Bergey, Philadelphia
Colin Doyle, Toronto
Tracey Kelusky, Columbus
Kim Squire, Toronto
Jim Veltman, Toronto
Gord Nash, New York (goalie)
2001 NLL All-Rookie Team:
Marshall Abrams, Columbus
Kris Bryde, Ottawa
Tracey Kelusky, Columbus
Jeff Ratcliffe, Philadelphia
Mike Regan, Albany
Phil Wetherup, Buffalo (goalie)
Player of the Month:
January: Derek Malawsky, Buffalo
February: John Tavares, Buffalo
March: Gary Gait, Washington
Rookie of the Month:
January: Tracey Kelusky, Columbus
February: Kris Bryde, Ottawa
March: Tracey Kelusky, Columbus
Player of the Week:
Week 1: ( 21 Dec) -None-
Week 2: (29-31 Dec) John Grant Jr., Rochester
Week 3: ( 5- 7 Jan) John Tavares, Buffalo
Week 4: (11-14 Jan) Roy Colsey, New York
Week 5: (19-21 Jan) Derek Malawsky, Buffalo
Week 6: (26-27 Jan) Steve Toll, Toronto
Week 7: ( 3 Feb) Jake Bergey, Philadelphia
Week 8: ( 9-10 Feb) Devin Dalep, Washington
Week 9: (16-18 Feb) Pat O'Toole, Rochester
Week 10: (24-25 Feb) Gord ("Gee") Nash, New York
Week 11: ( 2- 3 Mar) Tracey Kelusky, Columbus
Week 12: ( 9-10 Mar) Kim Squire, Toronto
Week 13: (16-18 Mar) Kevin Finneran, Philadelphia
Week 14: ( 25 Mar) Pat O'Toole, Rochester
Week 15: (30- 1 M/A) Matt Shearer, Washington
Week 16: ( 5- 7 Apr) Roy Colsey, New York
Week 17: ( 14 Apr) Dallas Eliuk, Philadelphia
2001 Season Summaries
(from Outsider's Guide team pages)
Albany Attack
Following a solid 6-6 inaugural campaign in 2000, the Albany Attack seemed on the brink of rising from the level of playoff contender to playoff qualifier. A quick 2-0 start - home victories over the Ottawa Rebel and New York Saints on consecutive Fridays - gave credence to the idea that Attack coach Terry Sanderson had found the winning combinations.
The following Thursday, the Attack traveled to Toronto, facing the defending champions in a game which most believed would be a low-scoring affair. The game proved to be exactly that - the Rock won, 7-4, in the lowest combined total (eleven goals) in league history. Not just NLL history, either - count the eleven years of Eagle Pro Box and MILL with that. The loss at Toronto set into motion a quick plunge from sole possession of first place after the New York game to a fourth-place tie after the Rock loss to sixth-place tie, at 2-3, after losing at home to Rochester by a goal (12-11) and at Philadelphia by a bunch (18-9).
A week off at the beginning of February gave the Attack players a chance to compose themselves in advance of two very winnable games - at Ottawa and Columbus, on consecutive Fridays. Indeed, Albany emerged from the road swing with a 4-3 record after a 13-10 win at Corel Centre and a 15-8 triumph at Nationwide Arena. The winning streak did almost nothing for the Attack's position in the standings, with a tie for sixth becoming sole possession of fifth place.
That, however, was as high as the team would rise, with losses to Washington and New York dragging the Attack back into the second division. As with the start of February, the first weekend of March was an open date for the Attack, and again, it helped Sanderson's team get past the Columbus Landsharks, this time in an 11-8 decision. For the snakebitten Attack, though, it would be the last victory of the season. A pair of losses to Buffalo, one to Rochester, and a season-finale, 9-4 loss to Philadelphia left the Attack with a 5-9 record to end a disappointing sophomore campaign.
Following the season, Sanderson resigned to join the Montreal Express as coach and general manager. How much of that decision came from the down season and how much from Sanderson's desire to coach closer to his Orangeville, Ontario home may never be totally known. What is known is that new coach Bob McMahon and owner Herb Chorbajian have their work cut out for them. The former must reverse the downward trend of the 2001 season, while the latter must pull out all his lucky charms and hope that the team's attendance woes (compounded by snow's tendency to hit the Capital Region hard on Attack home dates) can quickly be cured.
Buffalo Bandits
Opening the 2001 season with three straight victories, hope was rekindled in Buffalo, where the once-perennial finalists had been reduced in recent to a three-game losing skid in the playoffs, spanning four seasons. The Bandits hadn't been in the league championship game since 1997, and hadn't won the title since 1996. So, would a 20-19 shootout win at Washington, a 23-10 thrashing of Columbus, and a 26-18 thumping of Philadelphia be a foreshadowing of great things to come?
At 3-0 and sitting in first place, the Bandits hosted the surprisingly struggling Toronto Rock. A win in this game would not only put Buffalo in the driver's seat entering February, but would instill the confidence that the Bandits could beat any team in the league. Toronto's Steve Toll had other ideas, recording a crucial hat trick - including the game-winner eight minutes into overtime - in Toronto's comeback 14-13 victory.
Nothing helped a team rebound this season like a game against the hapless Ottawa Rebel, who almost reached April without a victory. The Bandits were especially fortunate, drawing the Rebel twice in a three-week span after the Rock loss, and capitalizing with a pair of routs, which, sandwiched around a home loss to Washington, raised the team to 5-2 in anticipation of a rematch with the Philadelphia Wings. In January's high-scoring match, the Wings were inconsistent and without the services of a healthy Dallas Eliuk (who left the game shortly after halftime after gutting out a charley horse the entire first half); in February, the champs-to-be showed that the first meeting was a fluke, running away with the 17-11 win.
Consecutive wins over Columbus and Albany carried the Bandits into the stretch drive with a stellar 7-3 record. Strangely, and certainly unexpectedly, Buffalo suffered a late-season swoon, beginning with a curiously low-scoring home loss to the Rochester Knighthawks, 10-9. After winning at Albany and losing at Rochester, the Bandits traveled to New York with an 8-5 record and a playoff berth still not ensured. Needing to win to keep their dreams of postseason play alive, the Bandits came out flat on Long Island, and the Saints were more than willing to assume the role of spoiler, running Buffalo ragged in an 18-13 shocker. The loss ended Buffalo's run for the postseason, the second time in three seasons that the Bandits failed to qualify.
A month after the season, the Bandits and Knighthawks stunned the box lacrosse world with perhaps the league's biggest trade ever. Gutting an offense which, early in the season, had threatened to set records as the most prodigious ever, Buffalo surrendered Derek Malawsky, Shawn Williams, and D'Arcy Sweet to their Thruway rivals. Receiving goaltender Steve Dietrich and runners Casey Powell, Rusty Kruger, and Pat McCready, the Bandits assured that, in 2002, they will not be the one-dimensional team they had been sliding towards for years.
Columbus Landsharks
Of the fourteen teams to have played in the league through the 2001 season, only four had a debut season in which they lost at least three times as many games as they won. In the footsteps of the 1989 Detroit Turbos (1-7), 1996 Charlotte Cobras (0-10) and 1998 Syracuse Smash (2-10) came the 2001 Columbus Landsharks, coached by former Buffalo GM Marty Cooper and led by rookie standout Tracey Kelusky and a host of journeyman veterans.
As first-year expansion teams go, the Landsharks were solid on paper and appeared to have been constructed well for a quick rise to contention in a couple years. However, as first-year expansion teams often do, the Landsharks failed to find their mark in the early going of the 2001 season, particular in the initial minutes after halftime, dropping their initial three games in increasingly disastrous fashion. In their first game, the Landsharks actually held a halftime lead on the New York Saints before imploding on defense in a 17-12 loss. The next week, Cooper's decision to pull the goaltender on most second-half possessions (to rally from a 10-4 halftime deficit) backfired in a major way, with the explosive Bandits romping to a 23-10 win in Buffalo. The Washington Power came next, matching what the Saints had done a fortnight earlier - hold tight with Columbus in the first half and wait until after intermission to strike. It worked once again, with a 6-6 tie at the break turning into a 19-11 final.
Winless after three games, the Landsharks finally caught a break in the rematch with Washington a week later. Perhaps guilty of looking ahead to a meeting with the Toronto Rock a week later, the Power played a very sloppy game and could never catch up to the Landsharks in the 9-7 decision. The Landsharks then closed the month of January with an 11-10 overtime win over the hapless Ottawa Rebel, improving to 2-3 but still not out of eighth place in the nine-team circuit.
Two straight off weeks stripped the Landsharks of all their momentum, with lopsided losses at home to Albany (15-8) and at Rochester (18-6) preceding a 22-19 home loss to Buffalo and a much closer but similarly-outcomed 11-8 loss at Albany. Perhaps the worst loss of all came in mid-March, when Toronto came to town. The Rock only just eight goals in the contest, but Columbus managed a measly five. Making matters worse, the Landsharks managed those five goals not against All-Pro goaltender Bob Watson, but rather against Watson's backup, Anthony Cosmo, making his first professional start. The only positive to come out of the long losing streak is that the Landsharks did not fall to last place -Ottawa matched Columbus loss for loss, keeping the cellar for itself.
At 2-9 on the season, the Landsharks could kiss goodbye to a Cinderella run at the postseason. However, three games remained to salvage the season and gain some respectability. Alas, the three games included a trip to Toronto and the season-finale at home against Philadelphia. The former was an 11-8 loss; the latter was a 14-7 drubbing at the hands of the eventual champions. An 11-8 defeat of the Rebel sandwiched between the final two losses gave the Landsharks their third win, allowing them to avoid a last-place tie with Ottawa.
The exciting part of the Landsharks' season didn't come until after the fourteenth game, however. Managing partner (and former NLL commissioner) John Livsey announced that unless he could find someone to join the ownership group and help bail the team out financially, it would not return for the 2002 season. Because the group trying to purchase the Landsharks and move them to Montreal already had a coach in place, Cooper quickly stepped down as coach and made himself available for the vacant head coaching positions around the league, landing in Ottawa. The Montreal investors got most of the team, but recognizing the potential of the market and the need to keep Columbus in the league, New York Saints owners Mike Gongas and Charlie Russo purchased an expansion franchise for Columbus, instantly bringing mid-Ohio back into the league.
New York Saints
The New York Saints' slogan for the 2001 season could easily have been "What if…" Numerous times throughout the course of the season, any little stumble proved fatal, ultimately slowing the Saints quick rise from doormat to contender. Go no further than the second game of the year for the first example -- the Saints, fresh off a road win at Columbus, fumbled away a fourth-quarter lead, watched goaltender Gord Nash get ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct, and stood helpless as Albany's Ted Dowling scooped up a loose ball and scored the game-winning goal in overtime.
A week later, an even more horrendous defeat. Trailing 13-6 after three quarters, the Saints thrashed the visiting Rochester Knighthawks in the fourth quarter, forcing overtime to break a 13-13 draw. The Saints couldn't carry the momentum into the fifth quarter, falling to the K'Hawks in the fourth minute of extra time.
A 9-8 win at Ottawa followed, a shockingly thin outcome between a team that had been playing so well and a team destined for infamy, with a brutally-lopsided 21-12 loss at Rochester coming a week later. One more "normal" loss -- 14-9 at home against Toronto -- came before the next Saint giveaway. Leading Philadelphia, 11-9, with about six minutes to go, New York wilted, falling to the Wings, 13-12.
Three late flops had cost the Saints dearly, turning a potential 5-2 record into a 2-5 mark, with ominous clouds building over the team. A solid 13-11 victory over the Albany Attack helped slow the panic, but the Saints blew a chance for the upset of the year the next afternoon in Toronto, allowing the Rock to rally from a 4-1 halftime deficit to force overtime. Toronto won it in overtime, 10-9, when the Rock pulled goaltender Bob Watson for a risky six-on-five offensive advantage and scored on the unsuspecting Saints.
Wins at Washington and home against Columbus restored faith that the Saints could make a winner out of the season of bad luck. The Philadelphia Wings had other ideas, taking a 14-10 decision on St. Patrick's Day and leaving New York two weeks to contemplate the loss before playing the ripe-for-the-picking Ottawa Rebel, still winless on the season (0-12) and winless on the road for its entire existence (0-24). Caught without any focus whatsoever, the Saints allowed Ottawa to dictate the course of play and ultimately end both losing streaks. The crushing, perhaps demoralizing, 15-14 defeat prevented the Saints from reaching their first season with at least a .500 winning percentage. In the season finale a week later, with nothing but pride to play for (but a playoff berth on the line for the visiting Buffalo Bandits), the Saints played inspired lacrosse, whipping the sluggish Bandits, 18-13, and bringing back fans' hopes that "Wait 'til next year" was being said for the final time.
Ottawa Rebel
After three seasons in central New York, the Syracuse Smash moved to the Canadian capital city of Ottawa for the 2001 campaign, redubbed itself the Rebel, brought in an almost entirely-new cast (only six players followed the team to Canada), and hoped for a change from the blinding inferiority which had plagued it from its inception. The other eight teams in the league had other ideas, however, quickly exiling the Rebel to the league's first (and likely last, with the introduction of divisional play) wire-to-wire ninth-place campaign.
The Rebel began its new life with a trip to Toronto in the league's season opener, and although the game's first thirty minutes were competitive enough (7-6, Rock, at the half), the final thirty minutes were not. A 10-1 run by the Rock sent Ottawa to a 17-7 loss. A trip to Albany (14-7) and the home opener, against Toronto (16-7), were similarly lopsided affairs, except that the killing came earlier than in the season opener. In Philadelphia, the Rebel broke out of its funk - sort of. Ottawa scored eight goals on the Wings, instead of the seven which had become custom; the Wings, however, scored seventeen goals. With that, the Rebel had fallen to zero wins against four losses, being doubled up in each contest -- a feat not even the hapless 1996 Charlotte Cobras could match in its first four games.
Matters improved in the weeks to follow, albeit minimally. Two days after losing in Philadelphia, the Rebel dropped an 18-14 decision in Washington. Finally, signs of life! Five days later, a 9-8 home loss to the New York Saints. A week after that, an 11-10 loss at Columbus, in a match which went to overtime to be decided. Sure, the Rebel were leaving a busy January with seven losses at the season's midway point, and any chance at the playoffs had pretty much vanished, but the young team was showing signs of development.
Then, the roof caved in on the Ottawa Rebel. A disastrous 25-14 showing in Buffalo begot a 13-10 home loss to Albany, which itself begot a 21-12 thumping at the hands of the pesky, run-and-gun Buffalo Bandits. Zero and ten, with eighth-place seemingly so far away, it could barely be seen with the naked eye. Mathematical elimination from the playoffs came on 16 February, the earliest such date in league history.
February turned to March, and the Rebel went on the uptick again. With two straight home games to get the ship righted, the Rebel lost to Rochester, 17-11, on 2 March and to Washington, 17-13, sixteen days later. Surely, something would go right for Ottawa eventually, and on 30 March, it did. The Rebel brought its "A-game" into Uniondale, NY that night, while the host New York Saints assuredly did not bring theirs. The Saints made a fourth-quarter rally, but the strong play of the Rebel in the early parts of the game proved enough to withstand the pressure, and the Rebel had finally won a game -- the first of the season, against twelve losses, and the first road victory in franchise history (after twenty-four losses away from home). The chance to close the season with a winning streak was lost, in an 11-8 Columbus victory at Corel Centre.
Although the Rebel finished the season with a miserable 1-13 record, the second-worst single-season mark in league history, the team came away with several valuable gains. The rookies on the team (and there was, literally, a score of them) picked up precious game experience, a core of star players to build around was found, and the sports fans of Ottawa fell in love with their newest professional club. One and thirteen? Worst team in years? Who cares -- unlike most new cities to the league, Ottawa has taken a strong liking to indoor lacrosse and recognizes that the dark clouds of today may very soon drift away to reveal a bright tomorrow.
Philadelphia Wings
Entering the 2001 season, the Philadelphia Wings' record for consecutive seasons without a championship was a puny three; their record for consecutive seasons without an appearance in the league championship game a scant two. When the franchise's fifteenth season began, the Wings already had tied the latter mark and would match the former with anything less than a title.
The pursuit of the team's sixth championship began against the Rochester Knighthawks, one of the few teams that historically has held its own against the Wings. In a showcase of two of the league's top offensive guns (Philadelphia's Jake Bergey and Rochester's John Grant), the Wings took the narrow win over the Knighthawks, 17-16, and after a bye week, the Wings proceeded to pound Ottawa, 17-8, and stake claim to first place, at 2-0.
A week later at Buffalo, goaltender Dallas Eliuk suffered a pulled groin muscle in pregame warmups but valiantly kept his sluggish team in the game before exiting just after intermission. The Bandits jumped all over backup Chris Sanderson, setting franchise records for offense in a 26-18 explosion. The loss dropped the Wings to fourth place, but after home wins over Albany (18-9) and Rochester (14-12), Philadelphia returned to first place.
The view from the top didn't last long -- a trip to Toronto, long a source of Wings grief, soon followed. In a repeat of past visits to play the Rock, Philadelphia was outhustled, outplayed and outscored, 17-11. The Wings recovered nicely, though, with a narrow, come-from-behind 13-12 win at New York and a 17-12 decision over the Bandits to close out the month of February at 6-2.
Again came the Toronto Rock, this time coming down to Philadelphia, and again, the Wings stumbled to a lopsided loss, falling at home by an 11-7 score. Facing the prospect of missing the postseason in an unusually hot race, the Wings found themselves facing the team they beat the last time they were rebounding from a loss -- the New York Saints. This time, there was no thrilling fourth-quarter comeback, but the outcome was similar, with the Wings beating New York for the fifth straight time, 14-10.
A crucial home-and-home series with the Washington Power followed a week later, one of the very rare instances of two teams playing each other twice in the same week and the league's only instance of such a scheduling quirk resulting in a pair of overtime games. The Wings took a 14-13 decision at home one night, then the Power returned the favor, 20-19, the following night. Big road wins at Columbus (17-7) and Albany (9-4) gave the Wings a 10-4 mark to finish the regular season, good enough for the number-two seed in postseason play.
Seeking to complete a rare three-game season sweep in the semifinal round, the Wings edged Rochester, 12-11, outscoring the Knighthawks by just four goals over 180 minutes of lacrosse. The following week, the Wings sought not only to escape the short end of another three-game sweep but also to exorcise the demons which haunted them for three years when playing in Toronto. This time, they found the winning combination, employing a suffocating, Rock-style defense on a night where the Rock wasn't quite at its offensive best. The Wings jumped out to a jaw-dropping 8-3 lead, then held on for dear life to claim title number six by a 9-8 final. Both playoff games featured the exact opposite of how the Wings won ten games in the regular season -- in the postseason, the Wings built leads and held off the opposition, while they played the role of Cardiac Kids in prior games, falling behind early and forging late rallies to win.
Rochester Knighthawks
It happened again to the Rochester Knighthawks in 2001 -- after losing a few early-season games, the Knighthawks entered their annual "do or die" phase, where even one loss could throw the team from the playoffs. As has always been the case, the Knighthawks rallied to scratch out a late-season winning streak and reach the postseason.
In 2000, the major stumbling point was a three-game losing skid immediately after climbing to first place, with a five-game winning streak to compensate. In 2001, though, the losing started from day one. After losing their season opener at home to Philadelphia, 17-16, and again the following week at Washington, 18-16, the Knighthawks had fallen to a seventh-place tie. Wins against New York (14-13), Albany (12-11), and New York again (21-12) allowed the Knighthawks to get some momentum - but, unfortunately, very little rise in the standings. The 3-2 mark at the end of January was good enough only for fifth place, and who knows what might have happened had the Knighthawks not taken the 14-13 decision at New York. Leading 13-6 after three quarters, Rochester fell apart in the final quarter, landing in sudden-death overtime tied at thirteen before a Rusty Kruger goal saved the Knighthawks from total embarrassment.
A trip to Philadelphia knocked the Knighthawks back a step, with the Wings stepping up their play a notch and turning a 9-9 tie after three quarters into a 14-12 decision. A well-timed off week followed, allowing Rochester some time to work out the kinks and climb back into the thick of the playoff race. After thumping the Toronto Rock at home, 12-7, the Knighthawks feasted on 'Shark meat, 18-6, one week and quelled a Rebellion in Ottawa, 17-11, the next. Neither rout came without some oddities of play: the Knighthawks and Landsharks played the first quarter without a goal, marking what is believed to be the first such occurrence in league history, and a week later, Rochester goalie Pat O'Toole became only the third netminder ever to score a goal.
Normalcy didn't exactly return to the Knighthawks' games after a bye week in early March, but neither did the inconsistent results of the season's first month. Decked out in special green-and-white uniforms, Rochester did to the Washington Power on 17 March what folklore says that St. Patrick did to the snakes of Ireland centuries ago -- drive out the intruders in decisive fashion. The 13-11 final score is no indication of the lopsided play in the middle quarters which allowed the Knighthawks to coast to victory. A week later, a major home-and-home series against the archrival Buffalo Bandits began, with an uncharacteristically defensive 10-9 victory at HSBC Arena. On the final day of March, the Knighthawks finished the sweep at home, in a 19-12 romp.
The final weekend of Rochester's regular-season slate (they were off the following week, the league's final action before the playoffs) featured a challenging doubleheader. Thursday night, a trip to Toronto, with home floor advantage throughout the playoffs almost certain to go to the winner; Saturday night, a home date with the pesky Albany Attack, trying to play the role of spoiler. The opener didn't go so well for the Knighthawks, who wilted in the second half after playing tight in the first half, failing to score a goal after intermission, and limping home, badly bruised, after an 11-4 pounding. The "nightcap" fared better, with Rochester thumping the Attack, 14-7, in a game it had to win in order to retain a shot at hosting a semifinal game.
After the Knighthawks wrapped up their fourteen-game regular season, that sought-after home semifinal was gone. Philadelphia had whipped Albany in pretty much the same way that Rochester had a week before, so the Knighthawks headed to Philadelphia (who won a tiebreaker with Rochester, as a result of the head-to-head sweep). The last time these teams faced off in the postseason (1997), the venue, same as this game, was the First Union Center (then called the CoreStates Center), and the Knighthawks upset the heavily-favored Wings on the way to their only league title. There would be no repeat, though, although the Knighthawks never dropped far from the lead and actually led for long periods of play. The Wings, the league's best fourth-quarter team this season, held off a Rochester rally just long enough to secure a 12-11 win, dashing the Knighthawks' title hopes.
Toronto Rock
Coming off back-to-back league championships in 1999 and 2000 and returning just about every significant player from the title teams, the Toronto Rock stood as the odds-on favorite to produce the league's first-ever threepeat. For much of the season, the Rock looked up to the task, despite occasional, uncharacteristic sluggishness which might have killed teams of mere mortals.
The run for the threepeat took only thirty minutes to fire up on all cylinders, when the Rock shook off its rust and pounded the Ottawa Rebel in the second half of the season opener, converting a 7-6 halftime lead into a 17-7 runaway final. Ten days later in Washington, though, a setback -- a 10-5 lead after three quarters evaporated, and when Paul Gait decided (against coach Darris Kilgour's wishes) to make a last push to win the game in regulation, he hit paydirt with five seconds left and the Power had an upset win, 13-12. A rematch with Ottawa healed the Rock's wounds, with a 16-7 rout spurring on a plodding, 7-4 win over the Albany Attack in the lowest-scoring game in league history.
After a week off in mid-January, Toronto hosted the Power in a chance to redeem itself for the blown win four weeks earlier. Even with a devastating home floor advantage, it wasn't to be - the Power became only the second road team ever to win in Toronto, in a 16-13 decision. The next night, the Rock traveled to Buffalo, with a decisive moment in the young season facing the fatigued players. Rising to the occasion, the Rock fought back from a four-goal deficit, ultimately winning in double overtime, 14-13. The win at Buffalo stepped off a season-long run that saw the Rock slice through just about every challenge to its supremacy. Wins at New York (14-9) and at home against Philadelphia (17-11) launched Toronto to a 6-2 record and second place in the standings before an ugly, 12-7 loss at Rochester dropped the team back to fourth.
Of the Rock's five remaining games, the first four came against presumably lighter foes -- two against the expansion Columbus Landsharks and one each against the Saints and Wings. All four were wins, all but the New York match being fairly lopsided (the Saints took the Rock to overtime before losing). However, with the possible exception of the trip to Philadelphia, none of the games could be seen as very "Rock-like." Toronto, by all rights, should have dominated each game, but fell victim to sloppiness and an apparent lack of focus. The team's autopilot act down the stretch was made possible only the players recognized that their opposition did not match up well with them. The final game of the regular season was no creampuff or historically easy match, though -- it was the much-anticipated rematch with Rochester, with home floor advantage throughout the playoffs going to the winner. The Rock shook off the rust which had accumulated from weeks of lesser challenges, much as it did in December against Ottawa, and whipped the Knighthawks, 11-4.
In the semifinal round, Toronto finally had its opportunity to avenge the two losses to Washington. Although the Rock let a 4-1 halftime lead disintegrate, it managed to hold on throughout the fourth quarter, eventually reeling in the victory, 10-9. A week later, the Rock was installed as heavy favorite in the NLL Championship Game against the Philadelphia Wings. One win from the unprecedented threepeat and facing a team that notoriously crumbles north of the border, could there be much doubt of the outcome? The major discussion topic among many lacrosse observers was not whether the Rock would win, but rather by how many goals. The Canadian Press even identified the Rock as the game's winner days before the game was played.
Perhaps it was the wire service error serving as inspiration, perhaps it was the nothing-to-lose attitude of an underdog, perhaps it was sluggish play coming back to bite the Rock, or perhaps it was the Wings finally figuring out how to compete with Toronto -- but whatever it was, Philadelphia did not roll over as expected. Rather, the Wings set the tempo of play, outhustled the Rock, and put up an impenetrable wall of defense. On the scoreboard, the Wings built a shocking 8-3 lead after three quarters, then settled into a prevent defense and held the Rock at bay just long enough to bring the threepeat dreams crashing back down to earth, 9-8.
Washington Power
After a disappointing season in Pittsburgh followed a hasty relocation from Baltimore, the NLL's transient franchise finally appeared to be settling down in 2001. With twin legends Gary and Paul Gait leading the offense for a full season, Devin Dalep entering his second season respected as one the league's top young netminders, Darris Kilgour behind the bench, and fresh blood in the owner's box, the Washington Power had visions of rising from playoff non-qualifier in 2000 to title contender in 2001.
Following the season opener -- a Saturday matinee, one of four afternoon matches on a brutally-constructed seven-game home slate -- the dream had been dealt a setback. A 20-19 loss to the Buffalo Bandits demonstrated that while the Power's offense was running on all cylinders, its defense was still questionable. Were the twenty goals allowed the product of a run-and-gun game plan neglecting a decent defense or a sign of trouble to come? The answer would come joltingly soon against the Toronto Rock, a team built to feature a scientific defense and a generally unspectacular but very opportunistic offense. Rallying from a big fourth-quarter deficit just a day after the Buffalo loss, the Power stormed to a last-second, 13-12 home win, evening the season record at 1-1.
Over the next two weekends, the Power ran its record to 4-1, with home wins over Rochester (18-16) and Ottawa (18-14) sandwiching a 19-11 victory at Columbus. Had Washington won its season opener, it would've held a commanding three-game lead in the standings in mid-January; at 4-1, though, third place would have to do, although the Power, by a statistical anomaly, actually stood a half-game ahead of the league leaders (Philadelphia and Buffalo were 2-0). It all became academic when the Landsharks paid a visit to the District of Columbia, though. The 19-11 thrashing fresh in their minds, the 'Sharks jumped ahead of the lethargic Power and held on for a 9-7 upset.
Again, the Power would need to rebound from a loss by facing the Rock, this time in Toronto, where visitors rarely have even threatened the two-time defending champions. On this night, though, the hosts were the ones who got rocked, 16-13, in a game notable for the unanticipated crackdown on Toronto's notorious rough play. The Power made the most of their twelve man-up chances, scoring six times on the power play. A bye preceded road victories at Buffalo (21-17) and Albany (18-15), putting the Power in first place at the end of February, with a 7-2 mark.
As good as February was for the Washington Power, March was almost as bad. On a Saturday afternoon early in the month, the Power let a late lead evaporate against the New York Saints and lost, 18-16. A week off couldn't reverse the trend, as the Power picked up in Rochester pretty much where it had left off a fortnight earlier in DC. Although a late rally brought the score to a more respectable 13-11 final, Washington had been stumbling all night, victim to a red-hot opposing goaltender and a bad night for the special teams. The next afternoon, fighting off fatigue, the Power got back on the winning track, taking a 17-13 decision over the hapless (and then-winless) Ottawa Rebel at Corel Centre.
A home-and-home series against a long-time rival, the Philadelphia Wings, stood as the final two games of the regular season -- and with the games right at the start of April, the Power's campaign would be over five days ahead of anyone else's and almost two weeks prior to the league's final regular-season game. With both teams fighting for their playoff lives (a sweep clinching a postseason berth, while getting swept pretty much would rule it out), the games were contested as if they actually were playoff games. The opener in Philadelphia went to overtime -- where the Wings won, 14-13 -- while the "nightcap" a day later at MCI Center did likewise (where the Power won a good, old-fashioned shootout, 20-19).
After two anxious, idle weekends, the Power had qualified for the playoffs, coming in with a solid 9-5 record. Washington's semifinal opponent -- the Toronto Rock, wielding home floor advantage in the playoffs for the third straight season. A repeat of January's 16-13 magic would not come on this mid-April evening, though, as the Power played catch-up for three quarters and couldn't quite push past the Rock, losing by a 10-9 count.
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