Published: Sunday, February 14, 2010
Swarm hand Stealth their first loss
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Washington Stealth finally found an opponent they couldn’t beat.
History.
The Stealth, who’ve never won at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., continued to struggle in the Twin Cities, losing to the Swarm 16-12 in National Lacrosse League action Saturday night.
The defeat knocked the Stealth (6-1) from the ranks of the unbeaten. They were the last NLL team to lose this season.
“It just goes to show you, on any given night, if you don’t come with all your energy and focus in this league, you will lose,” Stealth coach Chris Hall said.
The contest — coming eight days after Washington beat the Swarm 12-9 in Everett — was a feisty affair, with five players ejected. The first quarter ended with Minnesota’s Sean Pollock and Washington goalkeeper Tyler Richards squaring off in a fight that emptied both benches. Pollock was ejected, as were Minnesota’s Joe Cinosky and Washington’s Mike Grimes for being the first players off their respective benches.
Minnesota led 5-2 after the first quarter, just the second time this season Washington has allowed more than four goals in a quarter.
A boarding penalty on Minnesota’s Jay Thorimbert early in the second quarter gave Washington a chance to get back in the game. The Stealth took advantage, scoring twice in a span of 1 minute and 25 seconds — Lewis Ratcliff tallied both goals — to cut the difference to 6-4. However, the Stealth got no closer than two goals the rest of the night. The Swarm’s biggest lead came with just under two minutes remaining at 16-10. The 16 goals were the most allowed by the Stealth this season.
“Our defense was terrible tonight,” Hall said. “Fundamentally we were extremely poor on the defensive end.”
Tim Campeau scored four times for the Swarm. Ryan Benesch added three goals and three assists and Aaron Wilson had two goals and six assists.
Ratcliff scored four goals and dished out two assists for Washington. Cam Sedgwick added seven assists, Jeff Zywicki tallied two goals and two assists and Rhys Duch scored twice.
“I thought our offense was very average tonight,” Hall said, “but twelve goals should keep you in games.”
Kevin Croswell, who replaced Nick Patterson in goal after last week’s loss to Washington, made 28 saves for the Swarm. Richards stopped 25 shots for Washington.
Swarm 16, Stealth 12
Washington 2 4 2 4 —12
Minnesota 5 3 5 3 —16
First quarter — 1, Washington, L. Ratcliff 15 (C. Sedgwick, R. Duch), 1:11 (pp). 2, Minnesota, K. Ross 5 (C. Crawford, S. Pollock), 2:08. 3, Minnesota, T. Campeau 3 (J. Cinosky), 2:25. 4, Minnesota, A. Wilson 13 (R. Benesch, Z. Greer), 4:30 (pp). 5, Minnesota, T. Campeau 4 (A. Wilson, R. Benesch), 9:38. 6, Minnesota, J. Thorimbert 3 9:45. 7, Washington, P. Rabil 4 (C. Sedgwick, J. Zywicki), 14:40. Penalties-J. Cinosky Min (tripping), 0:54; served by S. McKinlay Was (illegal substitution), 3:22; M. Grimes Was (interference on goalie), 7:24; served by S. McKinlay Was (illegal substitution), 11:37; M. Beers Was (roughing, misconduct), 15:00; M. Grimes Was (fighting, game misconduct), 15:00; T. Richards Was (roughing), 15:00; J. Cinosky Min (game misconduct), 15:00; E. Pacey Min (roughing, misconduct), 15:00; S. Pollock Min (roughing, fighting, game misconduct), 15:00.
Second quarter — 8, Minnesota, J. Thorimbert 4 0:07 (pp). 9, Washington, L. Ratcliff 16 (C. Sedgwick, R. Duch), 1:08 (pp). 10, Washington, L. Ratcliff 17 (R. Duch, C. Sedgwick), 2:33 (pp). 11, Minnesota, A. Wilson 14 (K. Ross, C. Crawford), 5:11. 12, Minnesota, R. Benesch 5 (A. Wilson, J. Sullivan), 8:07. 13, Washington, R. Duch 12 (C. Sedgwick, L. Wiles), 10:07 (pp). 14, Washington, K. Hartzell 1 (S. McKinlay), 14:26. Penalties-J. Thorimbert Min (boarding - major), 0:14; S. Self Min (cross checking), 8:34; served by E. Pacey Min (delay of game), 14:26.
Third quarter — 15, Minnesota, R. Benesch 6 (A. Watt, K. Croswell), 2:29. 16, Minnesota, C. Crawford 10 (A. Wilson, R. Benesch), 3:22. 17, Washington, J. Zywicki 18 (P. Rabil), 3:34. 18, Minnesota, T. Campeau 5 (C. Crawford), 5:14. 19, Washington, R. Duch 13 (L. Ratcliff, C. Sedgwick), 9:26. 20, Minnesota, T. Campeau 6 (A. Wilson, S. Self), 10:40. 21, Minnesota, R. Benesch 7 (Z. Greer, A. Wilson), 14:07. Penalties-E. Martin Was (cross checking), 5:46.
Fourth quarter — 22, Washington, L. Wiles 11 (J. Zywicki, C. Sedgwick), 0:29. 23, Washington, L. Ratcliff 18 (T. Johnson), 4:37. 24, Minnesota, C. Crawford 11 (A. Wilson, S. Self), 5:13. 25, Minnesota, J. Thorimbert 5 9:38. 26, Minnesota, E. Pacey 2 (S. Self), 13:01 (en). 27, Washington, J. Zywicki 19 (S. McKinlay, L. Ratcliff), 13:51. 28, Washington, C. Hodgson 2 (R. Duch), 14:02. Penalties-E. Martin Was (fighting), 5:37; A. Watt Min (instigator, fighting, game misconduct), 5:37; R. Morgan Min (unsportsmanlike conduct, misconduct), 9:38; M. Beers Was (misconduct), 14:02.
Shots on goal — Washington 10-11-8-11-40. Minnesota 12-13-9-7-41.
Power-play opportunities — Washington 4 of 7; Minnesota 2 of 5.
Faceoffs — Washington 22 of 32; Minnesota 10 of 32.
Goalies — Washington, Richards 3-1-0 (40 shots-25 saves). Minnesota, Croswell 1-2-0 (40 shots-28 saves); Patterson 1-2-0 (0 shots-0 saves).
A-8,952
History.
The Stealth, who’ve never won at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., continued to struggle in the Twin Cities, losing to the Swarm 16-12 in National Lacrosse League action Saturday night.
The defeat knocked the Stealth (6-1) from the ranks of the unbeaten. They were the last NLL team to lose this season.
“It just goes to show you, on any given night, if you don’t come with all your energy and focus in this league, you will lose,” Stealth coach Chris Hall said.
The contest — coming eight days after Washington beat the Swarm 12-9 in Everett — was a feisty affair, with five players ejected. The first quarter ended with Minnesota’s Sean Pollock and Washington goalkeeper Tyler Richards squaring off in a fight that emptied both benches. Pollock was ejected, as were Minnesota’s Joe Cinosky and Washington’s Mike Grimes for being the first players off their respective benches.
Minnesota led 5-2 after the first quarter, just the second time this season Washington has allowed more than four goals in a quarter.
A boarding penalty on Minnesota’s Jay Thorimbert early in the second quarter gave Washington a chance to get back in the game. The Stealth took advantage, scoring twice in a span of 1 minute and 25 seconds — Lewis Ratcliff tallied both goals — to cut the difference to 6-4. However, the Stealth got no closer than two goals the rest of the night. The Swarm’s biggest lead came with just under two minutes remaining at 16-10. The 16 goals were the most allowed by the Stealth this season.
“Our defense was terrible tonight,” Hall said. “Fundamentally we were extremely poor on the defensive end.”
Tim Campeau scored four times for the Swarm. Ryan Benesch added three goals and three assists and Aaron Wilson had two goals and six assists.
Ratcliff scored four goals and dished out two assists for Washington. Cam Sedgwick added seven assists, Jeff Zywicki tallied two goals and two assists and Rhys Duch scored twice.
“I thought our offense was very average tonight,” Hall said, “but twelve goals should keep you in games.”
Kevin Croswell, who replaced Nick Patterson in goal after last week’s loss to Washington, made 28 saves for the Swarm. Richards stopped 25 shots for Washington.
Swarm 16, Stealth 12
Washington 2 4 2 4 —12
Minnesota 5 3 5 3 —16
First quarter — 1, Washington, L. Ratcliff 15 (C. Sedgwick, R. Duch), 1:11 (pp). 2, Minnesota, K. Ross 5 (C. Crawford, S. Pollock), 2:08. 3, Minnesota, T. Campeau 3 (J. Cinosky), 2:25. 4, Minnesota, A. Wilson 13 (R. Benesch, Z. Greer), 4:30 (pp). 5, Minnesota, T. Campeau 4 (A. Wilson, R. Benesch), 9:38. 6, Minnesota, J. Thorimbert 3 9:45. 7, Washington, P. Rabil 4 (C. Sedgwick, J. Zywicki), 14:40. Penalties-J. Cinosky Min (tripping), 0:54; served by S. McKinlay Was (illegal substitution), 3:22; M. Grimes Was (interference on goalie), 7:24; served by S. McKinlay Was (illegal substitution), 11:37; M. Beers Was (roughing, misconduct), 15:00; M. Grimes Was (fighting, game misconduct), 15:00; T. Richards Was (roughing), 15:00; J. Cinosky Min (game misconduct), 15:00; E. Pacey Min (roughing, misconduct), 15:00; S. Pollock Min (roughing, fighting, game misconduct), 15:00.
Second quarter — 8, Minnesota, J. Thorimbert 4 0:07 (pp). 9, Washington, L. Ratcliff 16 (C. Sedgwick, R. Duch), 1:08 (pp). 10, Washington, L. Ratcliff 17 (R. Duch, C. Sedgwick), 2:33 (pp). 11, Minnesota, A. Wilson 14 (K. Ross, C. Crawford), 5:11. 12, Minnesota, R. Benesch 5 (A. Wilson, J. Sullivan), 8:07. 13, Washington, R. Duch 12 (C. Sedgwick, L. Wiles), 10:07 (pp). 14, Washington, K. Hartzell 1 (S. McKinlay), 14:26. Penalties-J. Thorimbert Min (boarding - major), 0:14; S. Self Min (cross checking), 8:34; served by E. Pacey Min (delay of game), 14:26.
Third quarter — 15, Minnesota, R. Benesch 6 (A. Watt, K. Croswell), 2:29. 16, Minnesota, C. Crawford 10 (A. Wilson, R. Benesch), 3:22. 17, Washington, J. Zywicki 18 (P. Rabil), 3:34. 18, Minnesota, T. Campeau 5 (C. Crawford), 5:14. 19, Washington, R. Duch 13 (L. Ratcliff, C. Sedgwick), 9:26. 20, Minnesota, T. Campeau 6 (A. Wilson, S. Self), 10:40. 21, Minnesota, R. Benesch 7 (Z. Greer, A. Wilson), 14:07. Penalties-E. Martin Was (cross checking), 5:46.
Fourth quarter — 22, Washington, L. Wiles 11 (J. Zywicki, C. Sedgwick), 0:29. 23, Washington, L. Ratcliff 18 (T. Johnson), 4:37. 24, Minnesota, C. Crawford 11 (A. Wilson, S. Self), 5:13. 25, Minnesota, J. Thorimbert 5 9:38. 26, Minnesota, E. Pacey 2 (S. Self), 13:01 (en). 27, Washington, J. Zywicki 19 (S. McKinlay, L. Ratcliff), 13:51. 28, Washington, C. Hodgson 2 (R. Duch), 14:02. Penalties-E. Martin Was (fighting), 5:37; A. Watt Min (instigator, fighting, game misconduct), 5:37; R. Morgan Min (unsportsmanlike conduct, misconduct), 9:38; M. Beers Was (misconduct), 14:02.
Shots on goal — Washington 10-11-8-11-40. Minnesota 12-13-9-7-41.
Power-play opportunities — Washington 4 of 7; Minnesota 2 of 5.
Faceoffs — Washington 22 of 32; Minnesota 10 of 32.
Goalies — Washington, Richards 3-1-0 (40 shots-25 saves). Minnesota, Croswell 1-2-0 (40 shots-28 saves); Patterson 1-2-0 (0 shots-0 saves).
A-8,952
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