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Game Preview
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9 April 1999
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Wings battle for last playoff spot
in final weekend of games
NLL Press Release
The Philadelphia Wings attracted the largest crowd of the season to their home game last weekend (17,573). But, it’s their road game this Saturday night, as well as a game on Friday which doesn’t even involve them, which all eyes are sure to be on as the 1999 National Lacrosse League regular season comes to an end.
Friday night’s Toronto at New York and Saturday evening’s Philadelphia at Rochester games will determine whether the Wings will have the opportunity to defend their 1998 NLL title with this year’s final playoff spot or whether they’ll pass the Champion’s Cup to the silversmith to get shined for someone else.
With Philadelphia and New York both being tied for fourth place at 5-6, and each team having beaten the other by one goal in their two-game regular season series, the Wings simply would like to see the Saints lose tomorrow. A Philly win on Saturday night would then send the Wings to a NLL semifinal playoff game the following weekend. However, should both New York and Philadelphia win or both lose, the team with the better differential between overall season goals for and goals against will get in. Right now the Wings are +1 and the Saints are -6.
New York lost in Toronto earlier this season, 13-9 and Philadelphia suffered a 15-12 loss to the Knighthawks in January at the First Union Center. Regardless of the outcome of this weekend’s games, Rochester will finish third and open the post-season next weekend on the road. Toronto, however, still has some unfinished business.
The Rock have already assured that their semi-final playoff game will take place at Maple Leaf Gardens (on Friday, 16 April), but a win on Long Island would guarantee that Toronto would host the NLL Championship Game as well if they won their first playoff game. A loss tomorrow would leave the Rock at 8-4, the same record as the Baltimore Thunder, who would gain the first seed due to tiebreaker.
The only two teams who have been eliminated from post-season contention, the Bandits and Smash, meet on Saturday night in Syracuse. Though Buffalo could finish in a three-way tie for fourth with a win and New York and Philadelphia losses, tiebreakers have already eliminated them from the playoffs for the first time in team history.
Capsule looks at the games:
Toronto Rock at New York Saints
Game time: Friday, 7:30 PM
Game site: Nassau Coliseum
Broadcast Info.:
Television:
None.
Radio:
None.
Netcast:
None.
Records:
Toronto 8-3
New York 5-6
Key Players:
Toronto:
Colin Doyle finished last season as the NLL Rookie of the Year and is wrapping up this year in style. Last Friday he scored the winning goal with 7.3 seconds left to lift the Rock over Baltimore and also added seven assists. Russ Heard will be facing the player he is tied with (New York’s Mark Millon) for eighth in the NLL in scoring with 50 points.
New York:
Jason Wulder scored three times against Toronto when the two teams met on 26 February. Wulder has 18 goals so far this season, a new career high. Darren Lowe is tied for fourth in the league in assists (33). Jon Hess is the NLL’s fourth leading rookie scorer (3+13=16).
Notable:
It’s the league’s most penalized team (Toronto, 277 minutes) versus the least penalized (New York, 190), though an incident in the game between them six weeks ago brought one-game suspensions to the Rock’s Terry Bullen and Saints’ Tim Langton... New York has an uphill battle as their offense is seventh (12.73 goals per game) and Toronto’s defense is first (11.82 goals against per game)... Toronto is coming off a one-goal win in the last minute at home last week while the Saints come in off a one-goal road loss... The first-place Rock have won just two of five road games, having been perfect at home (6-0)... Toronto, then the Ontario Raiders, finished last season 6-6. The Saints were 5-7...
Tickets:
At Nassau Coliseum and through Ticketmaster. Charge-by-phone at 516.888.9000 or 212.307.7171.
Philadelphia Wings at Rochester Knighthawks
Game time: Saturday, 7:35 PM
Game site: Blue Cross Arena
Broadcast Info.:
Television:
None.
Radio:
Rochester: WHTK-AM (1280)
Netcast:
None.
Records:
Philadelphia 5-6
Rochester 7-4
Key Players:
Philadelphia:
Goalie Dallas Eliuk made 50 saves in the home win against New York last week and has moved into the league lead in save percentage by .002 (with his .763 mark). Tom Marechek had four goals in the home loss to Rochester in Week 5. He is second in the NLL in that category with 37. Rookie Jamie Hanford has taken over 69 percent of the team’s face-offs this season after a solid collegiate career at Loyola College. He was Philadelphia’s first round pick in last September’s NLL Draft.
Toronto:
Darris Kilgour had five points last weekend in his first game since being acquired from Buffalo. In two games with the Bandits against the Wings this season, he had two goals and five assists. Cory Bomberry is fourth in the league in face-off winning percentage at .537. Regy Thorpe leads the team in loose balls recovered with 67.
Notable:
The 22 January game between the teams at the First Union Center marked the end of Rochester goalie Steve Dietrich’s season as he suffered an ACL injury... Last season’s Philadelphia at Rochester game was won by the Wings in overtime after the K’Hawks had tied the game with one second left in the fourth quarter... The Wings have won just one of five road games this season... Rochester is tied (with Baltimore, who has played one more game) for the league lead in short-handed goals with ten... The Wings lead the all-time regular season series, 5-3.
Tickets:
At the Blue Cross Arena, at Ticketmaster outlets, through Ticketmaster charge-by-phone (716.232.1900), and via the Rochester Knighthawks website.
Buffalo Bandits at Syracuse Smash
Game time: Saturday, 8:00 PM
Game site: Onondaga County War Memorial
Broadcast Info.:
Television:
None.
Radio:
None.
Netcast:
None.
Records:
Buffalo 4-7
Syracuse 2-9
Key Players:
Buffalo:
Newcomer Chris Driscoll had two goals and three assists in his first game last week since being acquired from Rochester. He scored 15 seconds into that contest. This will be Mike Benedict’s first game against Syracuse since being acquired from the Smash in a 25 March trade. John Tavares will again finish as Buffalo’s leading scorer. He comes in with a team high 61 points, followed by Driscoll’s 38.
Syracuse:
Paul Gait had nine points in last Saturday night’s loss in Baltimore. He’s third in the league in points and assists and tied for third in goals. Neal Powless had seven points last weekend as did Del Halladay, who’d registered nine points the week before. Eric Seremet, part of the three-team trade (with Buffalo and New York) on 25 March, made his Smash debut last weekend, recording one assist. He had two assists for the Saints in their 30 January game against the Bandits.
Notable:
Buffalo’s Neil Doddridge, Jamie Batley, and goalie Marty O’Neill both played for the Smash last season... The Bandits finished 1998 at 6-6 while the Smash were 2-10...Both teams come in on losing streaks. Buffalo has lost their last four and Syracuse their last seven... Including the 17-16 decision on 29 January, the Bandits are 3-0 alltime against the Smash... Syracuse’s .418 face-off winning percentage is last in the league...The Bandits were leading 16-13 with 4:01 left in the fourth quarter of their Week Six game versus Syracuse at Marine Midland Arena before the visitors scored three times to tie it, with Buffalo then scoring the winning goal with 32 seconds left.
Tickets:
At OnCenter box office (Montgomery Street side of War Memorial) or through Ticketmaster charge-by-phone at 315.472.0700.
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