As we return to divisional play, much remains to be clarified. Astoundingly, not a single team in the League managed to start the season either 2-0 or 0-2, and with the teams thus being so closely bunched together, many will look for this week to be the time to try to gain a foothold in the playoff race. Click here to see all lineups.
The night starts with two old rivals Miami and Dallas facing off. Miami desperately wants to erase the memory of their terrible loss against Boston last week, but it will not be easy as Dallas, always anchored by a strong and young contingent have started the season well and will look to maintain that pace.
St. Louis takes on San Francisco in the second battle. The Arch Bishops are coming off a fantastic win against Baltimore after a tough loss in the first week and will certainly be looking to continue that trend, fielding the same lineup which lead them to that surprising sweep. But it will not be easy for them either as, like the Sharks, they face a strong and youthful contingent from the Mechanics.
The clear surprising team of the League so far, Carolina, battles Los Angeles in the next encounter. The Cobras, despite being severely out-rated in both their matches, drew two very strong opponents and can clearly not be taken lightly by any team. The Vibe are currently trailing the pack in the Western Division, obviously not the place they were expecting to be after finishing second place last year, but having gotten some of their fire-power back with the return of the Olympiad squads will probably see this as a good opportunity to gain valuable ground.
Last up we have Seattle battling Arizona. The Sluggers, like the Vibe, have gotten a valuable commodity back with the end of the Olympiad and are looking to capitalize upon it quickly, fielding a far higher rated lineup than their first two matches. Though they had a tough Week 1 loss, with their Week 2 win, they are right in the thick of things, and the return of their star may be a harbinger of better things. But, just as for any team, it won’t be easy as the Scorpions are always extremely solid and are also fielding a strong lineup in what should be a close match.
Tune in on Monday at 7:45 PM EST as the Western Division Teams attempt to gain separation from each other as the playoff race truly starts!