National Lacrosse League

After winning four of their last five contests, the Columbus Landsharks squared off against Buffalo last Saturday and came out on the short end of a 12-8 loss, one that dropped the team below .500. The ?Sharks? will look to get back on the winning track when they invade the Pepsi Arena and the Albany Attack on Friday evening at 7:30 p.m. The Attack, who last week handed New York a 13-8 loss, claiming the two-game season series, sit atop the NLL Central Division with a 7-2 record.

Two of the League?s four expansion clubs will do battle on Friday night when the New Jersey Storm welcome in the Vancouver Ravens to the Continental Airlines Arena at 7:30 p.m. The Ravens are coming off a 21-10 blowout of the Ottawa Rebel last Saturday. Despite only having a single win this season, the Storm have shown signs of life in their last two contests, dropping a close 14-13 overtime loss to Calgary on December 28 and a hard fought 17-15 loss to Philadelphia on January 20. Friday?s game will be televised live on Fox Sports Net.

On Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. (Mountain Time) the Calgary Roughnecks return home to the Pengrowth Saddledome to take on division rival, the Ottawa Rebel. The Rebel are coming off a 22-10 loss to Vancouver last Saturday while Calgary dropped a 19-15 decision to Washington. The game, which will be the first of two NLL Games of the Week in Canada this weekend, will be shown live on SportsNet.

The Buffalo Bandits will compete in their sixth game in the past four weeks when they play host to the Albany Attack. Buffalo is coming off a two-game weekend last Friday and Saturday, in which they fell to Montreal 10-7, before defeating Columbus the next night at home 12-8. Albany will be playing in their second game in as many nights. All the action gets underway at 7:30 p.m. from the HSBC Arena.

Two NLL Central Division powerhouses collide on Saturday night when the Montreal Express visit the Blue Cross Arena and Rochester Knighthawks. The Express are currently in third place after splitting their two weekend contests, a 10-7 victory over Buffalo and a 17-12 loss to Toronto. Rochester on the other hand dropped its third game of the season, with a 21-13 loss to Philadelphia last Friday night but remain in second place. The first draw is set to take place 7:30 p.m.

The Vancouver Ravens will continue their east coast swing on Saturday evening when they face-off with the New York Saints inside the Nassau Coliseum at 7:30pm. New York has dropped their last four consecutive contests and would like nothing more than to end the current streak with a victory over Vancouver. The Saints dropped a 13-8 contest to the Albany Attack last weekend at home.

The NLL?s Game of the Week in the United States and second in Canada takes place on Sunday afternoon when the Washington Power go head to head with rival, the Toronto Rock at 12:30 p.m. at the Air Canada Centre. Both squads sit atop their respective divisions, with both clubs claiming victories last weekend. Washington topped Calgary 19-15, while the Rock defeated Montreal by the score of 17-12. The game can be seen live on both CNNSi and SportsNet.

Below are this week?s game capsule?s

Fri. Feb 8
Columbus Landsharks at Albany Attack,
7:30 p.m., Pepsi Arena
TV: Time Warner Cable-Channel 9 (Tape Delay Feb 12 8pm; Feb 14 8pm)
Web Cast: NationalLacrosse.com

Record: Columbus (4-5, 5th NLL Central Division); Albany (7-2, 1st NLL Central Division)

Key Players for Columbus: Forward Gewas Schindler (1st in team scoring with 40 points); Forward Kasey Beirnes (2nd in team scoring with 30 points); Forward Neal Powless (2nd in team goals with 18)

Interim Co-Head Coaches:
Wayne Colley and Worthington, Ohio native Chris Gallagher

Key Players for Albany: Forward Josh Sanderson (Tied for 6th in NLL scoring with 59 points); Forward Gary Rosyski (9th in NLL scoring with 55 points); Forward Nick Trudeau (Tied for 2nd in team goals with 21 goals)

Head Coach: Bob McMahon

Notable: Albany is allowing the second least amount of goals per game with 12.9 average.

Last Meeting: First Meeting This Season

Tickets: At Pepsi Arena Box Office, through Ticketmaster Charge-by-Phone at (518) 476-1000 and online at www.Ticketmaster.com

Fri Feb 8.
Vancouver Ravens at New Jersey Storm,
7:30 p.m., Continental Airlines Arena
TV: Fox Sports Net
Radio: Vancouver- The Team (1040-AM); New Jersey- Juke Box Radio (103.1-FM)
Webcast: www.NationalLacrosse.com

Record: Vancouver (4-6, 2nd NLL Northern Division); New Jersey (1-8, 4th NLL Eastern Division)

Key Players for Vancouver: Goaltender Dwight Maetche (2nd in total saves with 374); Forward Chris Gill (12th in NLL scoring with 52 points); Forward Peter Morgan (2nd in team scoring with 40 points)

Head Coach: Paul Dal Monte

Key Players for New Jersey: Forward Cam Bomberry (1st in team scoring with 30 points); Forward Matt Panetta (1st in team goals with 15); Forward Billy LeFeurve (2nd in team goals with 11)

Head Coach: Jim Brady

Notable: Vancouver ranks third in NLL Power Plays with a 58.8 percentage?The first 1,001 female fans will be eligible to win a half-carat diamond as part of the Storm?s Valentines Day giveaway

Last Meeting: 12-23-01 New Jersey 10 at Vancouver 22

Tickets: At Continental Airlines Arena Box Office, through Ticketmaster Charge-by-Phone at (201) 507-8900 and online at www.Ticketmaster.com

Sat. Feb 9
Ottawa Rebel at Calgary Roughnecks,
1:30 (Mountain Time), Pengrowth Saddledome
TV: SportsNet
Radio: None
Webcast: www.NationalLacrosse.com

Record: Ottawa (1-8, 4th NLL Northern Division); Calgary (4-8, 3rd NLL Northern Division)

Key Players for Ottawa: Forward Mike Benedict (Tied for 1st in team scoring with 44 points), Forward Chris Konopliff (Tied for 1st in team scoring with 44 points); Forward Ryan Painter (1st in team goals with 21)

Head Coach: Lindsay Sanderson

Key Players for Calgary: Forward Kaleb Toth (Tied for 2nd in NLL scoring with 66 points); Forward Ben Prepchuk (4th in NLL scoring with 61 points); Forward Jason Wulder (5th in NLL scoring with 60 points)

Head Coach: Chris Hall

Notable: Ottawa ranks fourth in NLL Power Plays with a 58.6 percentage?Calgary currently ranks fifth in NLL average attendance this season

Last Meeting: 12-2-01 Calgary 17 at Ottawa 11

Tickets: At Pengrowth Saddledome Box Office, through Ticketmaster Charge-by-Phone at (403) 777-0000 and online at www.Ticketmaster.ca

Sat. Feb 9
Albany Attack at Buffalo Bandits,
7:30 p.m., HSBC Arena
TV: None
Radio: Buffalo- WSNA (107.7-FM)
Webcast: www.NationalLacrosse.com

Record: Albany (7-2, 1st NLL Central Division); Buffalo (5-4, 4th NLL Central Division)

Key Players for Albany: Forward Josh Sanderson (Tied for 6th in NLL scoring with 59 points); Forward Gary Rosyski (9th in NLL scoring with 55 points); Forward Nick Trudeau (Tied for 2nd in team goals with 21 goals)

Head Coach: Bob McMahon

Key Players for Buffalo: Forward John Tavares (15th in NLL scoring with 46 points); Forward Mike Accursi (2nd in team goals with 16); Goaltender Steve Dietrich (3rd in NLL goals against average with 12.78)

Interim Head Coach: Frank Nielsen

Notable: Buffalo is allowing the fourth least amount of goals per game with a 13.3 average

Last Meeting: First Meeting This Season

Tickets: At HSBC Arena Box Office, through Tickets Charge-by-Phone at (888) 223-6000 and online at Tickets.com

Sat. Feb 9
Montreal Express at Rochester Knighthawks,
7:30 p.m., Blue Cross Arena
TV: None
Radio: Rochester- WYSL (1040-AM)
Webcast: www.NationalLacrosse.com

Record: Montreal (6-3, 3rd NLL Central Division); Rochester (7-3, 2nd NLL Central Division)

Key Players for Montreal: Forward Tracey Kelusky (3rd in NLL scoring with 64 points); Forward Ted Dowling (8th in NLL scoring with 56 points; Forward Bruce Codd (2nd in NLL loose balls with 120)

Head Coach: Terry Sanderson

Key Players for Rochester: Forward John Grant (Tied for 6th in NLL scoring with 59 points); Forward Derek Malawsky (Tied for 7th in NLL scoring with 57 points); Forward Shawn Williams (14th in NLL scoring with 48 points)

Head Coach: Paul Day

Notable: Montreal ranks second in NLL Power Plays with a 65.0 percentage?Rochester ranks fourth in NLL Penalty Killing with a 50.0 percentage

Last Meeting: First Meeting This Season

Tickets: At Blue Cross Arena Box Office, through Ticketmaster Charge-by-Phone at (716) 232-1900 and online at Ticketmaster.com

Sat. Feb 9
Vancouver Ravens at New York Saints,
7:30pm, Nassau Coliseum
TV: None
Radio: Vancouver- The Team (1040-AM)
Webcast: www.NationalLacrosse.com

Record: Vancouver (4-6, 2nd NLL Northern Division); New York (4-6, 3rd NLL Eastern Division)

Key Players for Vancouver: Goaltender Dwight Maetche (2nd in total saves with 374); Forward Chris Gill (12th in NLL scoring with 52 points); Forward Peter Morgan (2nd in team scoring with 40 points)

Head Coach: Paul Dal Monte

Key Players for New York: Forward Gavin Prout (Tied for 7th in NLL scoring with 57 points); Forward Roy Colsey (Tied for 11th in NLL scoring with 53 points); Forward Rusty Kruger (Tied for 2nd in team goals with 20)

Head Coach: Sal LoCascio

Notable: Vancouver and New York are allowing the second and third least amount of shots per game with 66.8 and 67.5, respectively

Last Meeting: First Meeting This Season

Tickets: At Nassau Coliseum Box Office, through Ticketmaster Charge-by-Phone at (516) 888-9000 and online at www.Ticketmaster.com

Sun. Feb 10
Washington Power at Toronto Rock,
12:30 p.m., Air Canada Centre
TV: CNN/SI; SportsNet
Radio: Toronto- The Fan (590-AM)
Webcast: www.NationalLacrosse.com

Record: Washington (7-2, 1st NLL Eastern Division); Toronto (5-2, 1st NLL Northern Division)

Key Players for Washington: Forward Gary Gait (1st in NLL scoring with 67 points); Forward Paul Gait (Tied for 2nd in NLL scoring with 66 points); Forward Del Halladay (Tied for 11th in NLL scoring with 53 points)

Head Coach: Darris Kilgour

Key Players for Toronto: Goaltender Bob Watson (1st in NLL goals against average with 10.54); Forward Colin Doyle (Tied for 1st in team scoring with 31 points); Forward Steve Toll (Tied for 1st in team scoring with 31 points)

Head Coach: Les Bartley

Notable: Washington ranks first in NLL Power Plays with a 78.6 percentage?Toronto ranks first in NLL Penalty Killing with a 60.0 percentage

Last Meeting: 1-5-02 Toronto 11 at Washington 12

Tickets: At Air Canada Centre Box Office, through Ticketmaster Charge-by-Phone at (416) 872-5000 and online at www.Ticketmaster.ca