April 24, 2010
A win puts Blazers in playoffs
by Staff Report/
Goaltender Anthony Cosmo and the Blazers can earn a playoff spot with a win at Buffalo. (photo: Steve Babineau)
The scenario is a simple one for the Boston Blazers heading into Saturday night’s game at Buffalo: Win and they’re in.
With one game remaining in the regular season, the Blazers control their own playoff fate in their game against the Bandits (7:30 p.m.) at HSBC Arena.
Two postseason berths are at stake in the National Lacrosse League’s Eastern Division, and one would belong to the Blazers with a win at Buffalo.
According to the NLL web site, the Orlando Titans have secured the Eastern Division regular-season title, while the Toronto Rock are the No. 2 seed for the playoffs.
Three teams are in a battle for the final two postseason positions: the Blazers (8-7), Buffalo Bandits (7-9) and Rochester Knighthawks (7-8). All three teams can earn playoff spots in the regular season’s final weekend.
A win gets Boston into the postseason, but the Blazers can lose against Buffalo and still earn a playoff spot if Rochester loses against Washington.
"I think at this point in the season," Blazers coach Tom Ryan told NLL.com, "we're excited to get into the playoffs and to have that playoff atmosphere, and there's no place more exciting to play than HSBC Arena."
Boston and Buffalo met once during the regular season, on March 13 at TD Garden.
Buffalo’s John Tavares led the Bandits with four goals that night, including the game-winner in overtime, as Buffalo defeated Boston, 8-7.
The Bandits will be looking for a similar result this time.
"It's either win and play lacrosse or lose and play golf," Bandits associate general manager Derek Graham told NLL.com, "and we want to play another month of lacrosse. I can tell you the atmosphere at practice was that of a playoff atmosphere. And we're looking at it as [if] this is the playoffs right now."
Boston comes into the regular-season finale on the heels of an impressive 9-7 win at Colorado last weekend.
Blazers forward Dan Dawson had five goals and three assists to lead Boston in the win, with Daryl Veltman, Mat Giles, Jamie Rooney and Harnett adding single tallies.
For his efforts, Dawson was named the National Lacrosse League's Overall Player of the Week for Week 15 of the 2010 NLL Season.
"It's good to see that he's found his groove now," Ryan said of Dawson. "He's as much of a competitor as anyone. He wants to win. As we've all seen the past couple of years, when we get down to the wire Dan steps up and plays his best."
