NLL Week Six: Minnesota Swarm vs Edmonton Rush Game Preview

The Minnesota Swarm and Edmonton Rush both come in thirsting for a return to the win column. Last weekend, the Swarm dropped their game against the Knighthawks and the Rush to the division leading Colorado Mammoth. The two teams sit tied for third in the West, and both teams each have four newly minted all-stars. The similarities end there.

The Swarm come in with the league's top offensive output at just under 16 goals per game, while the Rush boast Adam Bold, with the league's lowest goals against average at just 9.67. One of the oldest sayings around is that the best offense is a good defense. When these two teams hit the field, it will become clear if that maxim applies to indoor lacrosse as well.

The Swarm's defense has been a weakness this season, and coach Mike Lines is aware of that. After the win against the Bandits two weeks ago, Lines pointed to the defensive side of the ball as the only weakness in an otherwise well played game. If the Swarm can find a way to keep putting up goals and find a way to prevent the late game breakdowns, they will become one of the most dangerous teams in the NLL.

After the jump, a look at the rest of the match-ups to watch tonight in Saint Paul.

The names you will hear again and again for the Swarm will be 2011 scoring champ Ryan Benesch, currently sitting one point behind teammate Callum Crawford for the Swarm team lead. Captain Andrew Suitor has asserted himself well in his new leadership role, and remaining dangerous on both sides of the ball. Rookies Jordan MacIntosh and Corbin Tao have been magnificent thus far, with MacIntosh being the first Swarm rookie to be named to the all-star game.

Watching MacIntosh is something any lacrosse fan should take joy in. He is fast, smart with the ball, and can score when you least expect it. Don't take your eye off of him for a second, or you'll almost certainly miss something. If he isn't scoring, just watch the way he handles the game. The small touches are all there, despite his youth and inexperience in the NLL.

From the Rush, as mentioned above, keep an eye on goaltender Adam Bold. With the high potency offense of the Swarm, if Bold has an off night, the Rush are in trouble. Scott Evans leads the Rush in goals with six, while Shawn Williams leads in overall points at 16. While the Swarm have struggled with defense, the Rush have struggled to find the back of the net.

With the Swarm at home for a double header this weekend, they see this first game as a chance to get off on the right foot. Ryan Benesch put the emphasis on winning at home, saying "it's our building, they're our fans, and we want to put on a show so they keep coming back. These are four really important points, and we can't afford to go to 1-4."

That statement about sums it up. It's still early in the season, with a ton of lacrosse left to play, but with Colorado at 5-0, neither team can afford to drop this game. Must wins make for exciting games. This is likely to be no different.