Around the National Lacrosse League for the games of Week One, 27-28 December 2002. (Summaries are based on best-available information and may be amended as necessary.)

Toronto Rock at Albany Attack
Friday, 7:30 PM - Pepsi Arena
Summary: Toronto Rocks Albany's dream of revenge, 13-9

Colin Doyle scored five goals, including two fourth-quarter strikes, leading the visiting Rock to a 13-9 victory over the Attack.

The game was a rematch of the 2002 NLL Champion's Cup final, which Toronto won, 13-12, in this building last April.

Kevin Finneran scored a hat trick in his Rock debut. He is the first American ever to play for the Toronto franchise (1-0), which is in its sixth season of play. Finneran opened the scoring just 1:37 into the game, then added a goal in each of the next two quarters.

Once the scoring began, Toronto never trailed, posting leads of 5-3, 9-6 and 10-8 at the quarter marks.

Gary Rosyski, Mike Regan and Dan Teat each scored two goals for the Attack (0-1). Brandon Miller played most of the game in net for Albany, after Rob Blasdell left late in the first quarter following a collision with Toronto's Glenn Clark.

[Preview: The Rock and Attack reprise their 2002 Champion's Cup Final matchup Friday night at Pepsi Arena. Toronto won a thriller in April, 13-12, but this is hardly the same team that took the floor that night. Kim Squire, Rodd Squire, Ian Rubel, Ken Millin, and Dan Stroup are among those not returning for this game, ultimately meaning that (egad) an American will suit up for the previously all-Canadian Rock. This is no ordinary American player, though -- this is Kevin Finneran, discarded by Philadelphia in a youth movement. "Finn" posted 79 points last season, and as if to prove that he hasn't lost his touch, potted four goals in an exhibition last week against Ottawa. The Attack's powerful offense is led onto the turf by Josh Sanderson, who had a record-breaking 68 assists last season and who posted ten points (five goals, five assists) in the aforementioned championship game.]

New York Saints at Columbus Landsharks
Friday, 7:30 PM - Nationwide Arena
Summary: Sharks drop Saints, 15-10, in opener

Kyle Arbuckle and Bill Greer each posted a hat trick as the Landsharks easily defeated the Saints, 15-10, Friday night.

Columbus (1-0) maintained a two- or three-goal cushion much of the night, building a 7-4 halftime advantage and a 10-8 lead after three quarters.

Rusty Kruger scored three goals for New York (0-1), and with a pair of assists, led all scorers with five points. Dan Paccione contributed two goals and an assist, and Chris Driscoll chipped in a goal and three assists.

The Saints return to Long Island for a rare two-game weekend homestand. New York hosts Albany on Thursday and Ottawa next Saturday. Columbus hosts Ottawa a week from tonight, then heads to New Jersey for a Sunday matinee.

[Preview: Mike Gongas' team, meet Mike Gongas' other team. Friday night, the team that Gongas and Charlie Russo saved from oblivion several years ago visits the team that Gongas and Russo saved from oblivion eighteen months ago. The similarities don't end there, though. The Saints are led by rookie head coach Pat McCabe, who last season was the team's top defenseman; the Landsharks are led by rookie head coach Bob Hamley, who assisted Bob McMahon in Albany last season. Both teams bring young stars to the Nationwide Arena -- Gavin Prout, Ben Prepchuk, and first-round pick Nick Carlson lead the Saints, while Gewas Schindler, Kasey Beirnes, and Travis Gillespie are among the top Sharks.]

Calgary Roughnecks at Ottawa Rebel
Saturday, 3:30 PM - Ottawa Civic Centre
Summary: Kelusky rocks in debut with Roughnecks

Tracey Kelusky scored four goals and dished out five assists as the Roughnecks thumped the Rebel, 14-9, in matinee play.

Kaleb Toth and Tyson Leies also had hat tricks for the Roughnecks, but it was Kelusky's play which was especially vexing for Ottawa head coach Terry Sanderson, who coached the young star last year in Montreal. Kelusky had a hand in each of Calgary's (1-0) first six goals, stretching into the second half.

Sanderson made NLL history by coaching this game. He becomes the first man ever to skipper three different franchises, following stints with Albany (2000-2001) and Montreal (2002).

Stephen Evans, Kevin Howard, and Lindsay Plunkett each scored two goals for the Rebel (0-1) this afternoon. Ryan Painter, Ottawa's leading scorer last season, was scratched due to injury.

[Preview: Two teams in desperate need of a new identity meet Saturday afternoon in the season debut of Rogers SportsNet's game of the week. Calgary returns most of the major personnel from last year's 4-12 disaster -- head coach Chris Hall; forwards Kaleb Toth, Jason Wulder, and Chris Panos; and goaltender Matt King are all back in Red and Black. However, the rest of the team has been recast, with forward Tracey Kelusky coming over from Montreal and a brand-new defense. On the other side, Ottawa head coach Terry Sanderson has rebuilt the Rebel from the ground up, importing Bruce Codd from the Express to lead the defense, handing the keys to the offense to second-year standout Ryan Painter, and constructing a roster similar to one he skippered in Montreal last season.]

New Jersey Storm at Rochester Knighthawks
Saturday, 7:35 PM - Blue Cross Arena
Summary: New Jersey storms back, shocks K'hawks, 13-11

The Storm scored four unanswered goals in eighty-three seconds during the game's final two minutes, rallying to beat the Knighthawks, 13-11.

Roy Colsey led the Storm (1-0) with five goals, although none came in the furious comeback bid now being referred to as the "Miracle Minute." Cam Bomberry, Mike Laurano, Bryan Bendig, and Doug Noganosh scored in the four-goal run.

Rochester (0-1) was paced by three goals from Curt Malawsky and two from Andrew Turner. Interestingly, the Knighthawks' leading scorer was goaltender Pat O'Toole, with four points (all assists).

The loss snaps Rochester's fifteen-game home winning streak, which dated back two seasons. The last team to defeat the Knighthawks at the Blue Cross Arena was Philadelphia (17-16), on 30 December 2000.

[Preview: Barring any last-minute disasters in New Jersey's goaltending corps, Ginny Capicchioni will not be uniform for the Storm. That will not, however, prevent her from being the talk of the town -- after all, the NLL's first female player has already been profiled in the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle. A shame, too, because a pair of fantastic storylines should dominate fans' attention. New Jersey has added star forwards Roy Colsey and Mike Benedict to a team that already had a decent defense to speak of -- how high can the two snipers lift the Storm? As for the Knighthawks, they finally unveil a new turf, but will it carry the magic the old one did? A Rochester win will make sixteen in a row at home, breaking the league's alltime record.]