Phillylacrosse.com, posted 2/26/08
The first-place Philadelphia Wings (5-0) have their first back-to-back games this weekend, hosting a hot New York team Friday night and heading to Buffalo to face the Bandits at HSBC Arena on Saturday.
After a win over the then-undefeated Colorado Mammoth on Feb. 15 and the 6-1 Minnesota Swarm last Friday, Wings coach Dave Huntley can’t afford to let his team take the 4-4 Titans lightly. New York has won its last three games and is coming off of a big victory over the Rochester Knighthawks last Saturday.
“There’s a huge difference between where New York was last year as an expansion franchise and where they are now,” said Huntley. “They’re playing extremely well; scoring a lot of goals and not giving up a lot of goals.”
New York coach Adam Mueller, the former Wings coach, knows that a win on Friday could provide his second year team with an incredible boost, but understands the challenge.
“They’re pretty scary,” said Mueller. “They’re talented and they can score in bunches, which you really want to control as a team.
“They have an athletic and aggressive defense and their offense can score off the face-off, five on five and on the power play.
“They’re confidence is really high right now and it’ll be a great test for our club.”
After Friday’s game, the Wings will head to Buffalo Saturday morning to play the Bandits.
