NLL Lacrosse: Minnesota Swarm back in Action Against the Buffalo Bandits

On Wednesday, the National Lacrosse League announced their weekly awards. For the first time in recent memory, none of the Minnesota Swarm were given one of those awards. Highway robbery, right? To be fair, the Swarm had a bye week last weekend, which really is the only thing that seems to be capable of stopping the Swarm.

Tonight, however, they are back in action in Buffalo as the Xcel Energy Center is overrun by the Minnesota Wild and the WCHA Final Five. Right now, fans in Minnesota could use some winning teams to watch, and the WCHA Finals may be the only way the fans at the X get to see a championship. That is... until May 20th, when the Swarm could be involved.

There are a few steps in between now and then, including tonight's game against a beat down Bandits squad sitting in last place in the East at just 3-6. As we discussed in the first match up between these two teams earlier this season, the Bandits were expected to be contenders for the NLL Championship, and the Swarm were expected to finish as a laughing stock. Those roles have been reversed, and even some big trades and acquisitions haven't been able to pull the Bandits out of their funk.

One big story line to watch will be how fired up the Swarm might be to put goaltender Anthony Cosmo in his place after refusing to report to the Swarm. Cosmo was acquired in the Boston dispersal draft, and a saga unfolded over the summer surrounding whether he had asked them not to draft him, that he wanted to be traded out east, and then when he finally refused to play.

The Swarm eventually traded Cosmo to the Bandits for two first round picks, and the saga ended. Today, the Swarm get their chance to show him just what a mistake that was, if he didn't already know.

It should certainly be an interesting game, as the Swarm should be well rested after a week off and fired up to avenge their honor.

Tune in on the NLL network at 6:30PM.