Pre-game Notes

The undefeated Washington Stealth (5-0) are close to the opening face-off with the visiting Minnesota Swarm at Comcast Arena in Everett.

Here are a few pre-game notes on the Swarm:

1. Minnesota (1-3) appears to be a team that has opened strong and faded in the second half of its first four games. The Swarm, who are 0-2 on the road, have been outscored 24-16 in the second half (including overtime) this season.

2. The Swarm are 6-2 all-time in games that reach an extra frame. Minnesota suffered a 15-14 overtime loss at Colorado on Jan. 22.

3. Maybe Minnesotans are just really nice, but the Swarm have a league-low 53 total penalty minutes in four games.

4. Minnesota leads the all-time series with the Stealth 4-1:

4/3/2009: Stealth 18, Minnesota 8
1/10/2009: Minnesota 10, Stealth 7
2/2/2008: Minnesota 14, Stealth 12
4/9/2006: Minnesota 9, Stealth 8 (OT)
1/22/2005: Minnesota 9, Stealth 8

In the last meeting between the Stealth and Swarm, Paul Rabil scored 17 seconds into the game as the Stealth cruised to an 11-1 halftime lead and, eventually, an 18-8 win at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. Former Stealth captain Colin Doyle, now with Toronto, scored three goals and added 10 assists while Rhys Duch had five goals and three assists.

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