NLL Conference Final Previews

By Tom Hoffman

Down to four teams remaining in the hunt for the National Lacrosse League's Champions Cup, on Saturday night we'll find out who will be meeting in the league's title game next weekend. Here's alook at Saturday's games. Both can be seen free on NLL.com.

Eastern Conference Final

Buffalo Bandits (11-6) at New York Titans (11-6), 7:30 PM at Prudential Center

Regular Season: NY won the season series 2-0.

Playoff History: The teams met at HSBC Arena in last season's East Final, won by Buffalo 19-12.

How they got here: Buffalo avenged a season-ending loss when they defeated the Boston Blazers 11-8 in Buffalo last Saturday. Mark Steenhuis scored four times for the Bandits while Ken Montour made 47 saves. New York scored three times in the final 7:39 of regulation before winning in overtime 11-10 over the Rochester Knighthawks last Friday at Madison Square Garden. Casey Powell scored the game's final three goals and had four total with four assists to pace the Titans.

X-Factors: Both teams have explosive offenses in front of solid goaltenders (Buffalo's Ken Montour, New York's Matt Vinc). Which offense will have the better success? John Tavares had 12 points in last season's East Final, can the NY defense keep him in check?

Western Conference Final

San Jose Stealth (8-9) at Calgary Roughnecks (13-4), 9 PM at Pengrowth Saddledome

Regular Season: Calgary won both meetings in 2009.

Playoff History: Calgary won the only postseason meeting, 15-14 in the 2004 Division Semi-Finals.

How they got here: San Jose won on the road 20-16 against the Portland Lumberjax last Friday night. Colin Doyle led the Stealth with nine points (2 goals, 7 assists) as Tyler Richards won his playoff debut in net. Calgary dominated the Colorado Mammoth 15-8 last Sunday in Calgary. Matt King made 40 saves for the Roughnecks while Dane Dobbie added seven points on three goals and four assists.

X-Factors: San Jose only won twice on the road during the season but knocked out the home Lumberjax. Can Calgary take advantage of the home support and host next week's Championship game? Which former Toronto Rock star will shine brightest, San Jose's Colin Doyle or Calgary's Josh Sanderson?

NLL Playoff Preview (Conference Semi Finals)

By Tom Hoffman

With the regular season now in the rearview mirror, the 2009 National Lacrosse League postseason is set to begin Friday May 1st. With two games Friday, one Saturday and one Sunday, it shapes up to be a busy weekend. With that in mind, Laxphilly.com presents its preview of the opening round action.

Friday May 1

Rochester Knighthawks (7-9) at New York Titans (10-6), 7:30 PM at Madison Square Garden

Regular Season: New York won the season series 2-1.

Playoff History: first ever meeting.

Team Leaders:

Rochester: Goals: Shawn Evans (30), Assists: Shawn Williams (67), Points: Williams (93), GAA: Pat O'Toole (10.74).

New York: Goals: Casey Powell (40), Assists: Jordan Hall (56), Points: Powell (85), GAA: Matt Vinc (11.33)

X-Factors: Jamie Rooney scored seven goals in 10 games for the Titans before being dealt to Rochester at the trade deadline. After scoring five goals for the Knighthawks in seven games, will he be looking to show something to his former team? Which former Syracuse star will be on top, NY's Powell or Rochester's Gary Gait.

San Jose Stealth (7-9) at Portland Lumberjax (9-7), 10:30 PM at the Rose Garden

Regular Season: Portland won the season series 2-1.

Playoff History: This will be their second meeting. Portland won 18-16 in the 2008 West SF.

Team Leaders: San Jose: Goals: Colin Doyle (38), Assists: Doyle (73), Points: Doyle (111), GAA: Matt Roik (11.37).

Portland: Goals: Peter Morgan (29), Assists: Ryan Powell (44), Points: Powell (62), GAA: Matt Disher (10.80).

X-Factors: Portland is 0-1 in home playoff games. While Jax keeper Disher played in last season Champion's Cup final, San Jose's Roik has never played in the NLL postseason.

Saturday May 2

Boston Blazers (10-6) at Buffalo Bandits (10-6), 7:30 PM at HSBC Arena

Regular Season: The teams split the season series 1-1, each winning on the road.

Playoff History: First meeting between the current teams. Buffalo was 2-0 against the original Blazers (1992, 1993).

Leaders: Boston: Goals: Daryl Veltman (34), Assists: Dan Dawson (74), Points: Dawson (104), GAA: Anthony Cosmo (10.14).

Buffalo: Goals: Mark Steenhuis and John Tavares (51), Assists: Steenhuis (50), Points: Steenhuis (101), GAA: Ken Montour (9.57).

X-Factors: Dan Dawson is looking to appear in his fourth NLL title game in five seasons (2005, 2007, 2008). Buffalo is looking to win back to back titles and their fifth overall (1992, 1993, 1996, 2008).

Sunday May 3

Colorado Mammoth (7-9) at Calgary Roughnecks (12-4), 5 PM at Pengrowth Saddledome

Regular Season: The teams split their season series 1-1, each winning at home.

Playoff History: This will be their fourth playoff meeting. Calgary has a 2-1 edge, winning the most recent meeting in 2008.

Leaders: Colorado: Goals: Brian Langtry (38), Assists: Gavin Prout (48), Points: Langtry (79), GAA: Andrew Leyshon (10.93).

Calgary: Goals: Dane Dobbie (41), Assists: Josh Sanderson (74), Points: Sanderson (103), GAA: Matt King (10.23).

X-Factors: How well does ex-Roughneck Leyshon know his former teammates? And how much offensive support will he receive from a Mammoth offense that struggled for most of the season?

Wings dismiss Lindsay Sanderson

By Tom Hoffman

On April 22, the Philadelphia Wings announced that General Manager Lindsay Sanderson had been relieved of his duties after five seasons. During his five seasons as GM, the Wings had a record of 37-43. Sanderson also spent his first three seasons with the Wings as coach, compiling a record of 20-28 before he was replaced by Dave Huntley. No successor has been named yet.

Stay with Laxphilly.com for all Wings moves during the offseason.

No playoffs for Wings

By Tom Hoffman

It looked promising at halftime with a 5-4 lead. When Kyle Wailes scored 31 seconds into the third quarter, hopes may have raised. Sadly that would be the final high point of the 2009 Philadelphia Wings season. Scoring seven of the game's last nine goals, the Rochester Knighthawks defeated the Wings 11-8 at Blue Cross Arena to secure the final playoff spot in the NLL's Eastern Conference. For the Wings, disappointment after last year's return to the postseason. Now, Philly faces another offseason of uncertainty. What moves, if any, will be made?

Wings 2009 Game 16 (at Rochester 4-18-09)

By Tom Hoffman

It's the last game of the regular season and it's "winner take all" when the Philadelphia Wings (7-8) travel to Rochester to face off with the Knighthawks (6-9) on Saturday evening. The winner will claim the fourth and final playoff spot in the National Lacrosse League's Eastern Conference. Faceoff is at 7:30 PM and can be seen live on NLL.com.

History

The Wings are 15-17 against Rochester and 5-10 at the Blue Cross Arena including their 16-13 win there on January 10. Merrick Thomson scored four goals and added an assist while Kyle Wailes put up seven points, six of them assists, to the the Philadelphia offense. Brandon Miller made 36 save in net for the Wings. Gary Gait scored five goals for Rochester in his return to the NLL following his retirement after the 2005 season while Shawn Williams added eight points (2G, 6A) for the Knighthawks.

Last Week

Drew Westervelt's goal with 61 seconds to play lifted the Wings to a 16-14 victory over the Toronto Rock, eliminating the Rock from the NLL postseason. Westervelt's goal was his fourth of the evening. Merrick Thomson led the Wings with eight points on three goals and five assists. Rob Blasdell made 47 saves for the Wings. Rochester was swept over the weekend, losing 13-9 at Buffalo on Friday and 10-5 at Boston on Saturday.

Playoffs

As mentioned already, the winner of this game will clinch the fourth and final playoff spot in the East. The Buffalo Bandits, New York Titans and Boston Blazers have already clinched the first three spots. The Wings-Knighthawks winner will face either Buffalo or New York pending the results of the Bandits-Blazers and Titans-Minnesota Swarm games. The playoffs will open the weekend of May 1.

Quotes

Wings coach Dave Huntley on the difference between the Knighthawks early in the season and now: "Obviously Pat O'Toole's back. Craig Point certainly is bringing out the best in Shawn Evans. Gary (Gait)'s still playing well. They're running the floor a little better."

Drew Westervelt on facing the Knighthawks: "We know we've got a battle next weekend. Everybody's gonna come ready to go and hopefully we can just keep building off of tonight."

Next Game

Either the first weekend in May at either New York or Buffalo or the opening night of the 2010 season.