Around the National Lacrosse League for the games of Week Sixteen, 14-15 April 2006 (Summaries are based on best-available information and may be amended as necessary.)

Philadelphia Wings at Buffalo Bandits
Friday, 7:30 PM - HSBC Arena
Info: Game Summary | Game Stats

The Bandits rallied from a 5-2 deficit to defeat the Wings, 8-7.

Buffalo (11-4) clinched home floor advantage throughout the playoffs with the victory and Calgary's loss later in the evening.

Philadelphia (7-8) fell behind by 1-0 and 2-1 early, but went ahead 3-2 by the end of the first quarter on two goals by Jeff Ratcliffe and one by Dan Marohl.

The Wings made it 5-2 early in the second quarter before Buffalo started to turn it around, Kim Squire stopping a four-goal Wings run for a manageable 5-3 halftime deficit.

After Shawn Nadelen scored midway through the third quarter for the Wings, Dan Teat and Pat McCready struck to get the Bandits within 6-5.

Squire then tied the game three minutes into the fourth quarter, with Kyle Couling scoring the go-ahead goal at 7:23 and Mark Steenhuis adding an insurance goal moments later. They needed it, as the Wings got a five-on-three goal with 3:08 left and repeatedly threatened to score the equalizer.

Marohl led all scorers, recording five points on two goals and three assists. Teat had two goals and two assists for the Bandits.

Calgary Roughnecks at Colorado Mammoth
Friday, 9:00 PM - Pepsi Center
Info: Game Stats

A four-goal second-quarter Mammoth run helped blow open an eventual 11-8 victory over the Roughnecks.

Colorado (9-6) kept alive its chances for the Western Division title by scoring the first four goals of the second quarter, turning a 3-3 tie into a solid 7-3 lead.

Calgary (9-6) scored the next two goals to pull within 7-5 early in the third quarter, but the Riggers never got closer than two goals, blowing its chance at catching Buffalo for home floor advantage throughout the playoffs.

Calgary's Tracey Kelusky (2 goals, 3 assists) and Colorado's Gavin Prout (1 goal, 4 assists) led all scorers with five points each.

The teams meet again tomorrow night in Calgary, with the winner clinching a home game in the first round of the playoffs; depending on how Portland does, that game could also be for the Western Division title.

Edmonton Rush at Portland LumberJax
Friday, 10:30 PM - Rose Garden
Info: Game Stats

Dallas Eliuk stopped 15 of 16 first-half shots as the LumberJax topped the Rush, 11-7.

Portland (10-5), which moved into sole possession of first place in the Western Division, led 2-0 after one quarter and 4-1 at halftime, due in great part to Eliuk's strong play in net.

Eliuk yielded to Aaron Bold in the second half, not that Edmonton (1-15) fared much better against the rookie netminder. Although the Rush scored thrice in the third quarter, Portland scored four times.

The Rush did string together a pair to start the fourth quarter, moving within 8-6, but Bruce Alexander and Mike Hominuck had the answer in the closing minutes. Jason Clark scored for the Rush with 55 seconds left, but Shawn Cable tacked one on for the 'Jax at 14:56.

Edmonton's Jamey Bowen (3 goals, 2 assists) and Portland's Peter Morgan (2 goals, 3 assists) each tallied five points.

San Jose Stealth at Arizona Sting
Friday, 10:30 PM - Glendale Arena
Info: Game Summary | Game Stats

Matt Brown, Dan Dawson and Craig Conn had hat tricks as the Sting defeated the Stealth, 16-13.

Arizona (7-8) clinched the final Western Division playoff spot with the victory, eliminating the Stealth from contention.

San Jose (5-10) had a 4-2 lead nine minutes into the game, but the Sting fired back with six -- yes, six -- goals to end the period with an 8-4 lead.

The clubs played to a 2-2 draw in the second quarter before San Jose could wriggle a little closer after three quarters, 12-9.

Twice in the fourth quarter, the Stealth moved to within two, at 12-10 and 14-12, but couldn't get any closer.

Arizona's Pat Maddalena led all scorers with nine points, on two goals and seven assists. Three Stealth players had six points.

Toronto Rock at Rochester Knighthawks
Saturday, 7:35 PM - Blue Cross Arena
Info: Game Stats

Mike Accursi scored four goals as the Knighthawks escaped a late scare from the Rock, winning 10-7.

With the win, Rochester (9-7) claims the final Eastern Division playoff spot, but qualifies as the second seed and will host Toronto again next week.

John Grant scored twice in the first six minutes for a 2-0 Knighthawks lead, but Toronto (8-8) tied the game on goals by Blaine Manning and Josh Sanderson.

The teams traded goals at mid-quarter (Shawn Williams for Rochester, Aaron Wilson for Toronto) before the Knighthawks staked themselves to a 5-3 halftime advantage on two late goals by Accursi.

After falling behind 7-4 after three quarters, Toronto tied the game on three straight goals to open the fourth quarter, one by Colin Doyle and two by Sanderson. Accursi (naturally) had the response for Rochester, scoring twice, and Steve Toll added an insurance goal in the final minute.

Accursi (4 goals, 2 assists) and Sanderson (3 goals, 3 assists) had six points each, leading all scorers.

Buffalo Bandits at Philadelphia Wings
Saturday, 8:00 PM - Wachovia Center
Info: Game Summary | Game Stats

Jake Bergey and Jeff Ratcliffe recorded hat tricks as the Wings defeated the Bandits, 14-11.

Confronted with a must-win situation and facing a team with nothing to play for but pride, Philadelphia (8-8) busted out to a 4-1 lead after the first quarter, led by two Bergey goals.

Buffalo (11-5) fell even further behind when the Wings struck for five goals in the second quarter, for a 9-5 halftime advantage, and four more in the third, posting a 13-7 lead going to the fourth.

By then, though, results of other games trickled in, and as it became clear that the Wings, even with a win, would not be going to the playoffs, the Bandits finally found their groove, scoring four goals, three by Dan Teat.

John Tavares had a game-high eight points for Buffalo, tallying three goals and five assists. Dan Marohl (1 goal, 5 assists) had six points for the Wings.

Portland LumberJax at Minnesota Swarm
Saturday, 8:00 PM - Xcel Energy Center
Info: Game Stats

Matt King held the Swarm scoreless over the final 22 minutes as the LumberJax clinched the Western Division title, 13-8.

Minnesota (8-8) led 4-2 after one quarter, but Mike Hominuck pulled the LumberJax to within 5-4 six minutes into the second quarter with two goals (going with one he had in the first period), and Ryan Powell tied the game moments later.

Chad Culp put the Swarm out in front again, 6-5, going to halftime, but Portland (11-5) tied the game several times in the third quarter and went ahead 9-8 on a Peter Morgan goal with 43 seconds left in the period.

Hominuck, Morgan, Ryan Sharp and Tom Montour then scored for Portland in the fourth as King stopped every Swarm shot he faced.

The big three of Powell (1 goal, 5 assists), Hominuck (4 goals, 2 assists) and Morgan (3 goals, 3 assists) all had six points on the evening. Culp also got to six points, on a goal and five assists.

Colorado Mammoth at Calgary Roughnecks
Saturday, 9:30 PM - Pengrowth Saddledome
Info: Game Summary | Game Stats

The Mammoth closed out on a 12-2 run, rumbling to a surprisingly easy 17-7 victory over the Roughnecks.

After allowing an early goal, Calgary (9-7) rebounded to lead 2-1 after one quarter, on goals by Kaleb Toth and Jeremy Cheyne.

Colorado (10-6) found its way in the second quarter, posting a three-goal run (Chris Gill, Brian Langtry, and Dan Stroup) as a foreshadowing of things to come and leading at the break, 5-4.

After Jason Wulder opened the second-half scoring for Calgary, the Mammoth with four goals in succession. After a Kevin Dostie goal, Colorado put down three more, for a 12-6 lead after three quarters.

Cheyne scored the first goal of the fourth quarter, and Colorado struck for five unanswered goals.

Langtry posted five goals and an assist, leading all scorers. Lewis Ratcliff had a goal and three assists for the Roughnecks.

Arizona Sting at San Jose Stealth
Saturday, 10:30 PM - HP Pavilion
Info: Game Stats

Dan Dawson scored four goals, leading to Sting to a 12-7 victory over the Stealth.

Arizona (8-8) took a 2-1 lead after one quarter on goals by Pat Maddalena and Dan Dawson, then hung on for a 4-3 halftime advantage.

San Jose (5-11) tied the game a minute into the second half, on a Jeff Zywicki goal, then brothers Curt and Derek Malawsky traded goals within the next 62 seconds.

Kevin Fines actually put the Stealth ahead briefly, 6-5, but the Sting countered with four straight goals, two in the third quarter and two more in the fourth.

After another Fines goal, Arizona struck for three more goals.

Dawson led all scorers with four goals and two assists. Ryan Boyle had a goal and four assists for the Stealth.