Dec. 19, 2007

The 2008 National Lacrosse League season begins Dec. 29 as the Colorado Mammoth host the Calgary Roughnecks at the Pepsi Center in Denver. Before then, LMO will be releasing team-by-team previews by resident Hall of Fame writer Tom Borrelli, excerpted from the January issue of Lacrosse magazine.

For more this NLL season, check back to LMO for Borrelli's weekly column and become a member of US Lacrosse to begin your monthly subscription to LM.

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Chicago Shamrox
Division: East
Web site: chicagoshamrox.com
Last Year: 6-10, tied for fourth place
Head Coach: Jamie Batley (32-23 career, 6-10 with Shamrox)

It didn't take the Shamrox long to prove they were a team to be taken seriously during their expansion season. Chicago won three of its first four before a seven-game losing streak jolted the Shamrox back to reality. Despite some solid goaltending by Brandon Miller, who led the league with 602 saves, Chicago just didn't score enough to make it to the playoffs, ranking dead last in the East Division with 176 goals. Lindsay Plunkett and Brock Boyle, both snagged in the dispersal draft, should help energize the offense, which was paced by Jason Clark, 11-year veteran Chris Panos and All-Rookie pick Bill McGlone last season. First-round draft choice Kevin Ross from Canisius, who finished seventh in Division I in scoring last spring with 36 goals and 54 points, has star potential. Scott Self, the second defenseman taken in the dispersal draft, should bolster the back door.

Schedule
Jan 5 vs. Toronto
Jan 12 at Philadelphia
Jan 26 vs. Edmonton
Feb 9 at San Jose
Feb 16 vs. New York
Feb 24 vs. Buffalo
Mar 1 vs. Rochester
Mar 14 at Minnesota
Mar 22 at Rochester
Mar 29 vs. Minnesota
Apr 5 vs. Philadelphia
Apr 12 at Toronto
Apr 18 at New York
Apr 19 at Buffalo
Apr 25 at Minnesota
Apr 26 vs. Minnesota

Projected Starting Lineup
F Chris Panos (30g, 19a, 49pts, 31 LBs)
F Lindsay Plunkett (31g, 35a, 66pts, 75 LBs with Arizona)
F Jason Clark (17g, 41a, 58pts, 78 LBs)
D Scott Self (3g, 14a, 17pts, 91 LBs with Arizona)
D Kevin Fines (15g, 7a, 22pts, 30 LBs with Toronto)
G Brandon Miller (6-9, 12.28 GAA, 77.3 SV%).