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With the NHL lockout pending, the only real question comes down to which team will play first in the Xcel Energy Center, the Minnesota Wild or the Minnesota Swarm? The National Lacrosse League released its 2013 schedule yesterday, setting the date the Wild need to beat at January 26th.
The Swarm will open on the road in Buffalo on January 12th, then take a two week hiatus and play a back to back, with travel, on the 25th and 26th, coming home from Toronto to host their home opener against the much loved Washington Stealth. This means that while Swarm fans, who get to watch their team make three consecutive first round licks in October, will be excited for the season to start, it will be nearly a month in before they get their first taste.
They will have it made up to them in March and April, though, as the Swarm play three straight home games, bringing in the Stealth, Philadelphia Wings, and Buffalo Bandits over a month long stretch.
The full schedule is as follows:
| Saturday | Jan. 12 | @ Buffalo | 6:30 p.m. |
| Friday | Jan. 25 | @ Toronto | 6:30 p.m. |
| Saturday | Jan. 26 | WASHINGTON | 7 p.m. |
| Saturday | Feb. 2 | @ Colorado | 8 p.m. |
| Friday | Feb. 8 | TORONTO | 7:30 p.m. |
| Saturday | Feb. 16 | CALGARY | 6 p.m. |
| Friday | Feb. 22 | @ Edmonton | 8 p.m. |
| Sunday | Feb. 24 | EDMONTON | 2 p.m. |
| Sunday | March 3 | @ Washington | 5 p.m. |
| Friday | March 8 | @ Calgary | 8 p.m. |
| Saturday | March 16 | WASHINGTON | 7 p.m. |
| Friday | March 29 | PHILADELPHIA | 7:30 p.m. |
| Saturday | April 6 | BUFFALO | 7 p.m. |
| Sunday | April 7 | @ Philadelphia | 3 p.m. |
| Saturday | April 13 | @ Colorado | 8 p.m. |
| Saturday | April 20 | COLORADO | 7 p.m. |
| Fri. - Sun. | April 26-28 | Divisional Semifinals | TBD |
| Fri. - Sun. | May 3-5 | Divisional Finals | TBD |
| Fri. - Sun. | May 10-12 | Champion's Cup | TBD |
Plan accordingly, folks.