Lazers Try to Reverse Trend in Playoff Opener Tonight

Having just concluded their best Major Indoor Soccer League season, the Lazers hope to carry their success into postseason play, beginning at the Forum tonight at 7:30 against the Kansas City Comets.

Off previous playoff performances, the Lazers might not be expected to last long in the best-of-five opening-round series. In their two previous appearances, they were eliminated in the first round.

This season, though, the Lazers are in a much better position. At 31-25, they finished the regular season second in the Western Division to the San Diego Sockers, whom they defeated in 4 of 7 games; they have scored 62 goals in their last 8 games; and they outscored opponents, 28-13, while winning their last three regular-season games.

“We’ve got as good a shot as anyone else,” Lazer Coach Keith Tozer said of his team’s chances to win the league championship.

But first they have to get by the Comets, a team they also beat in 4 of 7 games but a team that has taken 5 of 7 meetings at the Forum dating to last season.

“The first game is extremely important,” said Tozer, whose team will also be host Saturday of the second game. “And if we can win both at home, I feel we’ll be able to pull it off.”

The Lazers have won 3 of their last 4 games at Kemper Arena in Kansas City.

Both teams have offensive punch, the Lazers’ coming mostly from Thompson Usiyan, who had 16 goals and 13 assists in his last 9 games, and Chico Borja, the league’s fourth-best scorer with 98 points. Usiyan finished seventh in league scoring with 88 points.

The Comets (29-27), who had the league’s most productive offense with 194 goals, are led by Jan Goossens, who was third best in the league with 101 points, and Dale Mitchell, who finished fifth with 95 points.

Defensively, however, the Lazers have the edge. The Comets allowed 290 goals, most in the league, compared with the Lazers’ 266.